Review: Holiday Inn Yerevan – Republic Square [Armenia]
After checking out of The Alexander, I walked down to the Holiday Inn – Republic Square just minutes away to transfer base for the rest of my trip in Armenia.
My previous stay at The Alexander was unplanned due to my confusion with the Tbilisi-Yereavn train ride, and I’ve intended to stay at the Holiday Inn for the full duration of my stay in Armenia.
Holiday Inn Yerevan Republic Square- Booking
I booked a 4-night stay with 58,000 IHG points. Thanks to the Chase IHG Premier Business Card, I was able to get the 4th night free whenever I book 3 consecutive nights on points. Cash rate can fall around ~$100 a night, so this is quite a good deal for points redemption.
Technically, I only stayed at the Holiday Inn for 3 full nights due to my flight going home starting at 3AM on the final day. So the throwaway “free night” is useful in having a place to stay until midnight to catch some short rest before heading to the airport.
Holiday Inn Yerevan Republic Square- Location
The hotel’s located right next to the Republic Square, which serves as the main town square of Yerevan. At night, fountain shows will play.
Yerevan is a pretty compact city overall, so you can’t go wrong with any of the hotels location wise.
Holiday Inn Yerevan Republic Square- Check-in
I was preemptively upgraded to a Premium Room before arriving to the hotel. Unfortunately, it showed as a suite a week before, but I was downgraded to the Premium Room instead. So it’s similar t what happened to me at the Crowne Plaza Borjomi. It’s not a big loss since I’m solo in Armenia, but it was interesting that I had worse suite upgrade experience as IHG Diamond than Marriott Titanium in the Caucasus.
Check-in process was smooth and I chose free breakfast as the welcome gift option as IHG Diamond. Front desk asked if I was from Los Angeles after I mentioned that I was from California (there’s lots of Armenian diaspora in Los Angeles).
ATM machines can be seen by the lobby’s entry which is convenient to withdraw cash from.
Holiday Inn Yerevan Republic Square- Premium Room
The Premium Room I was assigned to is a corner room numbered 300.
The Premium Room’s space is quite spacious, and is more than enough for a solo traveler (plus 1). It’s laid out in an open plan and combining the bedroom with the lounge area.
Cookies and notes were given as extra treats for being an IHG Diamond member.
The luggage storage space is cushioned which is nicer compared to the ones you’d typically see with grills on the surface.
The Premium Room also comes with a balcony! From here, you can see pink buildings made from tuff that Yerevan is known for.
By the entrance, the bathroom is complete with separate tub and showers. Slippers, bathrobe, and even dental kits are included.
Overall, I’m quite happy with the room!
Holiday Inn Yerevan Republic Square- Breakfast
Breakfast takes place in the Lobby Restaurant just by the reception desk. It’s a buffet style with hot food, drinks, pastries, cereal, and local Armenian food offerings.
IHG Diamond members can get free breakfast as a welcome choice during check-in.
Overall breakfast taste wasn’t really good, and after the first time, they got old real quick. I skipped on some of the days even though it was free.
Holiday Inn Yerevan Republic Square- Pool & Spa
The hotel’s pool is on the 7th floor and share the same floor with the gym and spa facilities.
The pool was super crowded when I visited, but there were also jacuzzi and steam rooms at the pool area as well. I didn’t take a picture of those as there were too many people.
You can order food and drinks from the poolside menu.
The hotel also offers massage services at a more reasonable price as far as prices from hotels go. Brochures of the therapists information help differentiate what each person offer with their services and their prices. Though I skipped on it altogether, but almost indulged, especially after a long trip.
Holiday Inn Yerevan Republic Square- Fitness Center
The gym is pretty impressive, and feels more complete compared to many other hotels I’ve been to. Best parts are the free weight station and the boxing room.
Holiday Inn Yerevan Republic Square- Ember Bar & Restaurant
The Holiday Inn Yerevan has a rooftop restaurant and bar called Embers. I was able to check out the place during daytime. It only opens for dinner until late night. The place seems a bit upscale, similar to many of the restaurants near Republic Square, but I didn’t try it to confirm since there’s lots of places to try in Yerevan.
Conclusion
The Holiday Inn Yerevan Republic Square is a decent hotel with a fantastic location if you don’t need fancy amenities and just want to prioritize a good location at a budget. Breakfast did not taste good, and I’d recommend just going outside to nearby cafes or restaurants for breakfast which will most likely give better experience.