Motel 6 West Des Moines, IA

I’m from Kansas, and my girlfriend and I were tired of driving, so we stopped in Iowa. We were a little unsure about staying at a Motel 6, but everything has been renovated and the staff were great. Sam was excellent! Pets stay free, and if I need a hotel in Iowa again, I’ll definitely come back. Thanks, guys!

Update: The manager said they would call me, but never did. I’ve called corporate three times to ask for a refund, and each time I was told the manager would contact me. I filed a dispute with my bank and reported the hotel to the health department. During my stay, I found mold on the air conditioners and a bed bug in my room. They almost moved me to a room right next to the original one, and there were lots of bugs. Housekeeping never came once. I had to get toilet paper, take out my own garbage, and either pick up clean towels at the front desk or take them to the laundromat. The sheets on one bed were mildewed. There was trash all over the grounds, and people who lived there approached me asking for money, cigarettes, and pot. Night staff were a bit more understanding than the day staff.

The smell in the entrance and hallways was unpleasant enough that I went out and bought a candle for my room. It wasn’t a terrible odor, just not fresh. The hotel was partly hidden behind another one. Outside the entrance, a sign warned guests to lock their doors and said the hotel wasn’t responsible for damage or missing items. I also saw the front desk attendant get upset and frustrated with a caller, which made me cautious.

I work weekends in Des Moines and try to keep my hotel costs down. This place does the job for sleeping, but the hallways smell like cigarettes, even past the non-smoking rooms. I slept with the window open.