Super 8 by Wyndham Iowa City/Coralville

The front desk was often unattended, with a sign telling guests to use the wall phone for help. I called over five times, but nobody came, and a line of people waiting to check in formed in the lobby. Garbage bags were left beside room doors in the hallway all night, and the floors weren’t suitable for larger vehicles towing something. The pet policy also didn’t match what the site said. The receptionist told me they only allow dogs, even though I’d noted in my reservation that I was bringing animals. Nobody asked me about pets, and now they’re trying to charge me $150. The toilets clog easily and don’t flush properly. Instead of plunging one, they offer to move you to another room. Save your time and book somewhere else.

The staff went out of their way for me. My clothes were dirty, and when I learned the on-site laundry wasn't working, the clerk offered to wash them after she finished with the towels and linens. She also suggested a local restaurant I never would have found myself. The breakfast was there, but by the time I got up, most of it was gone and there wasn’t much left to choose from. This was a spur-of-the-moment weekend, planned around a Monday appointment at the university hospital and a visit to the Amana colonies. I arrived around 10 p.m. Friday after dinner in the colonies. Check-in was quick, and the staff member apologized as soon as she saw me waiting while she was helping another guest. The free Wi-Fi let me connect my Roku to the TV and use my tablet for email and social media. Parking is ample, and the interstate is far enough away that traffic is only audible outside. The hospital is just a few minutes away. I’ll likely come back and turn my next eye doctor appointment into a little weekend trip.

Our experience was unacceptable because of the receptionist identified as Christina. She was repeatedly hostile, demeaning, and unprofessional toward our employee, mocking and harassing them over their accent. That raises serious concerns about discriminatory treatment. On the phone, she was aggressive and raised her voice, which is completely inappropriate for someone in a customer-facing role.

At 4:30 in the morning, I took a vodka bottle to the front desk and called the manager to ask for a refund. She refused because I hadn't called the desk earlier. We were too tired to complain after cleaning up, and I only went down then. Earlier, we found liquid on the air-conditioning unit, the footstool, the floor around it, and the nightstand. We thought it was condensation until we found a fifth of vodka behind a pillow on the chair. We had to assume the liquid everywhere was vodka, and we cleaned it up ourselves after someone drunk had apparently spilled it.