Wake up and smell the breakfast: Holiday Inn Express launches limited edition scent-powered alarm clock

• 9 in 10 travellers across Asia Pacific report trouble falling or staying asleep in a typical week.
• 58% of travellers in Asia Pacific agree a pleasant smell can lift their mood first thing in the morning – especially when they’re away from home.
• The Holiday Inn Express Breakfast Alarm Clock is the first scent-based alarm clock created and designed by a hotel brand.
• The Breakfast Alarm Clock is part of Holiday Inn Express’ mission to help guests sleep better, wake easier and never miss brekkie again.

25 September, 2025: Say goodbye to blaring alarms and the dreaded snooze spiral – Holiday Inn Express by IHG has unveiled a world-first hotel experience designed to transform mornings, one mouth-watering scent at a time. Introducing the Holiday Inn Express Breakfast Alarm Clock: a clever new in-room device that helps to wake guests with the irresistible smell of breakfast.

As part of its ongoing mission to help guests sleep better, wake easier and never miss brekkie again, all Holiday Inn Express hotels across Australia and New Zealand, as well as participating hotels in Singapore, Thailand and Japan will now offer guests the chance to trial the exclusive in-room scent experience. The aptly named Breakfast Alarm Clock showcases one of the brand’s most loved and valuable hallmarks – free hot breakfast, anywhere, always – turning it from a promise into an unforgettable start to the day.

Guests who trial the Breakfast Alarm Clock can choose their preferred wake-up aroma and will be gently roused each morning by a diffuser-style scent alarm – no jarring beeps or blaring tunes, just the delicious smell of their favourite brekkie wafting through the room.

The concept was inspired by new research commissioned by Holiday Inn Express, that found 58% of travellers in Asia Pacific say a pleasant smell helps, or would help, them feel better when they wake up, especially while travelling. When asked which scents would lift their morning mood, respondents named coffee or tea (56%), bacon and eggs (43% in Australia), baked goods (38%) and fresh fruit (30%). These top picks have now been bottled into three deliciously familiar wake-up scents available with the Breakfast Alarm Clock: Coffee, Bacon and Blueberry Muffin in Australia and New Zealand, as well as Nashi Pear in Japan, and Mango in Singapore and Thailand.

Dean Jones, Vice President of Commercial, East Asia & Pacific, IHG Hotels & Resorts, says, “We know from the research that travellers across Asia Pacific are struggling with sleep, and many skip breakfast when they travel – sometimes to save money. We’ve intentionally designed the Holiday Inn Express experience with the best of both worlds: everything needed for a proper night’s sleep, plus a free hot breakfast. We want guests to maximise their stay with us, whether it’s for work or leisure, or both – and the research has been a great way to direct our attention to do more of what matters most. 

“Holiday Inn Express is about offering guests more of what matters, so we wanted to take this to new heights with something that we know guests will never forget. Waking up and maintaining a routine while travelling can be harder than it sounds, which is something the research underscored for us. But we also know the power of scent: that first whiff of coffee or fresh croissant can work wonders – especially when it’s free.”

The experience adds to the brand’s commitment of delivering a sensational sleep experience, including everything from the choice of soft and firm pillows to black out blinds, power showers and bedside charging ports so guests are sure to receive an Express Recharge, every stay.

The Breakfast Alarm Clock experience is available for a limited time from 20 October 2025 in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and selected hotels in Thailand and Singapore, and guests can book their stay, choose their wake-up scent, and experience mornings like never before at: hiexpress.com/freebreakfast.

Note to Editors:

*Survey Methodology

The research was conducted by YouGov Plc on behalf of IHG Hotels & Resorts, among a sample of 4165 adults (aged 18+). The figures have been weighted and are representative of all travellers aged 18+ in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Singapore. The survey was carried out online, and data was collected between 30 June to 7 July 2025.