Ode to Holidome of the 1970s

Holiday Inn HolidomeIt’s 1977, The Great Sign of Holiday Inn beckoned at the roadside. Well, actually, it didn’t beckon, it screamed. BIG arrow pointing into hotel. Very often, each sign had a letter board announcing upcoming meetings and conventions at the hotel.

Turn off the Interstate, and into the Holiday Inn.

Good things happen at Holiday Inn. Great things happen at Holiday Inns with Holidomes. Back in the day, you would know a Holiday Inn with a Holidome because Holiday Inn listings books had a tiny Holidome illustration next to the hotels with Holidomes.

In 2005, Holiday Inn announced that it was bringing back the Holidome brand, which had fallen out of favor at the company. It would revamp them, adding more games and water-park like rides. It was a nod to Generation X sensibilities, and a precursor to the Great Wolf Lodge concept. But we haven’t seen much more about it.

Author

  • Garland Pollard

    J. Garland Pollard IV is editor/publisher of BrandlandUSA. Since 2006, the website BrandlandUSA.com has chronicled the history and business of America’s great brands.

2 Comments

  1. wow, I miss the holidome. There was a great holidome in Kearney Nebraska. There was mini golf, pool, a waterfall with fish pond, arcade, swimming pool with bridge going over it to an island, tons of green astroturf everwhere, very cool. There was also a bar that was kind of like a raised tiki hut with a kind of tree house kind of look that was elevated overlooking the holidome. The place is now owned by ramada inn, pool is still there and the elephant eye is there, but not the same, astroturf gone etc and not a holiday inn. Also, visited a holidome in Colombus Indiana in the late 90s which I believe is still there but is also a different hotel brand now.

    1. you must be in the Filter or Diesel engine business. 😂

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