The Dilemma
Both hotels sit in Birmingham. Both have parking. Both solve a logistical problem. But they solve completely different ones.
The Holiday Inn Express Birmingham Star City by IHG is a car-first pitstop on a dual carriageway east of the city, offering free on-site parking, zero CAZ charge, and fast road access to the M6 and NEC corridor. The surroundings are industrial, litter-strewn, and largely hostile to pedestrians. It exists for drivers. Full stop.
The Aparthotel Birmingham is a sleek, modern self-catering base on the A38, steps from Birmingham Children's Hospital, with a covered walkway to an adjacent NCP car park. It has road noise too, constant, heavy road noise, but it also has the city within walking reach and a Nisa local shop for 6am emergency supplies.
The question is not which hotel is better. The question is which hotel solves your specific problem. Get that right and you will not be disappointed by either.
The Arrival Reality
Holiday Inn Express Birmingham Star City: The Forecourt PitstopArrival at Star City is, in car terms, genuinely smooth. You pull off Heartlands Parkway, a heavy dual carriageway that delivers fast access from the M6 corridor, and into a proper forecourt set well back from the main road. Parking is free, substantial, and clearly signed. You unload directly outside the automatic sliding doors. There is no valet charge, no multi-storey, no ticket machine. You simply pull in, park, and walk inside. For a driving guest, this is as frictionless as Birmingham gets.
The reality check arrives when you try to do anything else. There is no safe, sensible walking route anywhere from this hotel. The dual carriageway that makes car arrival so easy makes foot arrival essentially impossible. If you are arriving by taxi, the correct approach for any non-driving guest, your driver drops you at the door, which works, but the surrounding street at pavement level is industrial, smells of fumes, and looks neglected. The entrance signage has been specifically noted as run-down and in need of replacement. The welcome is functional, not warm.
After dark, the area becomes edgier. Arriving late by anything other than a direct taxi to the door introduces genuine uncertainty. This hotel rewards early, direct, car-based arrivals. Everything else requires planning.
Aparthotel Birmingham: Slick Building, Awkward RoadThe building itself is unmistakable, sleek, modern, clearly signed from distance and at street level. Level access with automatic sliding doors and no steps to negotiate. If you are arriving on foot from the direction of the city centre or New Street Station, the pavement approach is flat, smooth, and luggage-friendly. The nearest bus stop (Snow Hill Queensway) is a 2-minute walk. On foot, this is the easier arrival by some distance.
By car, the NCP car park is directly adjacent with a covered walkway connecting to the hotel, the most convenient arrangement available for a city-centre hotel with parking. However, the access point sits on the A38, and at peak times this road is extremely busy. Getting in and out involves crossing or joining heavy traffic. Time your arrival outside the 7–9:30am rush and you will be fine. Hit it at the wrong moment and it is genuinely grim.
Taxi arrival is the awkward case. There is no dedicated drop-off point, the road is a busy arterial dual carriageway, and your driver will need to improvise. A taxi rank is within 30 seconds of the entrance for departures, which helps. But arriving with luggage in a taxi here is noticeably less comfortable than walking in from the street.
Arrival Winner: Aparthotel Birmingham, easier on foot, better public transport connections, and a slicker building. Star City wins only for pure car arrivals with free parking as the priority.
The Location Trade-Off
Holiday Inn Express Birmingham Star City- East of Birmingham city centre on Heartlands Parkway, a heavy dual carriageway
- Free on-site parking with no CAZ charge for older or diesel vehicles
- Fast road access to the M6 corridor and NEC approaches from the east
- Star City entertainment complex is the nearest worthwhile destination, a short drive, not a walk
- No coffee shops, pubs, restaurants, or shops within any sensible walking distance
- No green space nearby, unsuitable for walkers, dog owners, or anyone without a car
- After dark, the area becomes edgy, not recommended for walking alone at night
- On the A38, a major arterial road north of Birmingham city centre
- Birmingham Children's Hospital is a very short walk away, the defining location advantage
- Nisa local shop and Costa Express built into the hotel complex itself
- Syriana Restaurant 5 minutes on foot; The Old Joint Stock Pub and Theatre 10 minutes walk
- Snow Hill Queensway bus stop is 2 minutes walk for onward city connections
- Colmore Business District and city centre offices are accessible on foot
- No green space nearby, unsuitable for dog owners or those seeking outdoor leisure
- Broad Street entertainment district is approximately 15 minutes on foot
Location Winner: Aparthotel Birmingham, more walkable destinations, better public transport, and city-centre access on foot. Star City wins only if your entire trip is car-based and east-of-centre.
The Parking Reality
Holiday Inn Express Birmingham Star CityFree. Substantial. On-site. This is the headline and it is genuine. The car park is set back from the dual carriageway in a proper forecourt, with plenty of spaces available. No ticket machine, no nightly fee, no valet required. The hotel also sits just outside Birmingham's Clean Air Zone, meaning drivers of older petrol or diesel vehicles avoid a CAZ charge entirely. No EV charging was observed at the time of visit. For drivers, this is the best parking arrangement either hotel offers.
Aparthotel BirminghamThe NCP multi-storey car park is directly adjacent with a covered walkway connecting to the hotel, a genuinely convenient arrangement for a city-centre property. Plenty of spaces were observed. However, this is paid NCP parking, not free. Entry and exit involve navigating a busy section of the A38, which is difficult at peak times. No EV charging was observed. The hotel is inside or proximate to Birmingham's city centre environment, so CAZ implications for older vehicles should be checked before booking.
Parking Winner: Holiday Inn Express Birmingham Star City, free parking is a clear differentiator. The NCP arrangement at Aparthotel Birmingham is convenient but comes at a cost.
The Price Reality
Holiday Inn Express Birmingham Star City sits in the budget (£) bracket. Aparthotel Birmingham sits in the mid-range (££) bracket. On room rate alone, Star City is cheaper.
But the true cost depends on your trip. Add free parking at Star City and the price gap widens further for drivers. Factor in that Aparthotel Birmingham guests need to pay NCP parking fees on top of their room rate, and the cost comparison shifts more dramatically than the headline rates suggest.
If you are a driver without a car and reliant on taxis from Star City's poorly connected location, the cost of getting anywhere adds up fast. For city-centre guests at Aparthotel Birmingham who can walk to meetings and restaurants, the slightly higher room rate may represent better overall value.
Price Winner: Holiday Inn Express Birmingham Star City, cheaper room rate plus free parking is a decisive combination for drivers.
The Use-Case Verdicts
For Families Visiting Birmingham Children's HospitalWinner: Aparthotel Birmingham
This is not even a discussion. Birmingham Children's Hospital is a very short walk from Aparthotel Birmingham. The self-catering apartment format, in-complex Nisa local, and Costa Express mean families can manage an extended, stressful stay without constant logistics. Holiday Inn Express Star City is east of the city with no practical walking route to the hospital. Aparthotel Birmingham wins decisively and without caveat for this use case.
For Drivers Needing Free Parking Near BirminghamWinner: Holiday Inn Express Birmingham Star City
Free on-site parking, just outside the CAZ, with fast dual carriageway access to the M6 corridor, Star City was built for exactly this. Aparthotel Birmingham has convenient paid parking but it cannot match free. For drivers on a budget who need a clean, efficient overnight base, Star City is the answer.
For Business TravelWinner: Aparthotel Birmingham
If your meetings are in the Colmore Business District, city centre offices, or anywhere accessible on foot or via a short taxi ride, Aparthotel Birmingham is the more effective base. The apartment format suits extended stays, and the covered car park walkway removes the usual city-centre parking stress. Holiday Inn Express Star City is only the right call if your meetings are spread east of the city and you are driving between them all day.
For NEC EventsWinner: Holiday Inn Express Birmingham Star City (by car)
Star City's east-of-centre location and dual carriageway access make it a workable base for NEC visitors approaching by car. However, dedicated NEC-corridor hotels may be more directly convenient, check distances before committing. Aparthotel Birmingham is a city-centre property and less logistically suited to NEC access. If driving to the NEC and free parking matters, Star City is the better choice.
For a Budget City BreakWinner: Aparthotel Birmingham
Despite the higher room rate, Aparthotel Birmingham gives you actual access to Birmingham's city centre on foot. Star City offers a cheaper room but puts you in an industrial environment with nothing walkable, which means taxis add cost fast. For anyone who wants to explore Birmingham without a car, Aparthotel Birmingham delivers more usable value.
For a Romantic WeekendWinner: Neither, but Aparthotel Birmingham by default
The self-catering apartment format has genuine appeal for couples who want their own space. But the A38 traffic noise and ring-road atmosphere are real. Star City is surrounded by industrial wasteland and a dual carriageway, romance is not a word that applies. If a romantic weekend is the aim, Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter or canal-side hotels in Brindleyplace serve you far better. Between these two, Aparthotel Birmingham is the least unsuitable.
For Dog OwnersWinner: Neither
Both hotels sit on heavy dual carriageways with no green space nearby, making them genuinely unsuitable for dog owners. Star City's surroundings are particularly hostile, industrial roads and no safe crossing to any green area. Aparthotel Birmingham is equally bad. If you are travelling with a dog, neither of these hotels is the right choice and you should look elsewhere in Birmingham.
For Quiet SleepersWinner: Holiday Inn Express Birmingham Star City
Star City's dual carriageway surroundings are noisy during the day, but the area is industrial and effectively dead overnight. There is no nightlife, no late-night foot traffic, and no nearby venues generating noise after dark. Aparthotel Birmingham sits on the A38, which carries heavy traffic all day and all night, it does not quieten meaningfully. For light sleepers, Star City's daytime noise translates into genuinely quieter nights.
The Hero Verdict
These two hotels are solving different problems in different parts of Birmingham. Choosing between them is less about quality and more about knowing exactly what your trip requires.
Holiday Inn Express Birmingham Star City is a car-first hotel in a car-first location. The free parking is genuine and substantial, the road access is fast, and the CAZ exemption is a real saving for drivers of older vehicles. But the surroundings are industrial and unwelcoming, there is nothing to walk to, and the hotel after dark requires common sense about personal safety. It is a pitstop. A good one. Nothing more.
Aparthotel Birmingham is a working city hotel on a working city road. The A38 noise is real and constant, the taxi arrival is awkward, and the parking costs money. But the self-catering apartment format is genuinely useful, the proximity to Birmingham Children's Hospital is unique and irreplaceable for the families who need it, and the city is actually walkable from the front door. It is not a luxury experience, but it is a proper urban base.
Book Holiday Inn Express Birmingham Star City by IHG if:
- You are driving and free on-site parking is a priority
- Your vehicle might attract a CAZ charge and you want to avoid it
- You are accessing the M6 corridor, NEC approaches, or east Birmingham by road
- You need a budget overnight between motorway journeys
- You are visiting Star City and want to stay nearby without paying city-centre prices
- You want the quietest overnight environment of the two options
Book Aparthotel Birmingham if:
- You are visiting Birmingham Children's Hospital, this is the single most important reason to book here
- You need a self-catering apartment format for an extended stay
- You want to walk to the city centre, Colmore Business District, or restaurants
- You are a business traveller with meetings spread across central Birmingham
- You need convenient NCP parking with a covered walkway rather than worrying about street parking
- You want a proper urban base with the Nisa local and Costa Express for early starts and late returns
The Bottom Line: Holiday Inn Express Star City is for drivers. Aparthotel Birmingham is for city dwellers. Both deliver on their specific promise and both disappoint if you arrive with the wrong expectations. Know which problem you are solving before you book, and you will not be disappointed by either.
