This hotel was booked for me by an agency and I didn't have much choice, as caucus time in Des Moines means hotel rooms are at a premium. I had a room with one king bed, a mirrored wall (boy, don't need that in the morning) and bath. No fridge or microwave, which became very tiresome during the week I had to stay there. It can be extremely cold in Des Moines in January and the long slog from a distant parking lot when the first lot filled up got old. There is parking under the hotel but it filled up as well, and was kind of creepy. The hotel restaurant staff members were lovely but the breakfast buffet remained unchanged day to day, plus it is an extra charge on top of your room charge, unlike the big chains like Hampton. You will need a car because the location is not convenient to anything, though you would need a car at any Des Moines hotel as it is not a city with much public transit. I did not have the problems with a smell of smokers as reported in other posts. It was difficult to get the temperature right in the room - either I was freezing or roasting.

I travel to Des Moines a lot for business and its always difficult to get a room. I've stayed at the Holiday inn a few times as a last resort but never enjoyed it. The food is bad, the bar is smokey and the rooms are old. Its far from town - but not far enough to take a cab. They have a shuttle but you can wait a long time before it comes to get you. I will likely stay here again - but only after i've called all my other usual places

Found ourselves in downtown Des Moines needing a room and saw the Holiday inn from a distance. We went in and asked if there were rooms available... courteous staff was very helpful.

Of course, as soon as we got to the rooms we knew it was a mistake... everything was so old and dated -- the rug looked like it would have gotten up and walked out if it could have managed it. The bathroom was tiny - and yes that shower head is VERY low! The beds were lumpy and the bedding was terrible. Sirens from the freeway woke us up throughout the night.

The worst problem, however, was the smoke! We were on a non-smoking floor but it felt like I was sitting in bed with a carton of ciggies. While taking my shower I actually thought there might be someone sitting on the john smoking -- the smell came right through the vent into the room.

All of our clothes reeked of cigarettes when we left and this was after less than 12 hours in that place.
Stay away unless you like your second hand smoke heavy!

Staying at the Mercy Campus Holiday Inn - Very nice - CLEAN and the staff were always very nice. It is not the "Four Seasons" - but an economical hotel that is close to downtown and 1 block from the Mercy Hospital Campus.

Food at the hotel is okay - nothing grand, but good. Bar was nice - and the Happy Hour food was a meal in itself.

I would not be afraid to come back here and stay if I were to come to DSM on a family or a business trip.