Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Ames, IA

The complimentary breakfast had a good range of choices, and the hotel was handy for Iowa State University and easy to reach from the highway. Our room was quiet, clean, and comfortable, so we slept well. The front desk staff were helpful and friendly during check-in and throughout our visit. We had a pleasant stay at the Country Inn & Suites in Ames and would gladly come back or recommend it to others visiting Ames.

We were near all the main areas, since our first-floor room was close to the pool, lobby, and event room. That was handy, though it got noisy at times when birthday parties ran late. They wrapped up around 9 or so. It’s easy to reach from 35, and not too far from ISU campus or downtown Ames. We stayed three nights, four days. Check-in was quick, and the guy at the desk gave us the information we needed. The room was clean and nothing special, but the bed was comfortable, the AC worked, and the bathroom was decent. It was an okay stay, no real complaints. It did the job.

The location was handy for Iowa State, and if all you need is somewhere to sleep, this place was fine. But there was no room service, even after three nights as advertised. The blankets were thin and lumpy, used towels sat in the hallway for 36 hours, and the halls had smells and stains everywhere. There are lots of other places nearby that aren’t this run down.

The staff handled the toilet problem exactly how you’d hope. It was clogged when I first used it and started overflowing, but maintenance arrived within a couple of minutes and were kind and helpful. They found a missing part. I went back to the front desk, and the man working there was happy to give me another room of the same kind. If I could, I’d rate the service six stars. The rooms were well worth the price, and the lobby cookies were great. If I’m in the area again, I’ll stay at this hotel for sure.