Sleep Inn & Suites Ames near ISU Campus

Even with the crowds in town for an ISU game, it was quiet inside, and the hotel was easy to find. The accessible room had space for a wheelchair. It had a regular tub rather than a walk-in shower, but there were plenty of sturdy grab bars. Breakfast was plentiful, with someone keeping an eye on things and restocking. Everything was clean, and the staff were friendly and helpful. We’ll be back.

The hallway on the second floor smelled awful the whole time, and the elevator had a bad odor too, though thankfully it didn’t spread into our room. The bed was rock hard, and we could hear too much through the thin walls and floors. In my opinion, the renovation looks cheap, with lots of details not finished properly. I’ll look for somewhere else next time I’m in Ames.

Nancy at the front desk was courteous and attentive throughout our week there. Bridget in the breakfast area and the rest of the staff, including the custodians, were also friendly and helpful. The hotel had a pool, laundry facilities, breakfast, and clean rooms and common areas. We had a wonderful stay and highly recommend it. If we visit Boone or Ames again, we’d choose this hotel.

We checked in around 8:35 pm on Thursday, 9/25/2025, for one night. Room 303 had doors between it and 301, and the sound insulation was so poor that we could hear the TV as soon as we walked in. The people next door weren’t playing it loudly, but we could also hear them talking at a normal volume, every word. Before using anything in the room, we asked the front desk to move us. She refused and said this was what we got for “staying in a motel.” I don’t understand that response. This is a hotel, and I’ve stayed in many hotels. Refusing to switch our room before we’d even used it didn’t feel like normal customer service. At 11:00 pm, after I’d driven for more than nine hours that day, I still couldn’t fall asleep because the neighbors were watching TV. They had every right to watch at a normal volume; the problem was how much came through the wall. The front desk’s comment made it feel like we had paid to put up with the bad sound insulation, with no room change or return allowed. By 7:30 the next morning, I’d finally managed to sleep. I didn’t plan to complain at the hotel that day because I had a full day ahead helping my son get things done at ISU. I was disappointed by the room, but even more by the front desk’s attitude and the “motel” remark. There didn’t seem to be many people at breakfast, so there must have been empty rooms the night before, yet they wouldn’t help tired travelers with a simple room switch.