“Overly detailed review of a great place.”

As is typical with 99% of Holiday Inn's and Express', this hotel was very modern, very clean, and very comfortable. The rooms are good size, with clean moderate sized bathrooms, hot water (seriously, I put that in because even the best hotels will lack), two comfortable beds, individually controlled thermostat (ac/heating unit), a nice work desk, large HD television with a satellite feed, and a nice size window for peering out over what there is to see of that area of Des Moines. The lobby is a good sized, very inviting, and very clean. The continental breakfast is standard, with a decent number of options. Lastly, but not least, the staff was very friendly. One staffer was kind enough to talk with me for 15 minutes to try and locate a bar (that was open) nearby. Even the cleaning crew would smile and open doors. Now, I am partial to the priority hotels, but in all actuality, this is a great place. Right next door to Drake, ten minutes from the downtown, 20 from west des moines, and about 10 or 15 from the airport. Also, it is in a residential area, so you don't feel like you are in a concrete jungle of hotels.

“Best Staff Ever!”

Amra the overnight Auditor is simply the best. Beyond friendly and goes the extra mile to make sure her guests have a great stay. The GM that checked us in also was outstanding! Location of the hotel is very nice and the hotel was very easy to get too! I just wish there was a shuttle to bring people to the general downtown area. Not a big issue tho! Breakfast was also good, just wished it was switched up the two mornings. Again, perfect stay, and never time i'm in the DM area, I'll stay here again! Thanks for a great stay!

“good value”

near downtown tourist attractions; good location.

“Great place to stay when you go to a Drake football game”

In town for a football game at Drake. Right next to campus, clean room. No complaints!

“Close to Drake, as well as a number of good restaurants. Worth a try for sure!”

The overall experience was good. The check-in was disappointing, although it may simply have been the person at the front desk at the time. The rooms are very clean and room service is there every day to make sure that your needs are met in terms of keeping your room clean or giving you extra shampoo. As for the hotel overall, 2 additions that could be made would be to add an elevator (my suitcases were very heavy when I arrived) and to have a small fitness room, for practicality purposes. Overall, a good hotel and definitely try the Drake Diner on the side of the hotel when there is time.

“Perfectly fine hotel”

If you need to visit Drake University this is a perfectly fine hotel! The staff is nice, it's conveniently located and the hotel is in very good condition.

“Pretty Positive Experience”

Would be nice if there were a restaurant nearby, within walking distance. Also, I got a call from the the hospital I work at in MT. Pleasant and the reception was awful, actually got cut off a couple times. Room clean, nice furnishings, internet worked fine

“overnight stay”

upon first arrival it was ok, however when we took showers there was a used bar of soap etc in the shower, which was kind of disgusting. Plus the person who checked us in told us totally the wrong way to our room so we were wondering the halls. Location is not real great if you want to walk around or do anything after dark.

“Simply ok”

In need of routine maintenance and a some sprucing up and general updating. Staff appeared to mainly be mildly interested college students.

“Just OK.....”

I am a frequent business traveler, and mostly stay in Holiday Inn Express Properties: They have never let me down yet. This one is adequate, but just barely. Adjacent to Drake University, it's not a super great neighborhood, and there wasn't any semblance of security in the parking lot, which is shared with a popular restaurant. The staff was quite helpful, and made changes to my reservation with no trouble at all. The rooms were the standard HIX issue, but the bathroom was definitely in need of a better cleaning-not horrible, but not sparkly, either. There is no elevator, so had I been traveling with samples I had to get upstairs, I would have been annoyed. The HIX breakfast was not up to the usual standards-very cramped alley in lobby and kind of dingy. The Drake Diner next door is hopping most of the time. Good solid diner food, but fresh-was fine. Perfectly adequate for a cheapy-sleepy, but I would have been displeased to camp out here for a week. OK, but not spectacular.