Is parking available at the hotel?

Free self-parking is available on-site. However, parking is limited.

What type of breakfast is offered and what are the serving hours?

A complimentary continental breakfast is served daily from 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM.

Does the hotel allow pets?

Pets are allowed in specific rooms only, with a pet fee of USD 40 per pet, per night, and a pet deposit of USD 150 per stay. Service animals are exempt from fees.

What are the check-in and check-out times?

Check-in is from 3:00 PM, and check-out is until 11:00 AM. Early or late check-in/check-out may be available upon request, but additional charges may apply.

What accessibility features are available for guests with disabilities?

The property features step-free entrances, wheelchair-accessible facilities, and elevators. Accessible rooms and bathrooms are available, ensuring comfort for guests with disabilities.

What is the hotel's location in relation to nearby attractions?

The hotel is located within a 10-minute drive of the Mississippi River and Gull Lake. It is 3.4 miles from Northland Arboretum and 3.5 miles from Brainerd International Raceway.

Does the hotel have a swimming pool?

The hotel features both an indoor pool and a seasonal outdoor heated pool. The indoor pool is operational year-round, while the outdoor pool is available seasonally.

What are the policies for guests staying with children?

Up to 3 children aged 17 years and younger can stay for free when occupying the parent or guardian's room using existing bedding.

What are the policies regarding extra beds and cribs?

The hotel offers rollaway beds at a fee of USD 10.00 per night. Advance request or confirmation is required for rollaway beds.

Holiday Inn Express Brainerd-Baxter Hotel

Average nightly price at Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Brainerd-Baxter by IHG by month, last 12 months (USD)
Month	Average price
January	US$162
February	US$176
March	US$164
April	US$151
May	US$166
June	US$206
July	US$216
August	US$219
September	US$175
October	US$178
November	US$160
December	US$153

What guests think

At Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Brainerd-Baxter by IHG, travellers consistently highlight the indoor waterpark as the main draw for families, alongside generally clean rooms and friendly staff who keep check-in smooth and stays easygoing.

Facilities often please kids, but recurring downsides include limited bar/cafe hours, occasional closures or broken games in the arcade/laser tag, and a single slow elevator. Rooms are spacious and comfortable for many, yet the property feels dated in places and some guests report maintenance problems or disruptive noise on busy weekends. Breakfast offers variety but quality is inconsistent, while the location is convenient for shops, restaurants, and local attractions. Expect a family-focused stay with big waterpark fun over polished finishes.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

The indoor waterpark is the standout and popular with families, with slides, a lazy river, and separate hot tubs noted. Downsides include limited bar/cafe hours, occasional arcade/laser tag closures or broken games, a single slow elevator, and sporadic temperature or chemical issues.

Related guest reviews

8

Lucina

15 Aug 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

I don't understand why they give out tickers in the arcade for prizes but then the prize redemption is in the laser tag that I've never once seen open. You have to go and bug someone at the front desk to take you back to a closed part of the hotel to get a ring pop for a hundred million points. Just don't give out prizes, and also, fix the broken games in the arcade. It's been over a month.

10

Luvenia

7 Dec 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Great stay for families with kids. Separate hot tub for kids and adults in the waterpark area. Dining and drink options in the waterpark. Complimentary breakfast had robust options.

10

Jodi

5 Jun 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

I love the pool area. It was awesome. There are two slides for adults-one with a tube and one without. There is a pool a lazy river, and a large area for young children. There are also two hot tubs-one for adults only. I would highly recommend this hotel. I went with my 13 year old daughter and we had a great time.

8

yvonne

24 Jul 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

The hotel room was great except white bedspread had blood stains on it (it had been washed but should not have been used again. Arcade could have had more games and games working. Arcade was closed part of visit as storing luggage for large group. Amenities didnt have set hours or they were not followed. Laser tag closed early (we were told open until 8) so when we arrived, we couldn't play. Concessions near pool also closed early. My husband asked and staff said it was open until 8 p.m. but he was planning on leaving at 6? Pool and waterpark were FABULOUS?

6

Calvin

15 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Hot tubs did not work but we were only there for a night. It met our needs but not our expectations.

8

Mandy

20 Oct 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Check in was fast and efficient. Staff were friendly. The only problem was stuff shutting down earlier than anticipated. Waterpark is closed from 3-4 for safety check which is understandable and appreciated but slide was closed at 2:30. Happy hour at the bar from 5-7 but they closed at 6:45 and stopped taking food orders at 6. Signs were not very visible to have known when to order before they closed. Arcade closes with the pool which was a bummer for everything to shut all at one since we had just checked in at 3. Overall would stay again but would request better signage for all the closures and times.

8

Nicholas

2 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Was a great stay. Rooms were clean, beds were comfortable. Breakfast selection was okay. We make a weekend trip here every here for the water park. This year, there were no hockey teams staying here which was great. The indoor air temp in the water park was cold one of the days and the water temp in the kids area was quite cold also. Kind of killed the fun. The kids got chlorine rashes from swimming. The bar/food area is always nice for a quick lunch. All in all, was a nice stay. Pretty fair priced. Will stay again. 4/5 stars.

2

Brianna

27 Feb 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Too many chemicals in the pool area. Made my kids sick.

8

Steve

8 Apr 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Everything was really good except some games in the arcade were broken and the water at the bottom of the waterslide is to shallow for adults and i would hit my feet on bottom of the pool coming off the slide

10

Teri

20 May 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Staff were all friendly, the waterpark was awesome and clean, i love that they have an arcade and plenty of breakfast options. The room was clean and cozy and well stocked. The only complaint I have is the long lines for the 1 small elevator in the lobby. I had a stroller so i couldnt just squeeze in with other. All of the other guests i met were also very kind.

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Cleanliness

Many guests find rooms and common areas clean, with housekeeping maintaining tidy spaces. However, recurring issues include stained bedding, dirty or worn carpets, inconsistent pool area cleanliness, and occasional bathroom cleanliness lapses.

Related guest reviews

8

Lisa

2 Apr 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Needs updating and a good cleaning, especially the water park.

6

Kelly

23 Mar 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

Pool area was not very clean. Water had to much chemicals. Rooms not very clean. Surface clean but definitely needs a solid deep. Air vents very gross which makes a person wonder how clean is it.

8

yvonne

24 Jul 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

The hotel room was great except white bedspread had blood stains on it (it had been washed but should not have been used again. Arcade could have had more games and games working. Arcade was closed part of visit as storing luggage for large group. Amenities didnt have set hours or they were not followed. Laser tag closed early (we were told open until 8) so when we arrived, we couldn't play. Concessions near pool also closed early. My husband asked and staff said it was open until 8 p.m. but he was planning on leaving at 6? Pool and waterpark were FABULOUS?

10

Angela & Kevin

3 Feb 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Our stay was great! Hotel was nice and clean and staff was friendly.

10

Leah

30 Dec 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Clean room, clean bathroom, clean bed, great pool and waterpark, clean breakfast area, overall a great hotel. We will be back!

10

Joseph

24 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Good experience. Helpful staff, clean and well prepared.

8

Adrian

4 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 5 nights

Hotel staff were very good room was clean but public area carpets were tatty and dirty by the look due to people walking from the on site swimming pool too the rooms dripping wet

10

Michelle

16 Dec 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Hotel was clean and the staff friendly

10

Elizabeth

8 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

This was wonderful and clean and the water park was awesome!

2

jessica

7 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The bed was terrible. The toilet was dirty and didn’t flush and the breakfast was awful.

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Rooms

Rooms are generally spacious and comfortable for families, with layouts like bunk-bed rooms appreciated. Still, several guests cite dated decor, noise transfer, and maintenance problems such as broken fixtures, door latches, fireplaces, or sofa beds.

Related guest reviews

4

Christie

15 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The fireplace didn't work and was included in the price i paid. The room was bg and nice.

8

Shantel

10 May 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Quick getaway with our 9 year old son. Check-in was great, very happy helpful attendant. Water park was great. The room on the other hand was a hug disappointment. There were two men in a room next to us, we heard every bit of their conversation and they talked until after midnight. Bed was uncomfortable. The room next to us had a morning alarm on their phone and it literally woke us up at 5:45! Room was spacious for the 3 of us however I got less than 3 hours sleep due to the rooms not being sound proof enough.

4

Megan

19 Feb 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Beds were not good, spring broke in one of the beds. Outdated.

10

michael

14 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Large enough rooms to have gatherings for the whole family. Clean rooms and quiet after 10pm. Breakfast isn’t anything special but does the trick.

8

Edward

7 Sept 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The young lady at the front desk was so accommodating. She let us have the floor and room we wanted. Yes, it’s dated, but the room was clean, mattresses were perfect. Breakfast the next morning was ok.

6

Kimberly

6 Aug 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Tv in bunk bed room was broken. Plug wouldn’t not open in the tub. Front desk staff gave me a window suction cling on a pen to open drain myself.

6

Lucina

19 Jul 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Sink broken. fridge in room broken. Late check out but they kept bugging me about it since syb.stem was being dum

10

Tara

24 May 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The waterpark area was big with lots to do to keep my kids of all ages entertained all weekend! The room was big and beds were comfortable.

2

Dustin

2 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Door does not latch closed. Attached door wasn't locked, two young kids walked into our room. Damaged furniture, hole in carpet.

10

Holly

2 Aug 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Loved this motel and water park! The water and room temperature in the water park was perfect and there was plenty to keep all the kids (and adults) occupied. The rooms were clean and the bunk bed rooms were great for the kids. The only complaint I have is the arcade. There were several games out of order and the air on the air hockey table wasn’t strong enough to play at all, so I did not get to stomp my 11 year old nephew when he challenged me! Will definitely stay here again!!!

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Service

Staff are frequently described as friendly and helpful, with smooth check-ins and attentive teams during difficult weather. Some guests experienced service lapses, including check-in errors, inconsistent pool supervision, inflexible policies, and mixed interactions with bar or front-desk staff.

Related guest reviews

10

Hilary

1 Apr 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

We stayed in during a snowstorm and the staff was wonderful, the woman who ran the breakfast was wonderful and all the staff that braved the weather to open the water slides were fantastic. Great housekeeping services as well.

6

Kassandra

20 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Pros - - The front desk and breakfast area staff were great! Super friendly and accommodating. - Breakfast had a ton of options and loved the fresh omelets and the biscuits and gravy - We enjoyed the adult hot tub and tube slide - Our hotel room was mostly clean minus the extra sheets that had wine stains Cons - - The pullout sofa bed was pretty much unusable even though it was noted as a usable sleeping space. The bed was broken. The bedding to put on it was stained with what looked to be wine. - Our room only had one waste bin that was in the bathroom to use for a family of 6 - There were not enough tubes for the number of people so we had to often wait, especially with people continuing to use them vs. sharing - The lifeguards were often in groups and chatting and not paying attention - There were no pool towels to use even though there was still an hour before closing the pool - The Bar & Grill was not open the entire time we were there and there weren’t any hours posted for us to know when it was open.

4

RaeAnne

7 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

We stayed Friday- Sunday and the area of the hotel was very nice. At check in we were given keys to our room and as we opened the door there were already guests in the room and we felt terrible walking in on them. We then went to get new keys and got to our new room. We were fine with our new room. We then realized late Saturday night there was a leak coming from our toilet in our bathroom.. we alerted front desk as we checked out. We had a few issues, but the waterpark was a blast for the kiddo and we also enjoyed the breakfast.

2

Nancy

5 Jul 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

We had a reservation that was iff by one night. We asked to switch from Saturday and Sunday nigh night on July 4th weekend to Friday and Saturday night-staff were unwilling to make the change and insisted on keeping the prepaid amount and charging an additional $299. It was an extreme ripoff!

10

Maria Rizza

17 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great Hotel and service

2

Jared

27 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Make sure you eat before coming to the hotel because you wont be able to eat at the pool because the Cafe closes right at dinner time and they dont allow you to bring food into the pool area. Worst customer service ever!!!!!! Arrowwood lodge accross the street is cheaper and better service

10

Kari

13 Jun 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

3rd time visiting. Always clean and inviting. Front desk staff is always friendly.

10

RHONDA

28 May 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Check in was a bit screwed up for one of my sons. Credit card was not on his reservation at 130p when they assured at 1030a same day that it was. His check in was delayed for several hours til i get there.

10

Simon

30 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Super fast check in. Great room. Perfect for our quick 1 night stay.

10

Jessica

25 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Friendly staff! Pools and play areas clean and well kept! Good food and drinks

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Location

Convenient for reaching restaurants, shopping, and nearby attractions such as the zoo, and easy to find. The area generally felt safe and worked well for quick access around Baxter/Brainerd.

Related guest reviews

8

Nicole

11 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 19,367 nights

Convenient for my needs

10

Elizabeth

15 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location! Our room was clean, beds were comfortable, lots of options for breakfast, and the waterpark was a blast! We will definitely be back!

8

Nicole

8 Jul 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Convenient for the reason we come to Baxter. Staff is wonderful as always.

8

Nicholas

21 Jan 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Had a great time at the water park. The bar/food area within the park had limited hours. The hotel itself needed a 2nd elevator. There was constant traffic at it and it was pretty slow. Breakfast had decent selection. The breakfast area needs to be bigger as it is over run with people. Hockey families were staying there at the same time and were running around the halls and leaving garbage around. Otherwise it was a a decent stay. Lots of food options nearby.

10

SarahJean

17 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 19,369 nights

Great location. Easy to find. Clean property. Friendly staff.

10

Marge

15 Nov 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hotel was nice, the water park was really nice, there were several dining options close by, getting around was very easy.

10

Kalyn

2 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

This was our second time staying here. We loved the waterpark. We loved how close it was to the shopping and the zoo. We will definitely stay up here again when we get the chance.

10

Jennifer

1 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Close to location and airport!

10

Heather

31 May 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Water park was a blast. Water was warm and the hot tubs were nice and hot. It’s a small water park but great for a 1 day/2 day experience with kid for a couple hours. Front desk people were really friendly! They were always busy cleaning or helping to keep the place looking great. I was disappointed the game room wasn’t working. The rooms and beds aren’t the greatest. You can tell lots of families have come and gone through them. They have a cute gift shop. Wish it had more variety of things to buy. There’s lots of restaurants near by. The area was clean and safe. I would definitely come back and bring a big family party here for some fun!

10

SarahJean

14 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 19,370 nights

Friendly staff. Great location.

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Dining

Breakfast offers good variety for many guests, but quality ranges from solid to disappointing. Bar/cafe service has limited or early hours, which can be inconvenient.

Related guest reviews

10

Elizabeth

15 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location! Our room was clean, beds were comfortable, lots of options for breakfast, and the waterpark was a blast! We will definitely be back!

10

Luvenia

7 Dec 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Great stay for families with kids. Separate hot tub for kids and adults in the waterpark area. Dining and drink options in the waterpark. Complimentary breakfast had robust options.

6

Christopher

10 Feb 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was good, but we were surrounded my rooms being used by a middle school basketball team, and the hotel staff seemed unable to get them to be quiet, leading to a bad night's sleep. The breakfast was also very mediocre, and all plastic plates and cutlery.

10

Carol

5 Aug 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Friendly helpful staff. Nice breakfast; nice options. Comfortable room. Fun water park.

10

Christina

3 Sept 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Our stay was amazing, rooms very clean, spacious. Breakfast was NOT so good. I think the eggs were made from powdered eggs mix. Sausage needed to be cooked a bit longer. Coffee was fantastic 😄😄 Overall the stay was good. Definitely use this hotel again.

6

Cassandra

17 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The front desk people were amazing!!! So nice and accommodating. 10/10 The person at the bar in the waterpark was snippy. Breakfast was not good, cold eggs cold sausage and the toaster was not able to keep up at all with the amount of people. Better off having a regular one, you had to put it in a ton of times. Book ahead also if you wanna do laser tag.

8

Mandy

20 Oct 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Check in was fast and efficient. Staff were friendly. The only problem was stuff shutting down earlier than anticipated. Waterpark is closed from 3-4 for safety check which is understandable and appreciated but slide was closed at 2:30. Happy hour at the bar from 5-7 but they closed at 6:45 and stopped taking food orders at 6. Signs were not very visible to have known when to order before they closed. Arcade closes with the pool which was a bummer for everything to shut all at one since we had just checked in at 3. Overall would stay again but would request better signage for all the closures and times.

8

Joseph

1 Jun 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Overall it was a great stay. The only thing that would have been better is if there were vegetarian options other than toast and ceral at breakfast.

2

jessica

7 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The bed was terrible. The toilet was dirty and didn’t flush and the breakfast was awful.

10

Shelly

18 Jul 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Rooms were clean, the breakfast was good and we had plenty of options, staff was friendly and the waterpark was great! We will definitely stay here again

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $176	2	3 $295
4 $144	5 $149	6 $159	7 $157	8 $151	9 $242	10
11 $148	12 $169	13 $163	14 $189	15 $280	16 $401	17 $288
18 $163	19 $169	20 $173	21 $177	22 $161	23 $213	24 $225
25 $134	26 $142	27 $142	28 $154	29 $132	30 $202	31 $194

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Brainerd-Baxter by IHG

Prices for Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Brainerd-Baxter by IHG

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Suite, 1 King Bed

Suite, 1 Queen Bed, Accessible (Communications)

Suite, 2 Queen Beds

Standard Room

Standard Room, 1 King Bed

Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Transfer Shower (Communications Accessible)

Standard Room, 1 King Bed with Sofa Bed

Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Accessible (Communications)

Suite, Multiple Beds

Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds, Accessible Bathtub (Communications)

Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds

Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds, Accessible (Communications)

Standard Room, Multiple Beds

Suite, 1 Queen Bed, Accessible Bathtub (Communications)

Guest reviews of Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Brainerd-Baxter by IHG

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Brainerd-Baxter by IHG

Prices for upcoming dates

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23 $219	24 $233	25 $252	26 $245
27 $157	28 $163	29 $148	30 $148