The first thing to note about My Christmas Inn is that the creators also made Christmas Land for Hallmark. If like me, you happen to watch them close together on Netflix you will notice a lot of similarities.
That's because they are practically the same film. They were also both made in the same place and even the production sets look identical. But if you can get over that, My Christmas Inn is a much better movie.
Jen Taylor (Tia Mowry from Family Reunion) is a marketing executive at a San Francisco ad agency. She rarely takes time off work, doesn't celebrate the holiday season, and suddenly discovers that she has inherited her great aunt's Inn in Alaska.
In order to claim the property, she must head to Alaska to sign the paperwork. There she meets cute lawyer Brian Anderson (Rob Mayes). Jen is focused on selling the Inn while the town gets ready for its festive Christmas traditions which are in full swing.
But first, she must get it sale-ready. So off she goes cleaning and decorating, all in the hopes that she can attract a buyer. In the meantime, she discovers her Aunt's journal and befriends the rest of the residents in the small town community. So much so that she slowly comes around to the idea of actually running the cozy inn.
But there's a hitch. Her life is unexpectedly turned upside down when both a hotel chain becomes interested in buying the property and she is also given a huge job promotion. So she has a tough decision to make. Should she sell her great aunt's inn or should she stay and forget her life in San Francisco?
My Holiday Inn is a decent if totally predictable Hallmark Christmas movie. It's sweet and light-hearted and Tia Mowry is solid as Jen Taylor in the lead role. The choice between taking a big promotion or staying and the potential of love blossoming with the small town attorney are pretty common tropes for these types of Christmas films.
Andy while My Christmas Inn is definitely watchable, there are problems with the numerous plot holes. Alaska is very dark and extremely cold in December, yet here it's bright, light, and just a bit chilly.
The characters also frequently bob between San Fran and Alaska as if it was down the road. It's a six-hour flight people. You can't just nip back and forth on the same day!
That said, My Holiday Inn is cute, positive, and uplifting and ticks a lot of the Christmas movie boxes. It's perfect for a cold night in with a cuppa or a glass of vino as you get into the Christmas spirit.
The Cast Of My Christmas Inn
Tia Mowry-Hardrict plays Jen, the benefactor of the cozy Alaskan inn. Older readers will remember her from the hugely successful Sister, Sister that she starred in with her twin sister Tamera Mowry-Housley. Newer readers will know her from the Netflix hit Family Reunion, a fun family sitcom. She has been married since 2008 and has two children. She has over 9 million followers on Instagram!
Playing the lead love interest is Rob Mayes as Brian Anderson, the small town attorney who also happens to be the only eligible bachelor in the place. A staple in the Christmas film genre, he can also be seen in the tv movies The Road Home for Christmas and The Christmas Edition.
Jackée Harry plays Jen's mum, and incidentally, she also played the mother in the Sister, Sister. Tim Reid plays Jen's dad but there are really only it for a short time.
Where Can I Watch My Christmas Inn?
My Christmas Inn is usually available to stream on Netflix United Kingdom and can be rented on Amazon Prime in the US.
Of course, there is also a huge selection of other Christmas themed films available online. Most started out as a TV Movie but have since made their way to the big streaming platforms.
