Name: Holiday Inn Express Redwood City Central by IHG
Address: 1836 El Camino Real, Staumbaugh Heller, Redwood City, California, United States of America, San Francisco (and vicinity), San Mateo County, US
Price range: $116–$436 per night
Rating: 8.52

What guests think

At Holiday Inn Express Redwood City Central by IHG, many guests praise clean, comfortable rooms, friendly staff, and secure parking with EV chargers, making it a practical base for Redwood City and Stanford visits.

Common drawbacks include occasional street and hallway noise, elevator outages, and check-in issues like unexpected deposits or delays. Breakfast is widely liked for its hot options and pancake machine, though a few guests found the selection repetitive or timing inconsistent. Overall, expect a clean, comfortable, good-value stay in a convenient but somewhat mixed area.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Covered parking with EV chargers is a strong plus and feels secure. The gym is minimal, and there have been occasional elevator outages.

Related guest reviews

10

Bryan

Jul 30, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Always like staying here. The staff is great, the property is in great condition and there is always a guard patrolling the parking garage... a must in the bay area.

10

Ann

Jan 1, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Nice hotel. Stuck in elevator for 30 minutes while the staff looked for the control key! Just wondered why it was not at the Front Desk all along!?!

10

JOSEPH

Oct 5, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

property was convenient and parking was safe and indoor.

8

Bette

Aug 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Liked available parking. Liked layout of elevators and coffee and breakfast area.

10

Paul

Jun 19, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Elevator out of service

10

Erica

Jul 6, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great stay!Clean rooms amd comfortable beds. There was a bit of wear on lamp shades in the bathroom, the gym was only a bike and elliptical, and there was no water avaliable at breakfast but those were all minor things. Overall it was a lovely stay and the staff were all very nice. Will stay and again and recommend.

10

Rick

Sep 2, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Safe secure parking and elevator at garage.

8

TINA

Jul 30, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The furniture in the room was very old and worn. Room itself was adequate, bathroom was clean and well stocked with amenities. Was surprised by the $200 security deposit that was not mentioned when booking the room. Parking and ev charging were very convenient.

10

HIROYUKI

Jan 4, 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

The facilities were very clean, and the breakfast was very satisfying with many choices. Also, the electric vehicle charging stations were very convenient. I would stay here again.

10

Cathy

Jul 18, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Parking was a little tight because we had a big SUV

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Cleanliness

Rooms and common areas are widely described as very clean and well kept. A few guests noted mildew odors, sticky bathroom floors, or concerns about linens.

Related guest reviews

10

yu

Dec 1, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

This hotel is very clean and comfortable

6

Angela

Oct 4, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

There was a note for the previous guest on my bed when I checked in. Worried they never changed the sheets between guests. Didn't realize it wasn't for me till the 2nd morning!

6

Tiffany

Dec 4, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The hotel was clean but the pictures were a little deceptive. The reception area was small, and the I had paid for a room with a king bed and was given two queens. The room was smaller than most Holiday In Expresses that we have stated at as well. The hotel at some point was remodeled but it still had that 1970’s or 1980’s smell and vibe for a hotel. The room was clean but the bathroom floor had some sort of sticky residue. The breakfast was the best one we’ve had in a while and the staff was friendly. Parking lot is small and we drive a stock F250 and barely fit so large vehicles be advised it has 7’ and 8’ maximum heights and the parking is located under the hotel. Over all it was ok, it was a decent price for the area but I probably won’t stay here again.

8

Juergen

Sep 18, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Cleanest motel or hotel room I’ve ever stayed in. I have dust allergies and had zero need to take an antihistamine.

10

Lawrence

Oct 2, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Our room was very clean and tidy. They provided bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the shower. The bathroom also had bottles of lotion and hand soap near the sink. The toilet paper and Kleenex had bows tied with the toilet paper and Kleenex. The bedsheets had a very high thread count which made the sheets feel very luxurious. The bed was very comfortable. The air conditioner/heater were easily adjustable. The hot breakfast had good options: eggs, sausage, gravy, biscuits, juices, coffee, tea, fresh fruit, oatmeal, pancakes, different kinds of breads, different kinds of dry cereal, yogurt, and milk.. It was a nice stay. Only downside was that it was on a main street; however, our room was in the back of the hotel, so we didn't hear any noise.

10

Ernest

Jun 10, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Very clean and well kept facility and guest rooms. Garage on the ground floor is open and filled with natural light. Hallways are clean and well lit. Rooms are basic but comfortable and clean. Comporary decor. Relatively new building and everything works. I'm very happy to find this one.

10

Angela

Dec 15, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was extremely clean. Staff was very polite and kind. The breakfast was well put together with many options.

6

Cheryl

Jul 25, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Was going to Stanford and needed hotel. This was in a sketchy area hence the lower price. Orig room had been smoked in. Was given a new room but keys didn’t work. 3rd time back to the lobby and keys finally worked. This is a very old hotel. Comfy bed and free breakfast. Bathroom REEKED of mildew. Staff very mid upon checkin. Would I stay again? Prob not.

10

Perly

Jun 27, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

Very clean hotel

10

Evelyn

Sep 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

I was very impressed with this hotel. Everything was very clean. Beds were comfortable. Service was amazing. They have a parking garage and free breakfast that was actually pretty good. Would definitely stay here again. Only anout a 4min drive to downtown Redwood City and plenty of stores around.

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Rooms

Rooms are comfortable and sometimes spacious or newly updated, with useful touches like fridges and microwaves. Traffic and hallway noise can be an issue, and some furnishings show wear; one guest reported slow Wi-Fi.

Related guest reviews

6

Nicole

Mar 21, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was fine. It is located on a major street and unfortunately I had a room closest to the street (likely because I booked through a 3rd party). The street noise was quite loud, even using a white noise app. Was difficult to sleep.

10

Manny

Apr 22, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Really convenient location walking to a lot of places. The only thing is the hotel is close to a major road. My room is on the quiet side but can still hear some traffic noise at night. But overall not a bad choice.

10

Marissa

Jul 2, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Spacious rooms!!

4

Cheree

Nov 7, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

An extra $200 hold was immediately put on our card on top of the room charge. The area ia not an ideal area. The back door of the hotel was frequently left open. As soon as we got to the 3rd floor, you could smell marijuana very strong. When we went into the room, the bench fabric was peeling off. There was also water damage by the window.

10

Sabrina

Sep 8, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

I was very pleasantly surprised by how modern and fresh the hotel & room felt. It had boutiquey touches, with a nice wide countertop in the bathroom for all my toiletries, and enough outlets for my hair tools & toothbrush charger. Everything in my room worked, nothing out of order. Zero complaints. Breakfast had good coffee and a nice assortment of hot & cold food items, and the bed had pillowcases with embroidery identifying which pillows were soft/firm. Really nice touches! I'll definitely stay here again.

8

Nora Luz

Aug 13, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Rooms were clean, a bit loud as noise carries unfortunately. Walls were paper thin

10

Kathryn

Feb 7, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Nice place. Planned on working from there, but the internet was not sufficient.

10

marsha

Aug 24, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Newly renovated

8

TINA

Jul 30, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The furniture in the room was very old and worn. Room itself was adequate, bathroom was clean and well stocked with amenities. Was surprised by the $200 security deposit that was not mentioned when booking the room. Parking and ev charging were very convenient.

10

Shuqiang

Aug 8, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

spacious room. Fresh air.

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Service

Staff are frequently praised as friendly, helpful, and accommodating. However, multiple reports mention front-desk delays, key or room assignment issues, and surprise credit-card holds.

Related guest reviews

10

Sandra

May 18, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Amaya upon checkin was fantastic!!! Great customer service and professional!! Keep her!!! The night clerk was absolutely horrible!!! She was angry and nasty, she actually said all your other staff was new and didn’t know anything. I refused to deal with her and decided to wait till daytime staff came in to finalize my 2nd nights stay. Breakfast attendant was great!

2

Nick

Jun 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Unfortunately, my experience with this particular establishment was subpar. I have had excellent experiences with Holiday Inn Express before in other areas. So this review is based on comparisons to other properties. Prior to booking this reservation, I had called the property to find out what time the breakfast area opens and I was told 6:00 AM. So I made a reservation based on this time because my family needed to leave for their engagement at 6:20AM. When we got to he breakfast area at 6:15, the host told us they don’t open until 6:30. I asked politely if she could accommodate us and we would eat whatever they had available at the time such cold cereal, fruit, etc. She said ‘no’ and told me that is not her problem if they told us the wrong time. She ended the conversation as if I was her. she displayed no sense of professionalism. I don’t think she realized she’s in the customer service business.

8

Emily

Mar 29, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Music in lobby/ parking garage so loud I thought we were nextdoor to a bar come to find out it was the garage music. No one was there to check us in we were behind another group and saw no one for 20 minutes so it took about 25 minutes to check in. The location was kind of strange but felt safe enough and had food in walking distance

10

Abiy

Aug 5, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The staff was hospitable and kind, the only issue we encountered was when one of our key cards would work and the other would stop working. The front desk worker was swift to resolve the issue. Aside from our key cards, the room was clean, and the beds were very comfortable. My family and I would recommend this hotel.

10

Nema

Nov 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Exceptional staff, the two gentlemen who checked us in were terrific. The room was exceptional and clean. The breakfast was wonderful. Quiet, close to everything. We were very impressed. Well done!

2

William

May 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We arrived to check in at around 6pm only to be told that our room was damaged and that they did not have a room for us. They said that Wotif would be in touch to organise alternative accomodation (which was a disaster in itself). When asked why we were not notified earlier the receptionist said that he was notifying us now and that it was our bad luck. Absolute disgrace. Avoid this place.

10

Jacqueline

Feb 13, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We would definitely consider staying here again. The room was spacious and clean. The bed and pillows were comfortable. It was extremely quiet. The only CON with our stay was the check-in. When we arrived at approximately 715ish pm to check-in, there was no one at the reception desk. We waited at least 20 mins before the receptionist came back. He apologized but did not explain why he was not present at the time. There were another couple waiting to check in as well. Its just not acceptable to leave the front desk unattended for that amount of time and who knows how long he was out before we even arrived.

10

elizabeth

Sep 2, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Staff was super friendly and helpful.

6

Joanie or Joe

Dec 21, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Front desk checked my husband in for the first night and when I arrived on the next night they claimed they didn’t (but he had his room key and slept in the room) and had to use his credit card again. That didn’t make any sense to us.

10

Patricia

Nov 20, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Staff was courteous and helpful. Rooms were clean and the bathroom well stocked. The morning breakfast was wonderful.

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Location

Convenient to downtown Redwood City restaurants and a short drive to Stanford and highways. Some guests found the immediate area less appealing or noisy and suggest rooms away from the street.

Related guest reviews

10

Manny

Apr 22, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Really convenient location walking to a lot of places. The only thing is the hotel is close to a major road. My room is on the quiet side but can still hear some traffic noise at night. But overall not a bad choice.

8

Josh

Jan 19, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Not the best area around it but it is conveniently located to coffee and fast food and the freeway. Once in the hotel everything is great and good breakfast included

10

Barbara

Nov 3, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Close to Stanford and other services. Staff was very helpful and responsive. Enjoyed the breakfast too.

8

Elizabeth

Apr 10, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

It was clean, comfortable and an easy 15 minute drive to Stanford in the morning

10

Patricia

Apr 24, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Convenient to downtown Redwood City. We were able to walk to some nice restaurants. Breakfast was good as well. Good selection of carbs and protein. Everything seemed well maintained.

2

Barry

Mar 16, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This is was a terrible choice. Unsafe, parking area dimly lit & appeared to be a “1 hour motel”.undesirable people walking around The parking area and hanging out in front. I refused to stay there with my wife. We found another location where we stayed. I should get my money back for this Rxpedia recommended

10

Sandra

Sep 25, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

This is a terrific place to stay with a car or transportation. Well maintained and excellent staffing at every level. Its only drawback is that the location discourages walking in the immediate area.

8

Thomas

May 4, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

It was a late check in and a good breakfast before a business meeting in Redwood City. I was confused about a large unexpected charge on my credit card, the pleasant front desk person looked into it and called me back to explain it was just a security deposit hold. The walk from this Inn to downtown Redwood City is very pleasant and a refreshing way to start the day. Ask for the rooms at the end of the hall, the quiet west end.

10

Son

Sep 1, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Overall a good experience for the price. The neighborhood at night is a little suspect, but overall it was clean, there was parking and the pillows were awesome.

10

Evelyn

Sep 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

I was very impressed with this hotel. Everything was very clean. Beds were comfortable. Service was amazing. They have a parking garage and free breakfast that was actually pretty good. Would definitely stay here again. Only anout a 4min drive to downtown Redwood City and plenty of stores around.

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Dining

The free hot breakfast is a highlight for many, with good variety and a pancake machine. Some found options repetitive or timing and equipment inconsistent.

Related guest reviews

2

Nick

Jun 9, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Unfortunately, my experience with this particular establishment was subpar. I have had excellent experiences with Holiday Inn Express before in other areas. So this review is based on comparisons to other properties. Prior to booking this reservation, I had called the property to find out what time the breakfast area opens and I was told 6:00 AM. So I made a reservation based on this time because my family needed to leave for their engagement at 6:20AM. When we got to he breakfast area at 6:15, the host told us they don’t open until 6:30. I asked politely if she could accommodate us and we would eat whatever they had available at the time such cold cereal, fruit, etc. She said ‘no’ and told me that is not her problem if they told us the wrong time. She ended the conversation as if I was her. she displayed no sense of professionalism. I don’t think she realized she’s in the customer service business.

2

Jimmy

Dec 20, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Was a horrible breakfast display!

10

Nema

Nov 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Exceptional staff, the two gentlemen who checked us in were terrific. The room was exceptional and clean. The breakfast was wonderful. Quiet, close to everything. We were very impressed. Well done!

10

Faye

Mar 28, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The breakfast spread was excellent and much appreciated. Staff was friendly and efficient.

10

Sharon

Aug 17, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The Holiday Inn Express the staff was great. The free breakfast was good and plentiful. The breakfast had a pancake making machine. The pancakes were good and on demand.

10

Angela

Dec 15, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was extremely clean. Staff was very polite and kind. The breakfast was well put together with many options.

2

Jimmy

Dec 20, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

No, it was frozen-heated.

6

Blia

Jun 12, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

This establishment lacks basic services such as a computer and printer for check in and printing boarding passes. The breakfast was disappointing, as the food was the same every day without variety.

10

virgil

Aug 17, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

The Holiday Inn Express staff was great. The free breakfast was good and plentful. The hotel had a pancake machine that made good pancakes on demand

10

Patricia

Nov 20, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Staff was courteous and helpful. Rooms were clean and the bathroom well stocked. The morning breakfast was wonderful.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	$155
February	$192
March	$172
April	$175
May	$184
June	$207
July	$166
August	$168
September	$197
October	$181
November	$179
December	$136

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17 $246	18 $171	19 $159
20 $184	21 $295	22 $317	23 $436	24 $269	25 $139	26 $171
27 $142	28 $230	29 $273	30 $301

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $238	2 $123	3 $152
4 $192	5 $261	6 $275	7 $332	8 $205	9 $153	10 $116
11 $188	12 $277	13 $342	14 $332	15	16 $168	17 $163
18 $154	19 $254	20 $271	21 $253	22 $165	23 $128	24 $129
25 $178	26 $221	27 $250	28 $236	29 $168	30 $126	31 $123

Select dates to see prices and availability

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Jetted Tub

Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds

Standard Room, 1 King Bed (Extra Floor Space)

Standard Room

Standard Room, 1 King Bed, Accessible (Communications)

Standard Room, 1 King Bed with Sofa Bed

Guest reviews

Fabulous

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about Holiday Inn Express Redwood City Central by IHG

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Prices for upcoming dates