This month, one of the largest and most widely recognized hotel brands will be added to the local lodging world. A Holiday Inn Express and Suites is nearly ready to open at 300 S. 31st St., near the intersection of Fifth Avenue South and 31st Street.

“There is a lot of positive growth happening in Fort Dodge,” said Amy Von Bank, the hotel’s general manager. “There are a lot of travelers coming through the area right now. We are excited about being able to have them have a great experience here.”

The franchise for the four-story hotel, which has been under construction since 2013, is owned by the Fort Dodge Lodging Group LLC, which is part of the Lamont Cos. of Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Von Bank said the economic growth Webster County is experiencing made Fort Dodge an attractive investment venue for Lamont. She said the Fort Dodge Holiday Inn Express is that company’s first Iowa hotel.

“Fort Dodge hotels have been sold out consistently for several years,” she said. “That growth is predicted to continue at record levels, which is phenomenal. … I definitely think they looked at communities that are moving and are in need of additional hotels.”

Von Bank said the hotel has features that both business and leisure travelers will find appealing.

“There are 82 rooms with microwaves and refrigerators in all rooms,” she said. “There are 42-inch flat screen TVs in each room. Our rooms, in addition to being spacious have things like granite countertops. There are definitely higher-end finishes. We have several rooms that also have pull-out couches. There are single-room suites. They have a wet bar and a little more space.”

All guest rooms and other areas of the Holiday Inn Express are nonsmoking. Von Bank said patrons away from home for a period of time will appreciate the guest laundry. Clients with handicaps will benefit from rooms designed to meet their specialized needs.

The building has two elevators, an indoor swimming pool and whirlpool and what Von Bank characterized as “a top-of-the-line fitness room.” Additionally, there is a meeting room that can accommodate 35 people and a business center with computers and printers.

The array of vending machines that travelers often find in hotels is absent from the Holiday Inn Express. Instead, the hotel has a Suite Shop.

“In our Suite Shop we will have all of the regular vending items that you find when you are traveling,” Von Bank said. “In addition we are also going to have some local things – Cheesecake Lady items, hopefully some apple orchard items and other things that are native to Fort Dodge. There will be sandwiches, salads in addition to the regular vending fare. All of the food and beverage needs will come from our Suite Shop.”

It is common for hotels that cater to business travelers to offer hot breakfasts included in the room rate. Holiday Inn Express is in sync with that trend.

“We serve a breakfast every morning from 6 to 10 a.m.,” Von Bank said. “We also in addition to our hot breakfast have an Express Start breakfast.”

People who travel a great deal tend to select hotels in part in response to the benefits they offer repeat customers. Von Bank said the Fort Dodge Holiday Inn Express and Suites is part of one of the best such programs in the hospitality industry.

“Holiday Inn Express is part of the InterContinental Hotel Group,” she said. “It has its Rewards Club. The frequent travelers can collect rewards points. It offers quite an umbrella of brands that are under the rewards as well.”

Holiday Inn Express is a brand new to the Fort Dodge marketplace, but it is part of an extensive worldwide system. According to information provided by the company, there are more than 2,200 Holiday Inn Express locations with nearly 220,000 guest rooms. Nearly 500 more lodgings are in various stages of development.

Von Bank said customers benefit greatly from a hotel having this affiliation.

“It’s knowing that you are going to get that clean, quiet, comfortable stay,” she said. “Holiday Inn Expresses are known for their high standards. There are very strict brand standards that we have to follow so that guests receive that same consistent quality.”

The Holiday Inn name has been known for decades. Holiday Inn Express is a newer brand focused on a somewhat different part of the market, according to Von Bank.

“Express is definitely geared toward the business traveler,” she explained. “It is more of a streamlined hotel. Usually, a full-service Holiday Inn may have a restaurant, ballroom, all those things, whereas Express is just geared toward the business traveler’s needs.”

Meet the manager

Von Bank grew up in Fort Dodge, graduated from Fort Dodge Senior High in 1988 and continued her education at the University of Iowa. While a student there, she was introduced to the hotel world.

“I actually started in Iowa City at a Best Western,” Von Bank said.

She subsequently worked at a hotel in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and returned to Fort Dodge to help launch the local AmericInn. Immediately prior to joining the Holiday Inn Express team in April she was the Fort Dodge-based program and events coordinator of the Alzheimer’s Association for three years. She is still active with that group as a volunteer.

Von Bank is enthusiastic about being at the helm of the Fort Dodge Holiday Inn Express.

“I’ve always enjoyed working with people, but there is something about hotels,” she said. “When you work at a hotel you get an opportunity for those quality interactions with people. I am excited about this. I really look forward to opening our doors and welcoming the public and inviting them into our hotel.”

Von Bank said she especially looks forward to helping travelers learn about her hometown.

“I certainly think that we are having a great opportunity to be ambassadors for the best of what Fort Dodge has to offer,” she said. “For those people coming to visit, we are going to be able to provide them a great night’s stay and show them what Fort Dodge is all about. I’ve watched all this progress happening in Fort Dodge and I can’t wait to share it with other people now. I think it’s going to be exciting times in Fort Dodge.”

Von Bank said she is also excited about a relationship the hotel has developed with Iowa Central Community College that will help students develop a passion for working in the industry she loves.

“We are going to be partnering with the hospitality program at Iowa Central,” she said. “We are offering some internship opportunities and potentially, hiring some of the students.”

In addition to interns, the regular work force at the Holiday Inn Express will number about 20, which Von Bank said will be a mix of full-time and part-time employees.