Baymont by Wyndham Harlan

The staff were kind and courteous, but the room had too many problems for us to want to return. The humidity was awful, with a musty smell that was nearly overwhelming and humidifiers lining the first-floor hallway. We were glad to stay just one night. The toilet was broken, so we had to shut off its water after every flush, and it was dirty enough that I cleaned it with Lysol wipes. Overnight, the refrigerator quit and spoiled our milk. Our Jacuzzi suite didn't feel worth the price. After I complained, we got a customer satisfaction discount. They offered us another room, but it wasn't comparable, since they had only one Jacuzzi suite. They said nothing could be done because there was no maintenance staff on Saturday or Sunday. Breakfast was cold biscuits and gravy, cereal, waffles, or yogurt, with no fruit at all.

On Sunday morning, other guests told me Baymont Inn had a bed bug problem, which nobody had mentioned when I checked in. My sister's boyfriend asked the front desk, and the person there said, yea we get them from time to time and we just spray for them. GROSS. I stayed at the Baymont Inn in Harlan, Iowa, on Saturday, July 19, 2025, and checked out as soon as I heard. The clerk refunded Sunday night and let me leave early, but I was still charged for Saturday, a night I would never have booked if I’d known about the situation. I had to spend time and money trying to keep anything from contaminating my home. I washed and heat-treated my clothes, blankets, pillows, and bags at a commercial laundromat, and took more precautions for my home and car. It was stressful, time-consuming, and costly, all because I felt the hotel hadn't been upfront. When I called the General Manager, she denied there were bed bugs. I also mentioned small black bugs crawling on my room wall, and she became defensive and accused me of lying. She said I was “making things up” because I hadn't brought up the black bugs earlier. When I explained how much stress the situation caused, she dismissed it, saying I had “chosen” to spend money on precautions and it wasn't her problem. I asked about the large drying or industrial machines in the downstairs hallway. She said they were there because of foundation issues on that side of the building, not a flood. When I asked about an inspection, she told me, “If you want, you can report me to the state and they’ll come inspect it.” She sounded unconcerned. I can only assume that may be because this is a very small town and she likely knows who the inspectors are. The dismissiveness itself was clear. The front desk staff were polite, but looked visibly uncomfortable and avoided eye contact while I gathered my things. It seemed as if they knew something and didn't want to get involved. My brother and sister were staying there too, and they were just as disgusted. None of us should have been put in this position, and I find the manager's refusal to take responsibility appalling. Baymont and Wyndham should be ashamed to have this property under their name. Avoid this hotel at all costs.

The breakfast was hot and delicious, with eggs, sausage, and biscuits with gravy. The people working there were friendly, and this place was a lovely find. After we checked out and drove off, the receptionist called just two minutes later to say we'd left a sweater behind. I've never had a hotel call about something I forgot. Such a kind, thoughtful thing to do. Thanks again! My dog loved it too :)

Our group had booked at least 20 rooms, but the motorcoach carrying more than 40 guests and me was made to park on the street and even in the lot of the closed dental office next door. I was responsible for the group, and trying to manage a vehicle that size in an unsuitable area was stressful, inconvenient, and felt unsafe and unnecessary. I understand trailers aren't allowed, but a 56-passenger motorcoach isn't a trailer. It's how dozens of paying customers got there. Even if the bus takes ten spaces, there should still have been plenty for other vehicles, and our booking should have counted for more than enough parking. The hotel could have worked with us on a reasonable exception. Applying rules with common sense when circumstances call for it would have made a difference. Making things this difficult for a professional driver transporting paying guests showed poor judgment and came across as unprofessional.