Red Roof Inn Des Moines

I was traveling from Oklahoma back toward Waterloo when I chose to stay here, and it turned out to be the best decision I made. The reviews only gave it a couple of stars, but I'd rate it five stars plus. It's exceptionally clean, the water pressure is stellar and the service is great. The beds are extremely comfortable. The rooms have a fridge, microwave, big TV, desk and lots of plug-ins. You couldn't ask for more.

For a budget motel, the room was clean and the bed and pillows were phenomenal. I was also surprised that the in-room heater and AC were well maintained, dust-free and had clean air filters. Breakfast had been picked over by a guest who was hoarding food, but the front desk guy was doing his best to keep it stocked. There was no pet fee for my one dog.

We paid $216 for the night even though the room was listed at $86 after tax and fees, plus a $100 deposit, which should have come to only $200. My husband and I have two service animals, and the website says service animals stay free, but they charged us for one of them. I didn't feel safe during our stay. Every time we were just falling asleep, someone tried to open our room door and woke us up. Most likely we won't stay there again.

There's a nice patio on the second floor where you can smoke or have coffee, and several stores are within walking distance. The room had nice amenities, and the lady at the desk was nice. It was a comfortable stay for the price. Watch the first step into a second-floor room. They warned me, but it slipped my mind. I'd never stayed here before, but I'd be happy to come back.