Des Moines, Iowa: DoubleTree by Hilton DSM

September 2019, Weekday, 2-nights, King guestroom 400

Sunrise from guestroom 400

Diamond perks, check-in, and arrival

I stayed in this hotel in 2013 as a Gold member, and received an upgrade to a suite. For this trip, I checked in online, and chose king guestroom 400, because there were no suites showing as a choice. My original reservation had been for two queen beds, because the cost of a king guestroom was more. This king room was probably an upgrade, although the Hilton benefits page says that Diamond members are eligible for an upgrade up to a one bedroom suite. I sometimes wonder if not checking in beforehand gives a better opportunity for an upgrade. I do not recall ever receiving a better guestroom during check-in after choosing one online.

When I arrived, I was told I would receive breakfast both mornings, and I had the choice of a snack bag with two bottles of water, or a beverage coupon to use in the lounge. I chose the snack bag, which contained Chex mix, trail mix, and a few candies in addition to the bottles of water.

Beverage counter in guestroom 400

King guestroom 400

This guestroom is on the top floor at the end of the hall. It overlooks the airport. The building is well soundproofed, and I did not hear any air traffic noise. I did not hear any noise from the hallway the first night, and the second night, the noise was minimal and non-intrusive.

Large safe in closet in guestroom 400

The guestroom continued a large safe in the closet, full length mirror, beverage station with coffeemaker and supplies, ice bucket, glass glasses, small fridge, flatscreen TV on an armoire, sofa, footstool, work desk with chair, king size bed, nightstands, and bathroom amenities. The bathroom contained a tub/shower combination.

There were plenty of electrical outlets in the guestroom. The Internet connection speed was great the first night; however, I had difficulty getting pages to load the second night. The front desk agent had given me a code to use to access the Internet through the AT&T connection. There was also a HHonors connection, and the option to sign in via guestroom number through both connections. After the speed slowed down, I tried the others, and did not notice any difference no matter which method I used to access the Internet.

The bed was comfortable and clean. The sheets and pillows were excellent quality and silky soft. The desk was also comfortable for working. I was thankful for these two comforts, because I thought the rest of the guestroom was in serious need of an update. The guestroom smelled stale when I arrived, the carpet and sofa looked dinghy, and I observed peeling paint in the bathroom. The window had a screen and could be opened a couple of inches; however, the window frame was quite filthy.

Eggs Benedict at DoubleTree Des Moines airport (Johnny's) 

Food & beverage

The only dining option for breakfast was the buffet in Johnny's or room service. The first morning, the server let me order from the room service menu, and then applied a $10 discount to the check (the breakfast buffet was the included breakfast perk). The Eggs Benedict was delicious, although I wished I had requested a half order. The next morning, I had the buffet for breakfast.

Johnny's closes after breakfast, and then it reopens at 11:00 AM, so it was open for a late lunch when I returned in the afternoon around 3:00 PM.

Fitness center

I was lucky to find the one treadmill not in use every time I visited the fitness center. I did not have any issues with any of the equipment, although the room temperature was quite warm.

Shuttle and misc.

The airport shuttle service was great. I did not wait long to be picked up, and the return trip was prompt. I also rented a car in Des Moines, and the driving experience was fabulous! Nice roads, courteous drivers, and clean rest areas. Compared to some of the places I have visited recently, this city was a pleasant surprise.

During my stay, all staff members were polite, professional, and accommodating. I filled out the customer survey after my stay, and received an email from the general manager who said maintenance staff is taking care of some of the issues I mentioned.

I noticed a Homewood Suites just down the road from this DoubleTree that looked like a newer property. I must not have chosen that hotel because it looks like they do not have an airport shuttle. Fairfield Inn is adjacent to the DoubleTree, and there is a Holiday Inn just down the road across the street from the airport.