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January 19, 2009

Hotel Comments: For those that are negative below: There is a thing called the SKYWALK. If you are capable of walking, which to maintain your medical you should be, then you can have heated access to all of the restaurants downtown without ever going outside.

Dining Comments: Italian Beef: 204 4th st. zip-50309 phone: 515-288-3844 hours of operation: after downtown bars close

Entertainment Comments: Walk around the skywalk to many locations downtown. The science center has an IMAX that plays multiple movies throughout the day. Some fun bars/restaurants, all accessible from the skywalk: royal mile, Zen sushi bar, Hessen Haus, Racoon River brewery, and High Life.

December 13, 2008

Hotel Comments: So I read the four comments below before I got here and thought I'd hate this overnight. Now I'm convinced the people below are 100% Grade-A Slam-clicking dorks...... This hotel is great! First of all, it's located downtown (finally) with MANY bars, restaurants, museums, etc. in short walking distance. The hotel is older, but in fine shape. My room is a normal size room. It's bigger than the rooms at the Metropolitan in YYZ. I've been here for 12 hours and haven't heard a peep though the walls. It's been silent. My bathroom is huge with a great tub in it. I don't know what these guys were thinking.

Dining Comments: At least 5 restaurants within 2-3 blocks. The hotel van runs 24-hours and will take you ANYWHERE. I mean, they offered to take me to the Perkins by the airport if I was in the mood for that kind of food. This was at 1:30AM !!! How can you go wrong? The front desk was very helpful suggesting numerous places to eat.

Entertainment Comments: You're downtown. There's a ton of stuff. On a weekend it might slow down a little bit, but there's still stuff going on. Go to the East Village. Try getting out of your room and exploring a little bit instead of locking yourself inside for 32 hours!

February 9, 2009

Hotel Comments: Historic hotel similar to ICT Broadview. Van ride no more than 15 minutes. Staff is the friendliest and most helpful I have ever seen. Van will take you anywhere anytime. The hotel is connected to the Skywalk, which gets you anywhere in downtown Des Moines without getting wet, cold, or blown away.

Dining Comments: The hotel has a very comprehensive map with locations of plenty restaurants. We spent a few hours at Johnny's Hall of Fame in good atmosphere for a few beers. Van took us, 5 minutes. For lunch the next day we went to Spaghetti Works pretty much right next door to Johnny's. We walked the Skywalk there, what an impressive feature of downtown Des Moines.

Entertainment Comments: Hit up the Skywalk and walk around in warmth and comfort through downtown. Plenty of bars, a museum, restaurants, etc.

December 14, 2008

Hotel Comments: I don't know what you whiners are on to. The rooms are smaller, but have more room than I need. The heat works perfect. The walls are a touch thin but you won't hear your neighbor unless you put your ear up to them. This is light years ahead of the old Best Western / Bennigans

Dining Comments: You're downtown.

Entertainment Comments: I hear good things about the museums. Too cold to go.

March 9, 2009

Hotel Comments: Historic old hotel. Walls somewhat thin. Staff and accommodations first rate. You'll like it if you like older buildings/hotels.

Dining Comments: Number one best food is Centro's, one block from hotel. (Pronounced Chen-tros, in Italian, silly). Some of the best Italian food I have ever eaten, $9.00-15.00 per plate. Totally worth it. Voted best restaurant in town.

Entertainment Comments: We weren't there long enough to go out much. Hotel van will take you anywhere.

November 30, 2008

Hotel Comments: The men's IAH crewroom restroom is bigger than the rooms here. It is old and there's a puncture in the ceiling. They do have free internet and an exercise room. There was a concert going on in the hotel last night, and even on the 9th floor, it kept me up. The heating and air is not adjustable, they keep it set at a certain temp. The hotel feels cheap. It feels like you're staying in your mother in-law's basement over the holidays...

Dining Comments: Not sure, it's 25 and snowing.

Entertainment Comments: Might check out the skywalk. Supposedly able to walk from building to building without going outside.

December 5, 2008

Hotel Comments: Rooms are really small. Bathroom is about the size of a stall. That's all fine, but just try to get one of the end rooms so you don't have to listen to both of your crewmembers on their phones or their tv's. The walls are really thin and you can seriously hear word for word what people are saying. No thermostat control so it was a little warm, best you can do is open up your window to bring in some cooler air.

Dining Comments: The van will take you places if they aren't busy. Managed to get a ride to a local mall to find something to do, on the weekends downtown is dead.

Entertainment Comments: Gym? Only two treadmills and an elliptical. All were broken except the treadmill. There is a pull up bar though which was cool.

November 10, 2008

Hotel Comments: Well If you like historic buildings like the hotel in ICT you will like this building but that might be as far as it goes. Unless you enjoy listening to your neighbors tv (on low), his phone conversations, coughs, etc. The beds are HORRIBLE. My back is still aching.

Dining Comments: Not sure, we got to stay here on a rather short overnight

Entertainment Comments: Its downtown and I have heard there are places to go/eat but with the temp below freezing and a short overnight, I didn't get the chance to explore.

July 6, 2009

Hotel Comments: Dirty, old, thin walls, Temp control sucks... Hair in both beds in my room. Very unimpressed. The old hotel here was out in the middle of nowhere, but it was still better than this.

Dining Comments: Dominos delivers.

Entertainment Comments: Count other peoples hairs in your bed.

May 5, 2009

Hotel Comments: Friendly staff, but "historic" should not be an excuse for run down, musty, and in dire need of renovation. Feel like I need a tetnis shot after staying here. Small rooms with tiny TVs, bed is lumpy, my internet didn't work, and the rooms have virtually no temperature control. They have one of those old central heating/cooling systems that are seasonal, and my room never cooled down. i.e. no sleep for me. The van will NOT take you anywhere. I asked for an 11min ride according to google maps, and that was too far for them.. The gym is a joke. Two old treadmills and an eliptical stuffed in a very tiny room, again with no temp. controll.

Dining Comments: It's downtown, so you have that going for you.

Entertainment Comments: Go drink

April 3, 2009

Hotel Comments: Room quality itself is very poor, did not have a chance to explore downtown as it was a short overnight. Sheets thin/scratchy, mattress firm with some lumps (IAH commuters will notice an uncanny resemblance to sleep inn beds) Room was dirty, and HOT, with minimal control of temperature. I had to prop the window open with a coat hanger, and even the 25deg outside air could not cool the room down.

Dining Comments: French themed restaurant attached was pretty good, decent happy hour menu, but a bit expensive, no time to explore elsewhere.

Entertainment Comments: Did not have time to explore much, but would do ANYTHING to stay out of that nasty room given time to get out.

December 8, 2008

Hotel Comments: Old beat up hotel with small rooms! Rooms rate a zero! Absolutely no ventilation in the room and cannot open window. It's 26 outside, heater (old steam radiator)off and it's still 70+ in the room. Had to have a fan brought up to move some air. This will be a terrible place (even more terrible than it already is) in the summer! Noisy! Wired (free) internet worked fine.

Dining Comments: Fancy expensive french restaurant in hotel had good soup. Expensive burger was so bad I complained and they took it off the bill. That's about what it was worth, nothing!! Not recommended.

Entertainment Comments: Nothing!