You've probably figured out that Cutest and I love to travel, whether it's cross-town or cross-country. On a road trip, at the end of the day, all we want is a room that is quiet, that lets my road weary eyes relax and my lower back seek less pain. Holiday Inns, or IHGs (a singularly uninspiring name, it stands for InterContinental Hotels Group) as they are corporately known today, provide that needed R & R.
On my recent drive from Key West, (Cutest chose to fly), my last stop before home was Memphis, Tennessee. On the banks of the Mississippi, there are the blues, the Pyramid, and Elvis’ home all crowding the spotlight. Little known to many, however, a chain of hotels, once known by their green signage with a bright star on top, began here.
After traveling with his family in the early 1950s, founder Kemmons Wilson discovered that suitable accommodations were not easily found. Rustic, weather-worn tiny cabins stood near noisy highways. Inside, musty air swirled beneath 20-watt light bulbs hanging over sagging mattresses.
Wilson was not a man who waited for others to take the lead. In 1952, his first Holiday Inn Hotel courts opened in Memphis. There is a connection to the Bing Crosby movie of the same name but I'm not going to go into that. With partner Walace Johnson, Wilson added three more hotels in 1953. By ’58 there were 50, and by 1968, 1000. Since Wilson and Wallace were active in their faiths, they soon added a Bible to each night stand in their hotels.
A few years passed and Wilson sold his interest in the chain, later starting up other hotel operations under other names. IHG now mostly franchises and third- party manages 19 brands which include nearly 4,000 hotels in the U.S. of their 6,000 world-wide which range from the kind I’m talking about to Kimptons, Intercontinentals, and Regents. Cutest, to be honest, prefers the latter group.
Much of this information I uncovered while staying at the Memphis location which is just steps from Memphis University. As I walked through the lobby doorway, a tall atrium greeted me. The affable desk clerk pointed toward the second floor where he said I would find a museum dedicated to Wilson, his family and his many awards.
The Holiday Inn-type properties even today have stayed close to what Wilson set out to create. They are not flashy nor high priced. Rooms are clean and the staff friendly and helpful. Also important: many allow pets.
Cutest has stayed with me in a few Holiday Inns over the years. Do they have Las Vegas bars and restaurants? No. Do they have million-dollar chandeliers in the lobby? No. But they do offer a good night’s sleep. Are they paying me for this promo in any way? No. I just thought you’d like to know.
I honestly didn't know there were any Holiday Inns still in business.