Recently came here since I was traveling on I-80 heading towards Des Moines . The one thing I love…read moreabout Iowa is that they know how to space out their rest stops appropriately compared to most states. This place had plenty of parking for cars and trucks. Restrooms here were quite adequate and are in decent condition. Solid vending machine options too. Great place for a casual stop

Lovely grounds with metal mesh picnic tables on concrete slabs in the grass, shaded by lots of…read moremature trees. Designated pet area at beginning of parking area has one picnic table in the shade (2pm in July) and no waste bags. No walking path around building. Grass is 'buggy' in July, fyi. Grass area backs up to corn fields. Plenty of parking for most types of vehicles. Saw a class-A RV towing a car parked with the semi's so there's room. Plenty of trash bins line the parking areas and recycling bins are near the building. Doors to building and restrooms have handicap auto open push buttons by each door. Restrooms are a bit older and clean-ish. No hooks in stall - they were removed. Probably to keep your belongings safe from a 'grab and run'. Leave your bag in your vehicle. Toilets are low, so good for kids. No tourist brochures in the building. A separate small enclosure, close to the bathroom building, houses several vending machines with both beverages and snacks.

I didn't think I'd ever be reviewing a rest stop, but this has to be the cleanest one I have ever…read morestopped at. The whole building is almost like an atrium with lots of wood and windows, letting tons of natural light in. The floor is all tile with inlays of maps and highways in Iowa. I thought that was super neat when they just could have slapped down normal plain tiles. There's also a lot of greenery outside of the rest stop that's well maintained too, with benches for resting out in nature if you prefer that. Outside there are also a few pieces of public art that show scenes from the history of transportation as far as I could ascertain (a steam locomotive, a horse drawn carriage, a steam ship). The Skunk River trail is right outside the rest stop if you need to stretch your legs for a bit, and there's a designated pet relief area as well. One last thing I'll note that I found amazing: There are signs in the bathroom stalls that give information about human trafficking and ways to get help. If you weren't aware, a lot of trafficking happens along the interstate lines, so this is super important to have. I know you'll only be at this rest stop if you're passing by and need to stop, but I thought it deserved a review because of how clean it's kept, how well the grounds are maintained, and the brightness and warmth of the building!

The rest stops across I-80 are AMAZING! They are clean, beautiful buildings and if you have the…read moretime, a great place to take a break. They make traveling so much nicer! Some are even themed to the area! Great job IOWA!!

The rest stops off of I-80 in Iowa are gorgeous. Many rest areas in other states are treated as…read moreutilitarian buildings, however this one elevates it to a work of art. The building is themed as a tribute to century farms in the area, with it being shaped as a clerestory window barn. However, it builds on the design with an open concept with natural lighting, which let the bright early autumn sunlight to filter through into the building. The roof is supported by glulam framing which adds to the natural, warm feeling that the space gives off. In the back, there's a room that has all glass walls, providing views of the forested area in the back with a trail. Around the building there are picnic tables and a pet relief area. The bathroom themselves were sparkling clean!

This rest area is very nice and well maintained with clean restrooms. They also have vending…read moremachines as well as picnic tables on the outside and a very nice open area to walk around. Plenty of overnight truck parking available at this area.

Element West Des Moines had some good points. Their breakfast buffet has a healthy Greek yogurt bar…read morewhich was a hit with our family. Also the room layout with the kitchenette and living area was very nice and very spacious. There's tons of places to spread out. I would say the hotel is good for families except there's also a rooftop bar next door that has a DJ till 2 am blaring music. Our little ones had really choppy sleep which made the mornings a little miserable.

What a gem! I brought my 10-year-old grandson here for a staycation and we had the best experience!…read moreSparkling clean and beautifully decorated, comfortable beds with cozy linens, an exceptionally friendly and welcoming staff, and little touches like a beer and wine reception, Wii gaming system, and nice pool with thick towels really elevated the experience. We got one of the simplest rooms and it was stocked with real silverware, porcelain dishes, a toaster, microwave, refrigerator, and sink, and a Keurig coffee maker. Honestly, I couldn't remember how much I had booked the room for and was pleasantly surprised by the folio. This experience was similar to staying at a luxury brand, but at a more affordable price! The hotel is nice, but it's the staff that really sets this place apart. Hats off to the management and everyone who works here for making this place so special for guests. I was already on the Element website looking for properties in other places we are visiting in 2026! Meanwhile, my grandson and I are planning our next staycation at our newfound favorite local spot.

Play the guy was sleeping. I was trying to reserve my room around 12 AM and I literally took an…read morehour for him to wake up and he was all mad because we woke him up and then I told him he can't sleep on the job and he told me he can literally need to fire the Indian guys!!!

Great shower pressure earns them a star!…read more Being a Wyndham hotel, they are pet friendly. Another star. A nice love seat and long coffee table. I imagine it doesn't get a true cleaning very often, but it was very useful to have. A third star I was too tired to check the cable. Sorry. Halls to the room needed vacuuming, badly. Strange white chips had been trampled into the carpet which, let's face it, was filthy and disgusting, in the first place. Pretty typical. The bed was comfy. But the box spring made an eerie creaking noise whenever I rolled over. This must of thoroughly freaked out our littlest dog and she launched into a barking fit each time, which I found hilarious and Mrs. E......did not. I remained still all night. Considering they identify as a two-star hotel, they score four yelpstars and the low $20 pet fee means we'll be back! 05/24

RHINO The front…read morestaff and manager were so nice and helpful! The decor of the hotel and bar was so cool and the complimentary breakfast was a nice added touch. The rooms were very spacious and were very comfy. Would definitely come back when in town!

If ever in Des Moines, this is a fantastic place to stay if you love architecture. Every corner of…read morethis hotel has something fascinating that draws your eye to this impeccable hotel. The room and bed were very comfortable and this was the best sleep I had in all of the hotels that I stayed at in Iowa, including the Hyatt. In the evening we sat in the fantastic attached bar with such a fantastic vibe that transported me back into feeling like I was in London. A truly remarkable hotel.

Absolutely the perfect motel! The room was huge & super clean, the bed was very comfy & the…read morebathroom was very big. The morning breakfast was great & the selection was great. Coffee was really good. The staff was great especially Nick.

We checked in late this evening after driving all day with 3 small children. We asked if they could…read morehave our room ready with the cribs so we could get the kids to bed when we arrived. Upon our arrival they greeted us and handed us our key without having to wait and then our room was perfect and had a special treat for us. What a surprise and totally unexpected! Izzy is quite a phenomenal employee and exceeded our expectations! Thanks again Izzy for making a long day on the road end well!

Check in is supposed to be at 3pm, but ours was delayed for cleaning by about an hour…read more On the other hand, the hospitality of the front desk manager was incredible. She was sweet and very helpful. Finally, it was ALWAYS so clean. Pretty nice place to stay, but 4 stars for the late checkin.

As a frequent guest of IHG properties, Holiday Inn Express is typically one of my go to locations…read more This particular Holiday Inn express is conveniently located near downtown Des Moines, offering complementary parking and even provided shuttle service to the state capital for transfers to the Iowa State Fair. We were pleasantly greeted and quickly received our room assignment. The room was a more contemporary design with plenty of space for luggage, work area, and a small kitchenette with a small refrigerator, microwave, and coffee maker. This particular hotel has been previously recognized as one of the top IHG properties, which is why I was so surprised to find many of the public areas dirty, being used for towel laundry sorts in the lobby entrance, and just not regularly policed for debris. At breakfast, we watched some of the hotel employees help themselves to food, which I don't really have a problem with, however they did not use utensils provided, and simply stuck their hands into the food buffet to retrieve food for themselves. Our room was clean, however, simple things such as black mold in our shower could've easily been addressed with some appropriate cleaner. We did observe housekeeping using lint rollers to clean hallway carpets rather than vacuums, which was a little surprising as well. At breakfast, we enjoyed a fire alarm, which apparently went off throughout the entire hotel. Front desk personnel told folks not to worry despite the fact that the alarm sounded continuously for more than 10 minutes and they did not know the source of the problem. Fire department did show up and remove some thing from some room that contributed to this issue, but it seemed a little , disappointing that employees we're not properly trained to understand evacuation procedures.

This is a great stop while driving cross country. Such a…read moregreat value. Rooms and hotel in general were clean and updated. Breakfast had a great variety with typical continental options and eggs,bacon,sausage,biscuits and gravy. Pool was really nice and the kids loved that the deep end was 9ft. Workout room was great! A fun rec room is a great addition. We will be staying here anytime we travel.

We ultimately stayed here because we were in a pinch and had some Wyndham points to give us a small…read morediscount. I was shocked to see the pool/sauna/hot tub so empty when we arrived with our two toddlers, but quickly realized a few things: 1. The average crowd seems to be from the trucking co next door and 2. The facilities are not super clean or up to date. The sauna was atrocious honestly - dust and trash accumulated under the benches, the wood floors were lazily laid planks of wood, it smelled of dust and I was too creeped out to stay and enjoy it. The hot tub and pool seemed clean for the most part, but the chemicals in the hot tub may have been overkill because the suds were crazy when the jets were on. Additionally, the shower and bathroom in the pool are had many small flying bugs all over The rooms were okay. Nothing fancy, mostly clean...but there was a dehumidifier (full) in our room, so I'm wondering if there's been mildew issues. Staff at the front desk needs some serious training in basic customer service. The few times I had a need, they treated me like I was an inconvenience, made me wait while they bickered about something, and just overall we're not professional, nor friendly. I definitely won't stay here again, and wouldn't recommend it unless it has some serious upgrades in personnel and facilities maintenance.