Alexis Park Inn & Suites

Much nicer than I expected, and really clean.

The whirlpool was a great way to unwind, and the kitchen made it easy to cook together. We came from Chicago after a 3.5-hour drive, hoping for a weekend away from our phones, and ended up loving the place. It was a lucky find from a random Google search for hotels with kitchens. The room and lobby were both really clean, and the staff were super friendly. My one suggestion would be a bigger TV in the living room. The location is on the far side of town and next to an airport, which sounded a little questionable at first, but there are plenty of shops and restaurants nearby, the area is clean, and we didn't hear a single plane. Great weekend getaway, 10/10. We'll be back. The photo was taken as we were leaving.

The front desk employee was very sweet and did the best she could, but hotel management made a bad situation worse. I booked through a third-party service more than a month ahead, yet was told on arrival that my room wasn't available. The next room they offered, and the one after that, both had broken air conditioning and were about 80 degrees. After roughly an hour and a half waiting for the manager to sort things out, I went to the desk for an update. The manager walked in without realizing I was there and said, “Yeah, it's f***ed!” He apologized when he noticed me, and I told him I'd reached the same conclusion. I canceled the stay, then waited another 20 minutes for approval to refund my prepaid payment, and went to another nearby hotel. Later, the hotel reported on the booking site that I simply hadn't shown up. That's a complete lie to cover their own mistakes. My experience was awful, especially because management didn't give the kind front desk employee what she needed to help guests.

I had a reaction related to allergies in the room, so we left after about 15 minutes and they refunded my money. They also suggested another hotel that was safe for me. I was being tested at the Iowa city hospitals allergy clinic, though, so keep in mind not everyone would have the same issue. I'm just extremely sensitive.