The Current Iowa, Autograph Collection

The bed was comfy, and the hotel was clean and quiet, with a great location and convenient parking. Some room features felt odd: I’m not a fan of the high-tech toilets, and the TV screen in the bathroom mirror didn’t seem to work. The vanity lighting was poor, the art was more contemporary than I like, and those dog statues in the rooms were super creepy. I might stay again for the location and convenience.

I just wanted a little snack while waiting for my friends, but there wasn’t much to choose from and the Nutella Cup cost $3.21. Earlier, I spotted mold on the oranges at the bar and took a photo. The fruit infuser wasn’t clean either. In the room, there was only one Kleenex in the dispenser and no body wash in the shower. I only discovered that once I was already in there. The location is great if you’re going downtown.

After more than four hours of trying to sort this out, we were moved to a third room where the problem wasn’t happening. It was frustrating to be repeatedly told the issue was isolated, only to learn after another guest complained that more than 10 rooms were affected and multiple reports had already come in. We were also told our second room might still be in “unoccupied mode,” even though its thermostat showed an error code. We’d reported the HVAC problem before heading to dinner around 6:00 PM. The unit shut off after running for no more than two minutes. When we returned around 10:00 PM, the front desk said it had been fixed, but our room was still 75°F with the thermostat set to 69°F. We asked to change rooms, and the next one had the same problem. At 10:45 PM, we asked for an update and were told maintenance was on the way. We understand maintenance problems can happen, and don’t blame the staff for the issue itself. It was the handling and lack of transparency that bothered us. This was our third stay, and we won’t be back.

The art and decor were eclectic, but amusing, so it didn’t bother me. For the price, the stay was surprisingly delightful. The room was nice, the staff were great, and my wife and I had everything we wanted. Having breakfast at the hotel made mornings easy. This is where I’d stay when I’m in the QC.