Holiday Inn Express Opens in Walnut Building + a Sneak Peek Inside Yassin’s

The new Holiday Inn Express on the corner of Walnut and W. Church Avenue has been quietly open for a couple weeks. I stopped by inside the “Walnut Building” yesterday to have a look around.

This is one IOK has been following since 2022, when plans were first submitted to the Knox County Design Review Board to convert the nine-story, circa-1955 commercial and office building into commercial and hotel space. 

At least from the outside looking in, it’s the sort of downtown project that turned out even better than many of us expected. Early plans called for staining the exterior opaque white—to the dismay of quite a few readers, judging by the comments at the time—but the handsome red brick survived, paired with corporate signage so discreet you could almost walk right past it without noticing. 

And, to everyone’s relief, beloved tenant Yassin’s not only stayed put but ended up with an upgraded space of its own. The restaurant is expected to move back in from their temporary space at Marble City Market within a month or so. 

Inside the hotel, a small bright lobby is accessible from Walnut Street.

Assistant General Manager April Nolan kindly showed me around, including the second-floor café, where a complimentary hot breakfast is served alongside coffee throughout the day.

The hotel’s 91 guest rooms are simple with modern appointments. A variety of layouts reflect the different office spaces they once occupied. 

 

Of note, the hotel is pet-friendly. Its rates are on the more affordable end of the downtown spectrum, below those of Gay Street’s full-service hotels and boutique properties. Dedicated parking is available in the Hilton’s garage, on the block caddy corner to Holiday Inn Express, at a rate of $20/day. 

Alpesh Patel’s Kana Group will manage the property. Kana Group also owns and operates the Embassy Suites downtown. Heetesh Patel (no relation) is the developer.

You can learn more and make reservations here.

I’ll be back soon with a part 2 update with other hotels that are in (and out) of progress downtown. I was hoping to knock it all out in one post but USA v. Belgium is on. To be continued!