Rod Stewart spends a night at the Holiday Inn after 40-year ban lifted

Guests at a branch of a budget hotel chain probably did a bit of a double take as they were queuing up at the breakfast buffet the other week.

Faces rocker Rod Stewart has hinted that he’s just spent a night at the Holiday Inn to celebrate the chain’s 40-year ban finally being lifted last year.

These days you’re more likely to find 71-year-old Rod sitting comfortably in front of the telly with his pipe and slippers, but back in his 70s heyday he was well known for being a bit of a hellraiser – and the hotel chain promptly slapped a ban on him staying after a series of raucous parties.

In fact, Rod recently told James Corden that the band regularly checked into hotels as Fleetwood Mac during the 1970s to get around the ban, presumably because Stevie Nicks and co were well known for being tucked up in bed by 10 with a cup of cocoa, right?

“It seems foolish nowadays, but the reason we did it is because, y’know, especially in Holiday Inns, we’d get no respect. Y’know, they didn’t want to serve us,” Rod once admitted. “So we just took our revenge. Televisions, we’d empty the rooms out of furniture and put it in the elevator and send all the furniture down to the lobby. In fact, we were still doing that in the ’80s. I actually did it in Perth and got a huge bill of $11,000 in the ’80s.”

A Holiday Inn spokesperson said that the chain is “not one to hold a grudge” and that Rod would be “welcome back anytime”. They originally made the offer to return last year, and since the newly-knighted rocker is currently touring the UK, he’s apparently snapped up their offer.

“Despite having millions in the bank, he seems happy to save pennies by going budget,” said a source. “The most expensive suite is £120 so it is definitely no frills. The other guests were very surprised to see him there.” Rod is apparently worth somewhere in the region of £160million.

Rumours that Rod attempted to relive his wild youth by trashing the hotel’s hairdryer and taking home a few packets of those complimentary shortbread biscuits are so far unconfirmed.