Holiday Inn Des Moines-Airport/Conf Center by IHG

The beds were nice, the party favors were there, and we got to swim. The DJ was marginal, and I’m not sure how six people are supposed to sleep in two queen beds. Breakfast filled us up, but it wasn’t the buffet I’d been told to expect. We were mildly satisfied in the end, though I went in expecting something else. We chose the hotel’s New Year’s Eve package because we had teenagers and wanted an alcohol-free activity. It included a room for six, swimming, a DJ, a balloon drop, party favors, and breakfast. We’d stayed here before Covid, when they held formal dinners and events. I’m not upset with the event itself so much as the staff’s responses when I asked questions to understand what we were paying for. I expected a proper restaurant where we could eat and talk, then enjoy the pool and dance. Instead, there were young kids running around, food stations throughout the pool area, and parents drinking and watching football in their rooms. The restaurant mentioned on the website was more like a snack station. It offered only six items, the room smelled of old grease, and there was nothing vegetarian for our family. I’d also been told dinner would be provided, but it wasn’t. That was okay, since none of the snack station food appealed to me. The next morning, what was called a breakfast buffet was a plate from the same snack station with a scoop of eggs, two sausages, and two pancakes. It was filling, but that’s not what had been described to me. There were lots of rules and wristbands, apparently because they were concerned people might sneak in. I don’t know if there had been past problems. I appreciated the security, but other customers said the event was smaller than in prior years and ended earlier. I’m sharing this so people know what to expect. I remember this hotel as a place for fine dining and events, but after renovations its focus seems to have shifted to family functions. If I had younger kids and planned to bring all our own food, I might do this again. At my age, I want a hotel stay that feels pampering, though I’m glad families on tighter budgets can have a good time here.