Cancun, Mexico / JW Marriott

Christmas weekend 2011, 2-nights, Club 91 guestroom #1229

Arrival experience
A bellman requested our name when we arrived, and then we were escorted to the Club floor for check-in. Our guestroom was ready, and the check-in process did not take long.

Guestroom

Room #1229 is located directly under Club 91. Fortunately, the club was not open when we were trying to sleep because we could hear chairs moving around overhead. I had expected a guestroom on the club floor since all our reservation confirmations and correspondence clearly said: "Club level, premium ocean view," and, "Club 91 rooms are non-smoking and all located on the club floor." I inquired about our room assignment, and I was told that the rooms on floor 12 are also club floor rooms and that the rooms on both floors are the same. Guestroom 1229 looks exactly like the king room photo on the Marriott website. I thought I had read that the club floor rooms are larger, although I could not find this information after our stay. The information on the Marriott website lists all the guestrooms (except the suites) with the same sq ft descriptions. I thought it was odd that we had been assigned this room--close to the elevator and directly below the lounge--when my reservation details were noted with: high floor, quiet area, non-smoking. It seemed to me that we had received a standard king ocean view room, rather than a club floor "premium" ocean view room.

view from balcony

The guestroom size was sufficient since we also had a balcony with nice seating. It looked like all of the balconies were similar with the same furnishings. The view was good, although I expect it would have been better from the ocean front rooms. This room is located in the wing that is set back from the ocean. The view overlooked the small pool on the side next to the CasaMagna. Our guestroom also had a connecting door, and it smelled slightly of smoke. I called Club 91 (as this was our service contact), and I was told housekeeping would come to "spray." Someone did come and spray an undesirable scent that merely masked the odor. Later, it seemed as though the smoke smell was coming through the ventilation system, because I smelled it off and on during our stay. 

The bed and all furnishings were supremely comfortable, and we did not hear any hallway or neighbor noise. The room contained a couch, soft chair, desk and chair, flat screen TV on a large armoire, minibar, robes and slippers, and a safe. There was no coffee in the guestroom, and coffee was not available in Club 91 before hours. We did not have a safe charge on our folio. This may have been because it was included with our points redemption. Or, maybe it was included in the taxes that we paid on the $100 upgrade. Part of the Marriott website says that there is a charge for the safe, and some areas do not state this. I did not use the Internet because my status was Silver during this stay, and the charge was "around $14," I was told. We received turndown service the first night; however, we did not receive it the second night. I should have called to request this because we wanted to shower again the next day before checking out. In addition to the room refresh the first night, turndown service left two milk chocolates.

The large marble bathroom was impressive. There were two sinks in the large vanity, and a back counter and side shelf with enough room for our shower bags. The walk-in shower was across the room from a separate bathtub. The toilet was located behind a private door. A spacious closet, which contained the safe and a set of storage drawers, was located across from the bathroom. 

Club 91

After reading about what is provided in Club 91, we decided $100 a day was worth upgrading to the club floor, and it was the best upgrade money we ever spent! I can not say enough good things about the food, beverages, and service provided in Club 91. We would have spent well over the upgrade cost, if we had purchased the included items separately. Here is a brief summary and photos of some of the food and beverages provided.

Breakfast: 3 hot plates--eggs, meats, potatoes, and such; many breads and pastries; salmon with all the fixins'; cereals, yogurts, cheeses, and cold meats; high quality coffee and cappuccinos, juices, milk, and mimosas! 

Lunch: 3 main plates--small sandwiches, wraps, and such; salads, snacks, desserts, beverages.

Dinner: 3 hot plates, small portion sizes--steak filets, stir fry, fish, and more; many cold salad and seafood plates, desserts and cheeses.

Bar: Pretty much anything you wanted--champagne (yay, for me!), and brands such as Kahlua, Baileys, Tanqueray, and Absolut.  

Misc.: Bottled water and sodas were always stocked in the fridge. There were food items like fresh wrapped cookies available all day long. I was told that it was okay to take bottled water and coffee from the room. Even though our packet said not to take items from the room, I observed people taking food and sodas from the room as well. 

Club 91 bar

The service was great. Most times, we did not need to go to the bar for our beverages; staff members filled wine glasses and served drinks whenever they observed a guest waiting. We exchanged US dollars for pesos at Club 91 for the exchange rate of 13.95. This was a better rate than we got at our next hotel.

Pool & beach

Even though the pools are heated, I thought the temperature was a bit cool. The water temperature was hot in both jacuzzi tubs--perfect, we thought. There were cushioned lounge chairs around the pools and mesh lounge chairs on the beach. The pool towels were plush, and everything was clean and well maintained. 

The first morning, we did not have any trouble finding lounge chairs in the pool area under a hut overlooking the ocean (after breakfast around 9 AM, or so). The second morning was a different story. My husband went down before breakfast around 7 AM because we had hoped to get seats under a hut overlooking the ocean near the infinity pool. When he returned, he said we were lucky to have gotten the seats we had the day before because there were towels on most of the loungers in good locations. Later that morning, I heard people asking others what time they had come down to get seats. The poolside beverage service was great, and so were the Bloody Marys! 

Misc. & overall

We loved this resort and Club 91. I was slightly disappointed with our room and the fact that we did not receive turndown service both nights, but the rest of the stay was fantastic. The cost for us was 60,000 points +$100 (for Club 91) per night. I also had Marriott cash, so the cost was even less. If I had made better plans far enough in advance, I would have booked our stay for three nights at the JW. We had to pay $32 for the lousy shuttle service, which is free for guests staying three or more nights in a Club 91 guestroom. Our shuttle experience is covered in my Cancun airport review. 

view of the CasaMagna from our balcony

Originally, we had planned to stay at the CasaMagna next door because the rate was only 50,000 points per night (still a lot of points, although less than what it cost at the JW). By the time I decided we would be happier at the JW, I did not have enough points for three nights, and the cost for a Club 91 room was well over $300. I thought $100 per night was a great deal for the upgrade; however, I did not think our room and the club was worth $300 - $400 per night. There is a walkway between the two resorts, and I had read that guests can use both facilities. I also read that the pools are not heated at the CasaMagna, although we did not check the water temperature when we walked over there. From the outside, the guestroom balconies look larger at CasaMagna, and the pool area looks nicer at the JW. 

Cancun Airport--Christmas Week 2011

Arrival in Cancun

I read a lot of information about transportation options before our trip, and everything I read, talked about shuttle services, and the need to set up transportation beforehand. I even read information that said that taxis are not allowed in the airport for arrivals. Since we saw many taxis when we arrived--and, the shuttle service was a MESS--I tried to find that information online again. I could not find what I had read before our trip, although I did find this: It is against the law for anyone to approach you to offer you a fare from pirate [I assume this should be private] transportation. Cancun Airport and the Mexican Transportation Authority, and the local Police works together to eliminate any illegal activity. YOU MUST have your transportation from airport to your hotel ONLY with an official provider and BEFORE your arrival to Cancun. 

I looked at many of the transportation options beforehand, and it is not easy to tell if a company is an "official provider." Based on our experience, I wished we had not pre-booked transportation, and that we had approached a cab driver to negotiate a price upon arrival. The post above does not say that it is illegal for a visitor to approach a cab driver; only that it is illegal for the driver to approach a visitor. The impression that I have from what I have read and from our experience, is that the statements on the airport website have more to do with who gets the transportation money than it has to do with visitor safety. If anyone reading this blog has had experience taking a cab after arriving in Cancun, that was not pre-arranged, please share your experience with the rest of us! Following was our experience:

Grand Rapids, Michigan--GRR airport / Crowne Plaza

December 2011, Weekday 2-nights, King Suite #440

Status perks

I requested and received an upgrade to a suite! I have stayed at this hotel many times, and this is the first time that has ever happened. I also had access to the Club lounge--well, my husband did. I was flying into Grand Rapids, and did not arrive until 10 p.m., so the lounge was closed when I arrived.

view from kitchen table

I was not intending to write another review about this property; however, since the suite photos are worth sharing, I decided to do so. To find additional information about this property from my other reviews, just enter the hotel name in the search bar at the top of this page.

Guestroom

The sleeping area was a separate bedroom with two doorways. It contained a king size bed, dresser, large flat screen TV, soft chair, and night stands. I was surprised that there were no curtains on the glass bedroom doors. The second entrance was between the bedroom and the bathroom area.

The bathroom where the toilet, shower, and sink were located was kind of small. A second sink and a closet were located in the area outside the bathing room. 

outer bathroom area

The spacious living area contained a comfortable couch, two soft chairs, a desk and chair, large flat screen TV, coffee table, end tables, armoire, dining table with four chairs, microwave, small fridge, and sink.

The couch was a sleeper sofa that our son used one evening. When I called to request bedding, housekeeping did an excellent job making up the entire bed. Since the mattress did not have a mattress pad on it, she left the room to get an extra blanket, which she put down under the sheets. 

view from glass bedroom doors

The door visible in the photo behind the kitchen table is a connecting guestroom door. The hotel was not very full during our stay, and it did not sound like there were any guests in the room next door. There was a hallway along the wall next to the kitchen table that led to the entrance door from the hall. There was a coat closet in the hall by the door. The guestroom had two outside balconies, which were not connected, and two heating units in the living room area. 

Club lounge

Even though I have stayed at this hotel several times, I had not been to the Club lounge for over a year. It was being remodeled for quite a while, and sometimes my stays were on the weekends or I had to leave before it opened in the morning. I usually received coupons to use in the lobby bar and/or at breakfast when the Club lounge was closed. My husband said that the front desk agent had told him it would be open for breakfast in the morning; however, it was not open. I might have been able to get breakfast coupons, if I had asked; however, I did not ask.

My husband visited the lounge in the evening before I arrived. He said that each guest was entitled to one complimentary alcoholic beverage. He had a beer and did not notice the other choices. He could not even tell me what kind of food items were out. I tried our keys the first morning to see if we could enter the lounge for bottled water, and the room was closed the rest of our stay.

Shuttle service

The airport shuttle service was prompt when we departed for the airport; however, I waited 40 minutes for the shuttle when I arrived around 10:00 p.m. the first evening. I was only mildly upset about the wait until after I called a second time 20+ minutes later. The person who answered the telephone, told me the driver had been waiting for me for over 10 minutes, and I was not there. Since I know the Grand Rapids airport well, I knew that was not true. If you follow my blog posts, you probably know I dislike dishonesty. I told her I had been waiting in the correct spot the entire time. When the driver arrived, I told him what she had said. He was shocked, and said he did not know why she had told me that because he had been at the mall dropping off (or, picking up) other guests.

Lincoln, Nebraska / The Cornhusker, A Marriott hotel

December 2011, Weekday, Concierge King - guestroom #1001

Status perks

I filled out the Virtual Concierge form online before my stay because I was arriving before check-in time and wanted to request early check-in. I decided to also request an upgrade to the Concierge floor at the same time. I did not expect much, because I don't usually receive this as a Silver member. I was pleasantly surprised when I received a room on the Concierge floor and a breakfast coupon because the lounge was closed in the morning. I think the only reason I was given the breakfast coupon is because I was traveling with another Marriott member who had higher status than me, and he received a coupon when he checked in. My packet was already prepared for a Concierge floor room; however, the agent handed me the breakfast coupon at the end of check-in, and stated that she would give me one too.

Guestroom

The guestroom was located at the end of the hall on the top floor. My preference is for a top floor corner room away from the elevator because it is usually quieter. I wish I had not forgotten to also request a guestroom with a non-connecting door. This guestroom had a connecting door, and I was able to hear my neighbor's TV when I went to bed that night. Fortunately, it was not on for very long. The bed and soft chair in the room were both comfortable. 

view from room

I was surprised that the coffee set up in the guestroom did not include liquid creamer, since I usually see this at full service Marriotts. The Concierge lounge was right down the hall, so I figured I would just get a Starbucks coffee and creamer from the lounge in the morning. I knew the lounge was going to be closed for breakfast; however, I mistakenly assumed that it would be accessible for beverages. 

Everything else in the guestroom was pretty standard, except the bathrobe, which I thought was cheaply constructed. It was more like a summer robe--3/4 length sleeves, barely below the knee, and made from thin fabric. 

Concierge lounge

I was able to get coffee and water from the lounge in the afternoon when I arrived. The lounge was open that evening; however, I had a business meeting, so I did not visit then. The next morning was a weekday morning when the lounge was closed. It was a few days before Christmas, and a sign on the door said that the lounge would be closed. I have stayed in other Marriott hotels, including Renaissance and Autograph Collection properties, that allowed keyed access for beverages after closing. Because of those experiences, I expected to be able to get coffee and water in the morning. And, I had planned to print my boarding documents. The Concierge lounge at this hotel was not accessible for anything after it closed that evening.

Food & Beverage

Breakfast in the restaurant was excellent. Our free coupons said that tax and tip were included, which was a pleasant surprise. The coupons also said that they were only good for the All-American Breakfast. When I saw that the entree was one of the most expensive meals, I decided to ask our server if I could get something else instead. She said yes, so I ordered the spinach, sun-dried tomato, egg-white omelet. I do not recall the exact menu names of the breakfast items, and I could not find a menu online, so the titles I have listed here, might be slightly incorrect. The food and beverage quality was excellent. 

Fitness center

The fitness center was a nice large room with several cardio machines, cardio theater, a flat screen TV, and hand weights; however, there were a few problems with the room. The AC was not working either day that I visited, and it must have been 80+ degrees in the fitness center. There was a portable fan plugged in and running on the floor, which did not provide any relief. It felt like it was just moving the warm air around. One treadmill did not work at all, and the incline did not work on another one. The 5 lb hand weights--which is the size I prefer--were missing. There were ample clean towels available, and a working cold water machine with cups. 

Misc.

I had reserved a room for $125 with the AAA rate. Less than a week before my stay, I had not received the virtual concierge form that Marriott usually sends. I decided to double check my reservation online, and I noticed a room rate of $99! I changed my reservation, and then received the virtual concierge email a couple days later.

The airport shuttle service was prompt, and all of the employees at the hotel were friendly. A nice feature at this Marriott, is that there was no charge for wireless Internet. Most full service Marriott hotels have a charge of $9.95 - $14.95 per day, except for guests with Gold or higher status. 

Des Moines, Iowa--DSM airport / Holiday Inn

December 2011, Weekday, King balcony overlooking pool area - guestroom #308

Status perks

At check-in, the agent said I had been upgraded to a "feature" guestroom with an inside balcony. She said the guestroom was located in a private hall, so I thought it would be in a quiet area. I also received a coupon to choose a perk. There were four items to choose from, although I only remember two of the choices--a beverage in the lounge or bonus points. I chose the bonus points. I am inclined to think this was a PCR perk, and not a Platinum perk, because I observed several guests turning in their coupons for a free beverage that evening.

Guestroom

The guestroom was on the 3rd (top) floor, and there was a doorway to enter the hall. I would not call this a private hall, since a key was not needed to open the door. There was an elevator to floor three; however, there were about four steps after going through the hallway door. I did not have a problem with this since I had only one small suitcase. Later that evening, I observed a guest with a luggage cart as I was heading out. I did not stop to see how he handled the steps; from the conversation I overheard, it sounded like he was going to push the cart down the stairs.

I thought the guestroom had been nicely remodeled for an older hotel. There was an open counter area outside the bathroom with coffee setup, a small fridge, microwave, and sink. The bedroom area was fairly spacious with a desk and chair, king bed, TV, and soft chair and footstool. There was a table and chairs on the balcony, which overlooked the pool area. The balcony was not private; it connected with the other balconies along that hall. This would have been a nice room, if I had been staying with a group, and not my myself. I did not like the fact that my room had a balcony that could be accessed by others, and this was an awful guestroom for sleeping! Since there is not much around this airport hotel, and I was staying on a weekday, I did not think the pool area would be a problem. I was mistaken. I had asked at the front desk if the pool area closed down for the evening, and I was told that it closed at 10 PM. I was kept awake by guests in that area until well after midnight, and I had to get up at 5 AM. I tried to block out the noise by choosing the "fan" mode on the HVAC unit; however, the fan would not run continually. If you plan to stay at this hotel for a good night's rest, I suggest you request an outside room. Since the king guest rooms overlooking the pool with a balcony are the same price as a regular king room, I did not really receive an upgrade at this hotel. I think it's annoying when someone says I am receiving an upgrade, when that is not true. This property has at least eight suites, so it would have been nice, if I had been upgraded me to one of them instead. I know the PCR program does not say that guests should expect a suite upgrade; however, I'm sure I would have slept better, and been a much happier guest. 

Food & Beverage

The cafe seating area overlooking the holidome/pool area looked comfortable. I was given a coupon for breakfast at check-in, which I thought I had received because of my Platinum status; however, the hotel website says that the hotel offers free, hot breakfast, so I guess all guests receive breakfast. I had to leave before breakfast, so I was able to choose three items from the cafe the night before--one whole fruit, one beverage (milk or juice), and one pastry or cold cereal. The whole fruits (bananas, apples, and oranges) all looked nasty, so I did not choose any of that item. The pastries looked equally stale/unfresh, so I chose a small box of cereal and milk. The coupon said "no substitutions," so I did not ask if I could choose cut fruit instead of whole fruit. Individual beer and wine bottles were available for purchase in the cafe, although they were out of red wine.

Before I went to the lounge for a glass of wine that evening, I asked the front desk agent if food is served in the lounge, and I was told no. There was no menu on the bar where I sat down; however, I observed stand up menus on the bar in other areas, so I requested one from the bartender. She opted to verbally tell me the wine list instead. A few minutes later, someone brought food to a customer seated at the bar. I then asked if food is available and requested a food menu. Apparently, food is prepared behind the cafe, and when it's ordered from the lounge, it is like room service; delivered on a room service tray with 18% tip added (the bartender told me about the tip when I ordered). I did not look at the hot food menu in the cafe, so I'm not sure if the menu choices were the same in both locations. I'd had a big lunch, so I ordered clam chowder and jalapeño poppers. The portion sizes were generous, although the food wasn't very good. The clam chowder tasted kind of blah--almost like it had been poured from a supermarket can. The seats at the bar were uncomfortable, and I wished I'd chosen to sit at a table instead.

Fitness center

The fitness center off the pool area contained several cardio machines, a weight machine, working TV with remote, drinking fountain, and scale. There were no hand weights. The room temperature was comfortable.

Business center
The business center consisted of two computers in a small room between the front desk and the cafe. Documents were supposed to print at the front desk, and these was a charge for printed items other than boarding passes. I sent my boarding pass to the printer twice from the business center, and a third time from a computer in the lobby. None of these items printed behind the front desk, and another guest was having the same problem. I saw her go to the front desk twice. She was still trying to get her boarding pass to print, when I gave up and left. About three to four hours after this, I received a call in my room telling me my boarding pass had finally printed. I said that I would pick it up the next morning.

Shuttle and misc.

This hotel is located across from the airport and the shuttle service was excellent! I was planning to walk back to the hotel after I returned my car; however, it was very cold and windy with snow flurries that day, so I opted for the shuttle instead. When I checked-in, the employee said to stop at the front desk and let them know when I left to return my car. I stopped at the front desk on my way out, and the employee at that time told me to call after I had returned my car. I did not need to call; the driver was already waiting for me when I finished with my car return! He said that he had come right over since it was so cold out. The driver also offered to take me to a local restaurant that evening, if I wanted to dine elsewhere.

The shuttle driver in the morning was just as great. I had been told that I did not need to sign up for the shuttle in the morning, and that I could come just come to the lobby when I was ready to go. When I arrived in the lobby a few minutes before I wanted to leave, there were two flight attendants waiting. I told the front desk agent I needed a ride to the airport and then waited with them. After I had been waiting several minutes, the shuttle driver came to the lobby and learned that we were waiting for another flight attendant, and that they had all signed up for the 5:45 AM shuttle. I commented that I was told I did not need to sign up when I had asked. The shuttle driver asked what time my flight was, and said that it would probably take me about an hour to an hour and a half, to check my bag and get through security. It was not quite 5:40 at this time, and it sounded like the flight attendants wanted him to wait for their coworker. The shuttle driver said he would be able to take me to the airport before they needed to go, and he quickly whisked me away. As quickly as I arrived at the airport, I think the driver was correct. I'm sure he was able to bring the flight crew over before their requested time, because I saw them in the airport around 5:45 AM.

For an older property, I thought this hotel had been nicely updated--other than the lounge seats. The hallway stairs had an open design, with large windows and nice tile. The guestroom furniture and carpet looked fresh.  

Marshalltown, Iowa / Hampton Inn

November 2011, Weekday, 2-nights, King guestroom #327

Status perks

I did not receive anything for being a Gold member, nor did I expect anything. It's too bad Hampton properties don't upgrade Gold members like Hilton hotels do.

Guestroom

The guestroom was spacious, although there were several things I did not like about the room. This is a newer Hampton Inn, and the room seating was the same as another newer Hampton I had stayed in recently--there was no couch or soft chair! The last time I encountered this, I was only staying at the hotel one night, so it did not bother me as much as it did this stay. There was a chair in the room in addition to the desk chair--the exact same type of chair that was in the other newer Hampton Inn I had stayed in--it was straight back wood chair. The seat was padded; however, the chair was still not comfortable. I asked the front desk agent if this was the only type of chair in all the guestrooms, and he said yes, except for in the suites. There was only one telephone in the guestroom, and it was on the nightstand next to the bed instead of on the desk. 

straight back chair

The HVAC unit was lousy. Even though the thermostat was set at 70+, it was cold in the room when I arrived, and it would never turn on unless I manually increased the temperature, and then it would run so long, I'd have to turn it back down. The impression I got about the HVAC unit, is that the thermostat is suppose to be motion sensored, and it did not work right. Even though my guestroom was at the end of the hall, the hallway noise was extremely loud. I didn't hear guests talking or making a lot of noise in the hall, and I did not see anyone when I looked out the peephole in the door. It was just noisy from people entering and exiting rooms. The noise from doors opening and closing must have been echoing since it was so loud. The bedding was the usual Hampton Inn bedding, which was good quality, although I thought the mattress was quite hard. The flatscreen TV was nice, and the entire guestroom was tastefully decorated. 

I liked the large tile bathroom and large walk-in shower. I was happy with the bathroom set up, other than the coffee maker. The coffee maker was on a shelf in the bathroom, and the shelves were not tall enough to open the coffee maker and put the water in. At least it was placed on a shelf behind the door, and away from the sink area. When housekeeping cleaned my room on stayover, my coffee was not replenished, and I had to get some from the front desk.

Food & Beverage

The design and seating in the breakfast room was comfortable and chic, although I did not care for any of the hot food items. I took a to-go bag with me each morning when I left, which was a nice option. Every time I have received a to-go bag at a Hampton, it has always contained the same items: bottled water, blueberry muffin, Special K vanilla breakfast bar, apple, and Hampton Inn mints.

The gift shop had a good selection of food items. The prices were high, but if someone did not want to go out or have a full meal, there was plenty to choose from.

Fitness center

I was happy with the fitness center, which the front desk agent had told me was open 24 hours. The hours sign posted outside the room said it was open from 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM. I did not ask about the hours after I saw the sign, and I did not have any trouble accessing the room at any time of day. There were guestrooms right outside the fitness center, so if the noise in those rooms was similar to what I experienced in my room, I would not have liked that location, if the center was open 24 hours. The room was spacious, it contained several cardio machines with cardio theater, a flat screen TV, hand weights, exercise mat and ball, and more.

Business center

The business center was a small room next to the front desk. The printer was out of toner when I tried to print something the first day. I did not visit the room the next day so I don't know if this had been corrected. I did not see an employee to make someone aware of the situation after my experience.

Newton, Iowa / Holiday Inn Express

November 2011, Weekday, Queen Bed Executive Studio #204

Platinum perks

I received a bottle of water and choice of a small snack--Chex mix or cookies. I saw that someone had written "upgrade please" on my reservation; however, I did not receive an upgraded room. I did not ask for one at check-in because when I saw the note, I figured this had already been taken care of. And, the front desk agent had acknowledged my Platinum status. 

Guestroom 204

I called this hotel before my stay because I was confused about the room choices. A king bed executive room, and a queen bed executive studio were the same price. The queen studio listed a fridge and microwave in the description, and the king room did not. I called the hotel to ask if a king executive room was the same size as a queen studio, and if it had a fridge and microwave. I had made my reservation for a queen studio room, thinking it would be larger, and if the rooms were the same size, I was going to change my room type to a king executive guestroom. The employee I spoke with seemed less knowledgable than me. She said that the king executive rooms are all suites with a whirlpool tub and table, and that they cost about $15 more than a queen studio. She did not say that there are king executive rooms at the hotel, even though this is listed on the website. I questioned her about this to try and find out, and did not get anywhere. She then said that since I am a Platinum member, she would make a note to upgrade me to a king suite.

Room 204, which is described as "1 Queen Bed Executive Studio," is a basic Holiday Inn Express hotel room with a fridge and microwave. It is not an oversized room, and did not have any extras. I think the listing of "studio" for this room is misleading and false. When I looked at the hotel diagram on the back of the guestroom door, it looked like the larger rooms were around the pool area, so I decided not to go back and ask about an upgrade, since that area can often be noisy.

The guestroom contained a suitcase bench, one queen bed, desk and chair, older looking couch and table, TV, microwave, and fridge. The room smelled musty and old, and the housekeeping could have been better. My bedding was clean, although there were a few hairs in the bathroom. Even though this room was not on the top floor, it was surprisingly quiet. The Internet connection speed was satisfactory. The hair dryer was a low quality wall mounted unit.

Food & Beverage 

I thought breakfast looked unappetizing, and decided to eat elsewhere after checking out--no place fancy; I ate at Subway. The eggs at the HIX did not look fresh, and neither did the whole fruit. I had planned to have a banana and milk, but changed my mind.

Fitness center

The fitness center contained three cardio machines without cardio theater. There was a TV in the room, although there was no remote. I visited the workout room two times, and could not find the remote either time. The website photo shows hand weights in the fitness center, although I do not recall seeing any. I usually use hand weights when they are available, and I only used the treadmill during this stay. The AC in the room did not work (I tried turning it on and to different settings a couple different times), and since the room is located off the pool area, it got pretty hot after 10 or 15 minutes. 

Overall

I was surprised that this hotel is located downtown so far off the interstate. I had to visit a business in town in the morning, so it worked out fine for me, although I do not think that most travelers just looking for overnight accommodations would care for the location. Usually, hotels are not located downtown except in bigger towns with events or venues downtown that people would be specifically traveling to the area for.

It was only a couple blocks to the downtown circle; however, there were not many dining options. In fact, I overheard a guest at the airport hotel where I stayed the last night I was in this area, talking about this hotel. He had stayed here--apparently at the same time I did--and, said he would not stay here again. He said that if he had to return to the area, he would stay in Des Moines, and drive to Newton during the day. He stated that there is nothing to do and no place to eat nearby.

The hotel website lists the following room types for the same price: standard, king bed, queen bed, 2 queen beds, king executive, queen executive studio. Since the hotel diagram shows all the guestrooms as the same size except the few around the pool, and, the employee when I called did not differentiate between any room types except the suites, it appeared as though all of the rooms at this hotel are the same except for the suites.