Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Brainerd-Baxter by IHG

Hotels
Holiday Inn Express
8.7 (333 reviews)
15739 Audubon Way, Highway 371 North , Baxter , us

Free
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Fitness center
Swimming pool
24-hour front desk
Business center
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Family-friendly atmosphere
Great water park
Helpfulness of staff
Clean and spacious rooms
Cons:
Dirty toilet
Overbooked check-in process
Some amenities not functioning properly

Categories

Cleanliness
7.84
Issues with dirty toilet and inconsistent cleanliness mentioned.
Service
9.31
Many reviews highlight helpful and friendly staff.
Location
8.85
Nice area of the hotel and convenient location for family activities.
Room Quality
8.3
Mostly clean with some complaints about outdated decor and small TVs.
Amenities
9.33
Water park and family-friendly amenities received positive feedback.
Value for Money
8.79
Overall value appreciated, though some minor complaints noted.
Food and Beverage
8.34
Breakfast was adequate but not special; some enjoyed the food overall.
Overall Experience
8.81
Families love the venue for celebrations and recreation.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-06 15:46

Property Description

Indoor Waterpark and Restaurant
Experience fun and relaxation at our on-site indoor waterpark and savor delicious American cuisine at Three Bear Grill Restaurant, all under one roof.

Comfortable Accommodations
Each guest room at Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Brainerd-Baxter is equipped with free Wi-Fi, cable TV, a microwave, refrigerator, and coffee-making facilities for your convenience.

Convenient Amenities
Start your day right with a daily continental breakfast, stay active in the fitness center, and unwind in the games room during your stay.

Book now to enjoy a perfect blend of entertainment and comfort at Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Brainerd-Baxter.

Important information:

Upon check-in, photo identification and credit card are required. All special requests are subject to availability upon check-in. Special requests cannot be guaranteed and may be subject to additional charges.

Please note that the Three Bear Waterpark is only open on Friday through Sunday from September through May. It is open 7 days per week from June through August.Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: MSP

Location

Guest Reviews

8.7
Based on 333 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.84
Service: 9.31
Location: 8.85
Room Quality: 8.3
Amenities: 9.33
Value for Money: 8.79
Food and Beverage: 8.34
Overall Experience: 8.81
L
Lisa family_with_children us
10
Great fun for the granddaughter
Pros:

Waterpark and included breakfast

Cons:

Wish snack shop was open later

2026-08-19 via Nuitee
T
Turner family_with_children us
6
2026-08-18 via Nuitee
S
Skyler couple us
8
Was great! Was just disappointed with breakfast
Pros:

Front desk lady was wonderful and pool

Cons:

Continental breakfast was 5/10

2026-08-12 via Nuitee
K
Katie family_with_children us
6
2026-08-10 via Nuitee
B
Brouillard solo_traveller us
10
Pros:

Grandkids loved the water park. And...we all enjoyed the pool.

2026-08-08 via Nuitee
J
Jean solo_traveller us
10
Everything the way it should be for a stress free stay.
Pros:

Very clean. Very smooth check in process. Water park was very nice and clean.

2026-08-07 via Nuitee
F
Frederick couple us
5
Lack of Cleanliness and rundown are reasons not to stay here.
Pros:

So so bfast food, well worn hotel in need of a overhaul. New flooring , window treatments, basically a total update! The gentleman in front of me when checking in found a bedbug. Fortunately we didn’t find any in our room. 2nd time staying here but won’t stay a 3rd!

Cons:

All of the above

2026-07-20 via Nuitee
J
Joan extended_group us
6
Pros:

Water park, room options

Cons:

Cost; a/c didn’t adequately keep room dry.

2026-07-17 via Nuitee
C
Carolee family_with_children us
9
2026-07-13 via Nuitee
H
Hannah solo_traveller us
10
2026-07-12 via Nuitee
M
Megan couple us
8
Will be back
Pros:

The fun Waterpark and arcade. Very kid friendly!

Cons:

I wish the breakfast had waffles but it was still an okay breakfast.

2026-06-24 via Nuitee
T
Thorson solo_traveller us
1
Never ever again will I stay here
Pros:

That I had a place to sleep that's it.

Cons:

Our bathtub and sink wouldn't drain staff never came up to fix it, so we couldn't shower from the icky coming up from the drain.

2026-06-24 via Nuitee
P
penny family_with_children us
9
Pros:

Location was fine I was hoping for wafflesor pancakes would have been nice

Cons:

Had pancakes or waffles

2026-06-22 via Nuitee
O
Olga solo_traveller us
8
2026-06-15 via Nuitee
N
Noah couple us
6
Pros:

the friendly environment

Cons:

N\A

2026-06-13 via Nuitee
D
Deborah solo_traveller us
9
Pros:

The staff was super friendly and very helpful. The Waterpark was great as it was attached to the hotel very convenient.

Cons:

The noise from the hall and rooms next door was very easily heard.

2026-06-10 via Nuitee
N
Nancy solo_traveller us
4
2026-05-11 via Nuitee
A
Andrea family_with_children us
5
It was a fun weekend but I wish the hotel look more clean and the rooms are more neat.
Pros:

The location was close to restaurants, the water park was good and the warm water Rin the splash area, kids area was a plus.

Cons:

At the pool area, the towels appeared old, dry, and unclean. Although I understand they may have been washed, the clean towels were placed next to a bin with dirty ones, which could easily cause confusion—especially for children—about where used towels should go. Several towels were unfolded and did not give the impression of being freshly cleaned.
Additionally, the cleanliness of the room did not meet expectations. The beds were poorly made; the blankets appeared to be simply pulled over the bed, with the sheets underneath visibly hanging out.
Regarding food service, there was one day when the only option available at the pool area was pizza, as the staff member on duty mentioned they did not know how to prepare any other food.
I wanted to bring these issues to your attention as they significantly affected the overall experience.

2026-05-05 via Nuitee
C
Carrie solo_traveller us
8
2026-04-19 via Nuitee
B
Brittany solo_traveller us
9
Pros:

Water park is awesome. Staff is really accommodating and friendly. The only down side is the other guests. Some parents and their children act like they own the place.

Cons:

The way people raise their kids. Not the fault of the hotel.

2026-04-13 via Nuitee