Element West Des Moines had some good points. Their breakfast buffet has a healthy Greek yogurt bar which was a hit with our family. Also the room layout with the kitchenette and living area was very nice and very spacious. There's tons of places to spread out. I would say the hotel is good for families except there's also a rooftop bar next door that has a DJ till 2 am blaring music. Our little ones had really choppy sleep which made the mornings a little miserable. read more

Element West Des Moines - Hotels Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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What a gem! I brought my 10-year-old grandson here for a staycation and we had the best experience! Sparkling clean and beautifully decorated, comfortable beds with cozy linens, an exceptionally friendly and welcoming staff, and little touches like a beer and wine reception, Wii gaming system, and nice pool with thick towels really elevated the experience. We got one of the simplest rooms and it was stocked with real silverware, porcelain dishes, a toaster, microwave, refrigerator, and sink, and a Keurig coffee maker. Honestly, I couldn't remember how much I had booked the room for and was pleasantly surprised by the folio. This experience was similar to staying at a luxury brand, but at a more affordable price! The hotel is nice, but it's the staff that really sets this place apart. Hats off to the management and everyone who works here for making this place so special for guests. I was already on the Element website looking for properties in other places we are visiting in 2026! Meanwhile, my grandson and I are planning our next staycation at our newfound favorite local spot. read more

I was heading down to Des Moines for the first time. I knew that after attending a hockey game here that I didn't want to drive another four hours back to Bloomington, MN. Instead, I redeemed my Marriott points towards a free stay at this Element hotel in West Des Moines. Free is good. A leisurely overnight stay is also good. I packed super light, to the point where I had everything in my backpack. It can be done. I checked in a bit after my specified 4 pm check-in time. I parked in front of the hotel, as I knew that I'd be leaving soon to see the Iowa Wild. There is plenty of parking around the hotel, which I used after the game was over. The man at the front desk was nice. He let me know when breakfast was served. I got a lovely room thanks to using my Marriott reward points. Free is great! My room was a suite. It was super comfortable. My backpack sat on the desk for my entire stay. I also attached my 15' USB C cable (highly recommend one when travelling) from this desk to charge my phone as I watched TV on the couch. I loved the kitchenette. Although I wasn't there long enough to cook, it had a stovetop, sink, pots, dishes, cutlery (silverware), a coffee maker, tea bags, and so much more. I used the fridge to keep my beverages cool. The bed gave me a great night's sleep. It was firm. I love a king bed. There was so much room. There were USB ports on either side of the bed. I had my portable humidifier running and it worked like a charm. The bathroom was bright and inviting. The shower was relaxing with the perfect water pressure. There was so much counter space next to the sink. It was impressive. This hotel felt like my home away from home. Breakfast downstairs was awesome. The fact that there was almond milk to satisfy those who are dairy-free or lactose-intolerant was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed having cereal with almond beverage without having to buy my own carton and bring a bowl of cereal up to my room for consumption. The variety of food was terrific. I had scrambled eggs with sausage links. When there are bowls of butter balls and cream cheese next to hard-boiled eggs, you immediately realize that breakfast here is fancy. I loved it. The food tasted yummy. I ended up getting some orange juice (I'm not a juice person, but it's good at Element) and lemon tea to wash everything down. I can't say enough good things about my one-night stay here. I was in a good neighbourhood with plenty of food and shopping options, including a Caribou Coffee and B-Bop's. I would definitely return to check out Des Moines some more and stay here. Staff here were friendly. I felt comfortable and at home. (443) read more

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Not my cup of tea. Front desk staff was not friendly, can tell it was an older property that they tried to make trendy. Lobby looks better than the rooms. I was in a handicapped accessible room and it took forever to figure out how to pull down the blinds. Holes in wall and crumbs in utensil hole on counter. read more

Element West Des Moines - Hotels Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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When in West DSM... Actually, I hadn't really spent much time in the area but Element treated this WDSM newbie just fine. It's definitely a more suburban feel in the area but there's also free parking and a very friendly/warm lobby. I spent less than 8 hours total in my room but I must say it was well-equipped a kitchenette, desk and lounge chair. Plus a heavenly king-sized bed. Not much to report on the view since it was a dreary, winter midwest day. Bummer that I didn't get to take advantage of the complimentary happy hour or breakfast, but that really is a nice touch for business travelers, that way they don't have to venture outside if they don't want to or don't have the time. And even though it's "complimentary", the price per night definitely reflects these amenities. Just under $200/night is kinda sorta pricey for suburban Des Moines. That being said, it's a busy time of year, the week before caucus voting. So that probably had an impact on rates. Overall, totally clean, totally nice, and totally recommended if you find yourself in this neck of the woods. read more

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My latest trip took me to snowy Des Moines, IA. Arriving late at night I took the less scenic route to the hotel. Arriving late at night, roughly 11:30pm I was the last expected check-in. They had a cute little dog sitting behind the counter, being an animal lover I was totally good with this. He was very well behaved and sat on his dog bed (apologies if it was a little girl). Hotel is clearly new-ish and was very updated. Each room had both shades and blackout curtains. Both curtains were handled with controls which were near the door way versus by the windows. That was probably the most confusing feature. Offered a pretty decent breakfast selection, although I didn't stay for breakfast so I can't speak to how good the food actually was. Did get a chance to see the selection though. They had the hot tub open which was outside and the pool which was inside. Great size gym for the smaller hotel and appears to be open 24/7. Would stay here again if I can't find a location in downtown where my meetings occur. This Element location is very muc in West Des Moines. Good 15-20 minutes from the capital and if going with the traffic it could be even more. read more

Beautiful and comfortable hotel in a great location! Our stay at the element was great! Staff was super friendly throughout, our room was spacious and very clean, and all the freebies make it such a treat! I really enjoyed the complimentary breakfast! The chef was able to accommodate my dairy-free diet, and the pancakes he made fresh were SO good. If you've never stayed in an Element, you're missing out! read more

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My local "get away" place. Casual place to stay with a modern feel. Breakfast provided is nice and the gym and hot tub are great. The indoor pool is average, but still nice. Pet Friendly. Near a lot of entertainment and shopping options in the area. Free parking. Recommended. read more

It's a super spreader locale. No one is masked except a few guests. Not a single person working here is masked. The breakfast is awful. McDonalds is much better. If you're going to do something this bad, be honest and just say no breakfast. Everyone working here is nice. The rooms are great. So for everything else, 4 stars. read more

Gorgeous new hotel! Love! Very modern and very clean! Very close to many good restaurants and at least one pub. And...they are pet friendly!!! Yay! No bad odors in the room. The bed, bedding, and furniture were all comfortable, new, clean, and modern. Great place!!! read more

Element West Des Moines - Cute decor in our room! - Hotels Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

I LOVE this hotel! This is my first time actually staying in any hotel for more than 2 nights and I am so happy this is my first experience! Their continental breakfast has the standard cereal, oatmeal, yogurt and bread/bagel option as well as garden frittatas and egg and cheese croissants as well as 4 types of juice! They have a free appetizer and drinks happy hour in the evening. The first night they served meatballs which I can't really comment on because I don't eat beef, but our friend ate like 40 so they just have been pretty good! The next evening they service pita and tortilla chips with 4 various dips. The pita and hummus were on point! The entire hotel I believe was recently built so everything is new and modern. The room we were in had a kitchenette including plates, glasses, wine opener, silverware, dish soap, and scrubber. The bathroom is equipped with shampoo/conditioner and body wash dispensers so you wouldn't even need to bring your own. The pool is kind of small and the deepest it goes is 4 feet but it was perfect for taking my 6 month old baby for her first swim! There is also a hot tub outside. They also have a hair salon on site which I think is pretty cool! My hair is getting pretty long so I might still go and check that out as well before we leave! read more

Such a beautiful hotel, kept super clean. Has an indoor pool, outdoor hot tub, fireplace, wii, and lots of patio and lobby seating. The continental breakfast was amazing, lots of options and there was a chef Rosa who made amazing French toast to order. Overall wonderful hotel and amazing staff. read more

Element West Des Moines - Strawberry banana French toast - Hotels Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

My favorite place to stay in West Des Moines. All staff are polite and friendly and rooms are very clean. The happy hour during the week is also a favorite. The courtyard is a great area to enjoy a glass of wine at sunset. It is located near several restaurants, a few coffee shops and easy to access the interstate. Book early as this one sells out. read more

Bonvoy Titanium -- more than 280 nights a year in hotel rooms -- so I have an informed perspective on what makes a good property. Good: breakfast choices are a nice departure from the usual hotel morning fare. Blackout window shades are excellent and a nice change from normal hotel drapes which cannot be closed adequately to block out disruptive light. At $122 (government rate, total including taxes) the price is reasonable. Although I was allowed to check in online for a 0830 arrival, no room was a available when I arrived. Nor was one available 2.5 hours later when I returned. Check in process was very disorganized. No attention paid to my profile which lists a top floor room and firm pillows. The guests above me were VERY noisy and disruptive. The floors transmit loud footsteps very well. TEN pillows on the two beds and not a single firm one. Trash left in the hallway around 8:30pm remained there at 6:00am. It seems clear no employee checks the property throughout the night. Rooms are nice, bright, clean. However, the furniture is cheap and rickety. I anticipated a sleeker experience. The hotel is fine but not an upscale, business-class experience. read more

Extremely unprofessional management. I could not get anyone to return my phone calls. Take your business somewhere else.

Wife and I stayed at Element and recommend it. Can easily bike or drive to a lot of shopping, restaurants, and lots of fun stuff. Or stay in and maybe use the gym or visit the happy hour. Nice room with microwave and small fridge. Front desk staff was friendly and helpful. I was confused because I could not find an ice machine. And they just handed me a bag of ice! Modern look of Element feels nice. They used a lot of recycled materials in their design I was told. Breakfast was pretty good. Good options. Lots of scrambled eggs but also hard boiled. Except never saw bacon offered, just sausage. But yogurt bar was nice once I actually saw it on day two, lol. Four stars though for this reason....and it's not Elements fault. Just something to be aware of when booking. No bath tubs. Really nice walk in shower in the room. But if you enjoy a nice relaxing bath like my wife does, this is not the place for you. Most newly built, going green, conservation minded hotels now days don't put in baths. But hey, she booked a nice pedicure and had her nails done at salon near by so our trip was quite enjoyable. read more

Next time my parents are staying in town I'm going to recommend staying at Element! Located on a beautiful property, with a location walking distance to several bars, shopping, and eateries! This green hotel has bikes to hop on, so you can head to the mall or the bike paths, you will soon be able to even rent a dog for a walk and maybe even start adoption papers! The staff is super nice, they have a happy hour Monday-Thursday that includes great food, and drinks. They do a free breakfast in the morning. The rooms are modern and really nice and come with all the comforts of home.. From plates, to ovens, to fridges! They have great conference rooms for your next biz meeting, and who wants to take a swim in the salt water pool after a long meeting.. I do I do, or work out in the huge gym! Or a hot tub in the sun, or a drink by the fire pit at night! This is a high end experience but not priced that way at all! Some room come in at under 150 bucks which is amazing when you think about all you get! So glad Element is now in Des Moines.. Fun, Green, and ready to be seen! read more

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With one exception, we had a great stay at Element for one night this past weekend. Let me address the exception first. The Standard King Room at Element includes a "Fully equipped kitchenette". This is a great feature. BUT I reached in and grabbed a glass out of the cabinet. The glass was sitting upside down and I am glad it was as the rim of the glass stuck to the cabinet shelf. Since it was sticky this caused me to look at it and I could see lip-stick and I believe wine remains all around the rim of the glass. Yeck!!! This was right before bed and I was just getting a glass for water. If it wouldn't have stuck I probably wouldn't have looked closely and would have filled it and drank from it. Gross!! I was a bit dismayed that they didn't do a better job of cleaning the glasses prior to putting them away. I was also prepared to discuss this at check-out but the front-desk never asked me how my stay was. Just "You're all set." Other than that, we really did like our room and had an excellent stay. King-size bed - very comfortable, multiple pillows, lots of space, kitchenette, National Geographic Traveler magazine, luggage rack, closet with coat racks, walk-in shower with rain shower-head and good water-pressure, decent towels, good toiletries, decent WiFi, good parking, modern, appeared clean, decent price, friendly check-in. The location was just a little bit off Interstate 35 and south of 80 so it was very easy to get anywhere we needed to go. I would definitely stay here again. (Though I will check my dishware before using it to make sure it is clean.) read more

Trying to check in since noon Requested early check in for a wedding Guaranteed check in 3 PM Now 3:07 and no room for 4 o'clock wedding Marriot BONvoy NOT read more

Went for a cocktail hour and tour. This place was uber swanky, clean and new. They offer yoga and have bikes you can use to hop on a nearby trail. They also have a foster dog area too. The staff are incredibly friendly and super helpful as well. If I were to need a place for friends or family to stay this would be top of my list. Plus is is right around the corner from my house. Thanks for a delightful happy hour. read more

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This property is amazing. Very clean decor. Free bike use rental. Walking in they have a foster dog area for a ARL dog that you can walk or cuddle while here. Love that! The rooms have large windows and kitchens. The pool and hot tub are salt water. Happy hour has great complimentary food and drinks. Free breakfast also. Great place for business travel! read more

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Housekeeping woke us up three hours before we planned on waking up. We got in late and we're exhausted from the road. We came here to sleep, but housekeeping made it impossible. They were basically screaming at each other in Spanish in front of our door. Ridiculous read more

Very nice hotel, the front desk staff was friendly and helpful. Willingly answered my questions. They have two bikes in the entry area that you can check out and use when they are available. Nice breakfast area with a pancake special made to order the day were there. read more

Had a bathroom fan vent running all night told it's normal! It's not! If you need rest don't stay there! read more

Element West Des Moines - Beautiful hotel - Hotels Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

Criminal! Charged me for an extra night and, when I called to let them know, their lukewarm response was that they would 'look into it' and 'let me know' what they 'could do'. For what I paid to stay here along with the other Marriott properties I stayed at on the same cross-country road trip, this treatment is absolutely unacceptable. Marriott should be embarrassed by this hotel. read more

Wow! So blown away. Friendly staff. COVID precautions stated in the room. Organic soaps. Sanitizer. Dishes etc upon request. Pool and fitness center by appointment. One of the few hotels who found a way to still offer breakfast. Beautiful, clean, modern space. My room even had a patio with furniture. Beautiful outdoor spaces. Dog friendly. Absolutely impressed and highly recommend!! read more

I loved it here! The rooms are so pretty, nice and spacious! The location is convenient with lots of parking. Front desk was very nice. The room I had was great and I loved the kitchenette and how they are full stocked with dishware which is awesome and the bed was so comfortable! I also loved the the gym area. It always great to have hotel with a mini gym and the breakfast was also great! I would recommend this place! read more

Stay away. This hotel does not honor reservations. We booked WEEKS ago, drove 6+ hours, arrived at 11pm and were told, "Sorry, we sold out two hours ago." WTF???? What does RESERVATION mean?? Why even bother taking them if you are first come, first serve? Element used to be great under Starwood, but clearly they have gone completely down the drain under new ownership. There is no excuse for treating paying guests this way. We will never book another Westin hotel ever again. read more

I have never had a bad experience at an Element hotel. So when I was in Des Moines and saw that there was a new one, a happy dance was called for, I was not disappointed. This location despite being new has the hospitality business down. No experiences of growing pains or the newly opened fumbles, this team has it been built and trained well! Everything from check in to check out was handled with great customer service and a smile. Had an issue with my reservation, but Katie was courteous and handled it before I could even get to my email to verify my mix up. The rooms were amazing as all Elements have been. The rooms are perfectly sized, decorated and most importantly - comfortable. This location is perfect for a hotel with several places nearby for dinner and drinks. The options are amazing and provide the perfect spot to stop rest, relax and enjoy. Everything you want with in walking distance. Not to mention the quick access to the interstate makes getting anywhere in Des Moines a breeze. read more

We stay at Element hotels all over. But... this particular hotel in Des Moines is really struggling. We are in town for the Knoxville Nationals and are staying for 10 days. We have not had our room cleaned in 3 days now. Each successive manager at the front desk promises us it will be done that day. The next day they do not remember us and say the same thing again... bottom line is they cannot keep their staff engaged and showing up for work. The absolute lies coming out of the managers mouth is very disappointing. I would stay away from this hotel if you can find anything else available. read more

Really nice place to spend the night with our dog! The first floor patio rooms are fabulous, and the front desk person so warm and accommodating. read more

First time staying at Elements. We normally stay at Hilton brand hotels. However we're now Tesla owners so we always try to stay at 'Destination' hotels which have EV hookups. We REALLY wanted to love this hotel brand! However it came up short on small stuff...like no hand soap in bathroom, it was suppose to be fully stocked but missing glasses, only had 2 forks, 1 knife, no paper towels & some other stuff. Biggest negative..no coffee machine in room! Did have a toaster but man I need coffee first thing in the morning! For big points it was very clean everywhere with the staff managing capacity in public areas. Good job! read more

Nine days ago I stayed there one night while crossing the country. Booked it on priceline. When I got there they asked for a $50 deposit for incidentals and any damage. To this day after multiple calls I'm still out the $50 despite no damage and no incidentals. STAY AWAY read more

It's clean. It's amazing. And if thou are female, traveling alone - safe. This matters. I'm all for girl power. But don't pretend you're the same as a boy. That's just bad safety advice. While I was here on business I had forgotten to print off a few papers for my meeting the next day. I headed out to the business center and unfortunately I just couldn't get my things to print. I found Pam at the front desk. She directed me to email them to her and she printed them off straight away with a smile on her face. Great service. I'll be back. PS. If you run into housekeeping ANYWHERE. ... they will say hello, they will ask you if you need anything, they will open the door for you and they will tell you to have a good day. I was only here for 2 nights and those things happened multiple times. Awesome sauce. I go back to Seattle and know when I return to Des Moines where I will stay. read more

This hotel is amazing! I did not want to leave. The patio is very inviting with a hot tub, firepit, and several areas to sit under the patio lights. I can't say enough about how comfortable our room was. The bed and pillows felt as if they spared no expense. We had 2 tv's, couch, refrigerator, microwave, dishes, dishwasher..i could go on and on. My new fave hotel in Des Moines area. read more

This is our Second visit to this location,They are always helpful to All their visitors. Always given us great room locations and upgraded suits when able. This location is great for Entertainment,Dinning and Shopping! read more

Please don't depend on your gps on this one because it's wrong. The people at the hotel could care less , thanks Michael!!! Messed up my whole night! read more

We were heading home on a Saturday night, and knew we wouldn't be lucky enough to find a nice motel. We stopped at Best Western and HOLY HELL! It was something out of a horror movie. But it was late and in a small town, so understandable. Not today Satan! Anyways. I called Element West and a very kind gentleman. Answered and said they had 2 rooms available. Also, a smoke free hotel. AND earth friendly. I was so tired, I didn't check out anything in the room except the king size bed. Laid our two kiddos down (8 and 4 y o) and my husband and I crashed. The next morning we headed to breakfast. Their special was French toast (not a fan of eggs) but they had a bunch of other goodies; pastries, bagels, coffee, juices, milk for cereal, fruits and some mini frittata's. It was a pretty open area, but there was a small baseball team staying there, so not much room for us to sit. The staff was VERY friendly and everyone had a smile. My daughter had cereal and the milk was out. I asked the lady who was making the French toast and before I knew it, it was refilled. This will be our new stopping point from now on! Oh! When I got back to the room, I started snooping around; everything was clean! The bathroom was impeccable. BUT beware of the toilet; it flushed VERY loud. The shower was clean, the shower head had no signs of harsh water stains or buildup and was equipped with a good size shampoo/conditioner and body wash pumps. They use Pharmacopia brand and they smell wonderful. It says on the label it's plant based and organic, so This was a VERY nice place to stay. And it was only $20 more than BW but was WAAAAAY fancier! read more

If I could give this hotel a zero. I absolutely would. Arrived on day we were supposed to check in for a 2 night stay. When we arrived they told me I was a day early. I showed my confirmation and they said that they didnt have us until the next day-- even though I showed them the email from their hotel. They said there was nothing they could do. Finally figured something out and put us in a room. Then the next day-- my sister arrives to hotel at 3pm for 3pm check in (I paid for this room) and they said they didn't have that room available and those people didn't check out (they were supposed to check out at 11am). Ended up my sister not being able to check in until after 4pm and being late to a wedding.. then at 1:30am I get a phone call from my brother in law that he doesn't have a room for that night. This is the bride and the groom who had booked an executive suite for their wedding night. They tried to comp them with a bottle of Barefoot ($3) wine. I went in and they but them in a room after cleaning it, but it was sub-par. For the price of the rooms, I expected way more. We will not stay there again. read more

I stayed at this hotel just for one night but I can honestly say it was one of my favorite hotels I've ever stayed at. The staff was super friendly and were always trying to help the guests out. The whole hotel was very clean. The fitness center was large and very nice. The pool wasn't very big and the highest it went was 4ft but it was still fun and relaxing. The breakfast was delicious and was one of my favorite parts of the stay. Overall I'd say this hotel is definitely on my top 5, and I'd recommend it to anyone. read more

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