Needing curb appeal then drive up to the Hilton Garden of Ames. The landscape is aesthetically appealing. There are SIX Diamond Spaces with front door access in a secure environment. The rooms are large with the remodeled furnishings being well maintained. The morning buffet is standard, but still somewhat tasty. The staff is friendly and very professional in representing the Hilton Brand. read more

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Great stay so far! The property is very clean, well-kept, and exactly what you hope for in a Hilton. The front desk staff was super nice and welcoming -- they made check-in smooth and even upgraded my room (love when Diamond status comes through ). It's always such a good feeling when staff recognize loyalty and go the extra mile. Also a big plus: absolutely no issues traveling with my service animal. Everyone was kind, respectful, and accommodating -- which makes a world of difference. Overall, a comfortable, friendly, and easy stay. Would definitely come back next time I'm in Ames! read more

Very loud right next to the highway very gross room with stains and the check in staff was rude read more

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Hilton Garden Inn Ames - A Masterclass in Incompetence and Disrespect Let me make this very clear: Hilton Garden Inn Ames is the worst hotel experience I have ever had--and that is saying something. I stayed from March 29 to April 1, 2025, as a Hilton Diamond Member, and was subjected to a level of mistreatment that was not just disappointing but outright disgraceful, dangerous, and unethical. Here's what went down: Despite my account being fully paid (with a $0.30 CREDIT in my favor), staff fabricated a $233.19 "balance due" and called the police on me. Let that sink in: they tried to criminalize me over a fake charge. The police showed up at my door because of their lie. To make matters worse, after I exposed their false billing with receipts and proof, their leadership--Suzy Ridder, Liz Wilke, and others--tried to shift the blame onto me by falsely claiming I had been "belligerent" with bar staff. FACT: I have timestamped receipts showing my last drink order at 5:40 PM that night. My party of six left for dinner shortly after and didn't return until after 11 PM. Their accusation? A total fabrication designed to save face. GM Liz Wilke hid from accountability the entire time. To this day, no genuine apology, no ownership--just evasion, ghosting, and excuses. Instead of resolving this like professionals, the hotel and Hilton Corporate offered me a pathetic 75,000 points and declared the matter "closed." Laughable. For the record: I am not just some angry guest. I have owned / operated five restaurants across four states, work at the University of California, and have spent over a decade in hospitality. I know exactly what good service and accountability look like--and THIS IS NOT IT. Even worse, I raised concerns that my treatment may have been influenced by racial bias, which have been blatantly ignored. Hilton has brushed aside every serious point I raised and hopes I'll just go away. Spoiler: I won't. I am pursuing legal action, involving the ACLU, and will continue sharing my experience publicly across my platforms. Guests deserve to know how this property operates. If you care about your safety, dignity, and basic respect--STAY AWAY from this disgraceful property. Hilton should be ashamed to have its name on this building. read more

Horrible service. Unable to meet any simple request from guests. The breakfast food was almost nonexistent 5 minutes after the buffet opened. Most food items were not available until an hour into the breakfast period, instead of when it opened. read more

When I come to visit my elderly parents in Ames, I almost always stay with them. However, one of my brothers and his daughter were in town, and they have a tendency to fill up both the physical and social space at the house. That can overwhelm my Mom, so Dad and my other brother (via phone) decided that it would be easier to stay at a hotel and day commute to and from home. So my Son and I headed off to our room with 2 Queens and perhaps a little snoring on my part. I've done a lot of work-related travel over the last couple years, and have made it a point to collect Hilton Points. Gayle certainly appreciates that as those points provided a nice week in Hawaii early in the year. In Ames, the choices are limited to the Hilton Garden Inn and the Hampton Inn. This hotel is located right off US 30 in West Ames, and in a relatively new area, that features a big Iowa State indoor athletic complex. The nice thing about hotel chains is that you pretty much know what you're going to get. For the Hilton Garden Inn, that means clean and comfortable rooms, good showers, dependable Wi-Fi, and a breakfast that is a step above their sister Hampton Inn chain. For this stay, the room delivered, but the breakfast did not. More specifically, the food was very good, but the service was practically non-existent. First off, we had to buss the previous occupant's dishes at the table. After sitting down and waiting several minutes, I had to walk over to ask to be waited on. Then after a relatively long wait, I spied the food sitting under the lights for several minutes, and again had to go over and asked to be served. Items in the common areas like juice glasses, bread, and silverware ran out and were not replaced. Luckily, there were plenty of glasses at the bar. The 2 folks working the room were well intentioned, but clearly overwhelmed. Judging by the big "Help Wanted" banner outside the Hotel and similar signs around Ames, it looks like there's a plethora of retail and service jobs available, with perhaps a shortage of takers. So that explains this 3 Star rating, for normally a 4 Star Hilton experience. I know what their breakfast model is capable of, as the experience that Gayle and I had a few weeks ago at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fargo ND, was superb. I'll be happy to book this place again as family dynamics dictate, but I sure hope my experience was a one-off. read more

We booked two rooms at the Hilton Gardens Ames, 1325 Dickinson Ave., Ames, IA, 50014 for the night of Saturday, July 17, 2021. We arrived around 4:30 p.m. When we arrived, the reception personnel seemed, at best, disinterested. They offered only minimal engagement with the person in our party who interacted with them, and there wasn't even eye contact with some of the others of our party as they entered the lobby and went to the elevator. If we had wanted to get something to eat, besides from the hotel bistro, we would not have been able to walk to anything. Not only was it really, really hot, but the hotel was surrounded by huge apartment complexes. It was not clear that the few services in the nearest complex were even open. Any other alternatives were blocks away, and we would have had to drive to find them. The 24-hour coffee service advertised as available in the lobby was out of order. The jacuzzi in the pool area was surrounded by construction tape. That was most disappointing to the mother-to-be in our party who was greatly looking forward to a soak after hours in the car. We had rooms 208 and 220. Neither of the bathroom doors in either of those rooms would close fully and smoothly. They jammed against the frames. The blackout blind in Room 208 did not function properly. The entry door in Room 208 seemed to be painted two colors on the hall side. And although it is admittedly quite nit-picky, the colors of the bedspreads in Room 220 did not match. One was obviously white. The other was some off-white shade. Overall, we just expected much, much better of a Hilton offering. We have had excellent experiences with Hampton Inns (another Hilton chain) in the past, and will continue to patronize them. However, this will be our one and only encounter with a Hilton Gardens property. read more

The service was the worst. They never cleaned the room once in four days even after we requested it. The coffee machine was broke spilling water all over and the women showed no interested in helping us replace it with another. She said there was nothing she could do about it with a snotty attitude. The credit card machine in the kitchen never worked so we had to pay cash for breakfast the entire time. The lady's were nice in the kitchen but the bacon and sausages tasted like cardboard and uneatable. Had to pull a janitor off the floor to ask for another coffee maker. Dirty rooms horrible attitude from the front desk woman. Except for the kitchen help people being nice it is the only time in my life I have had this bad a stay anywhere and I am 78 years old. read more

This place, while appealing in the lobby, is shabby. They have two shades on windows but both are translucent, neither block any light. So the giant parking lot lights create a huge orange rectangle night light. Room was drafty and poorly sealed so heater cycled on and off all night long. Mold ring in bathtub, hot tub sealed off with construction tape and shabby boards. One restaurant within two miles. Skip this dump and stay someplace else. read more

Normally never write reviews for hotels but my husband and I had great service here! Rooms were clean and noise levels were low. Amenities were nice and the food was surprisingly decent (Had biscuits and gravy, chicken salad, fish and chips, and French toast). The breakfast selection was pretty vast and they also had daily specials. The hotel lobby was also decorated nicely and they offered free lemon/lime/cucumber water as well as coffee and tasty cranberry granola cookies in the afternoon. I found the bed to be pretty comfortable! Usually hate hotel beds but the king we had was fairly soft, just the way I like it! Bathroom was clean as well. Perhaps my only nitpick is that I noticed there was a really strong smell of baby powder in their stairwell. Hopefully they can get the carpeting replaced there in the future. All of the employees were SO incredibly nice and patiently answered a litany of questions I had about the area. Definitely the best service I have had at a Hilton hotel. I would definitely recommend staying here if you need to visit the area. read more

By far, the nicest place to stay in Ames. Located within walking distance of Perfect Games entertainment center, a veterinary center, and Bergies' Philips 66 gas station, it is the choice hotel for travel teams and coaches. There is plenty of parking close to the rooms which are all on one level. The expert, friendly staff (Ginger, Natasha, Tiffany, Britt, Lisa and many others) will take great care of you during your stay. Rooms are very clean using Lysol sanitation methods and you can request your room cleaned daily or not at all during your stay, whatever your comfort level. As a hotel participating in the Ames Healthy Initiative, smoking or vaping of any kind is allowed on the premises (including parking lots) and those who do will be charged a hefty additional fee ($250+ per night). Rooms are reasonably priced for the area ($89-$110) slightly higher on the weekends with group, business, and long-term stay rates available. This is the only hotel in Ames that serves a full hot breakfast for an additional $10 (coupons for free breakfast are available for groups). Lisa, (who is from Arkansas) serves the best grits in town! A limited dinner menu is available (the margarita flatbread is tasty) and later in the evening adult travelers linger around the bar drinking craft beers and sharing stories. Help yourself snacks and beverages are available in the lobby 24/7, just let the staff know what you take and the charge will be added to the room. The convenience of food on site cannot be overestimated. A beautiful location for wedding guests, the hotel is updated with the latest decor and, of course the grounds outside are kept attractive. There is plenty of seating for people who want to lounge outdoors in the sunshine. You might pay a few dollars more per night, but the comfortable beds, kind staff, accessibility, amenities, and courteous fellow travelers are worth it. read more

Hilton Garden Inn Ames - Desk, TV, chair, bench, window, air conditioner - Hotels Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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While our check-in went smoothly and our checkin staff were both very pleasant and accommodating, and our room was adequate and clean, the woman at the front desk the next morning was very rude when I requested a late checkout of 11:30. I understand that the hotel needs to get rooms cleaned for the next day but a 30 minute late check out request when we have booked a block of rooms for 2 nights demonstrates very poor customer service. Needless to say, the Marriot in Ames will be the hotel of choice in the future, as they have always been very accommodating when we have stayed there in the past for both leisure and business travel. I would strongly recommend that the woman at the desk have some additional customer relations training! read more

The Manager Christian was very rude and threatened to kick us out because we found a dead rat outside the entrance of the hotel. Also there was mold around the toilet in room 232. What should have been a pleasant experience turned into a very humiliating experience. There was no customer service at all. The actions she demonstrated in front of her staff was not that of a manager. I would hate to see anyone else treated the way we were treated. I will never stay at this hotel again. read more

The first night we stayed here, we were in an non-renovated king room, and it was pretty meh. Our second night, we moved to a renovated 2 queen room, and it is incredibly nice. Plenty of space, the bathroom is nice. I also love how friendly the staff, even the housekeepers are. If you're staying more than a night, park in the back at the entrance by the elevators to save yourself some walking. Would definitely stay here again, requesting a renovated room if they were still in process. read more

Since Amy at the front desk wasn't concerned when I brought to her attention that our bathtub had an extremely slow stopped up drain, I assumed Yelpers would be. I brought it to her attention, showing her the pictures posted with this review and she quickly cut me off asking me if I wanted my receipt e-mailed to me or printed. The bathtub's drain pooled up to 4 inches around our ankles while showering. When we woke up the next morning, there was still about an inch of water slowly dwindling down. Which is pretty gross considering how many people utilize a shower in a hotel room.....gross. Thanks for the horrible customer service. read more

Hilton Garden Inn Ames - Poor drainage in our room. Attendant at front desk was unconcerned when I brought it to her attention. - Hotels Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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The accomodations here are pretty swank for the cost. When I first entered the room I immediately noticed a pleasant scent. The room, bed and bathroom were all to my liking. They have a well stocked fitness room with sturdy cardio equipment. I look forward to my next visit at a Hilton Garden Inn. read more

Friendly staff at check-in and check-out. The room was clean and well-stocked. The bed and shower were both good (not the best ever, but definitely above average). I expect to become a regular at this location as it is on my regular travel route. The only downside was that I forgot to have my bottle of beer purchased at the front desk opened there, but that's why we have the internet - to find videos of how to use other commonly found items as beer openers. read more

I was not expecting this to be such a nice hotel for what we paid. The building had a sense of something more than just practicality. It was more grand than just a place to sleep and leave. The pool was nice and warm and the rooms were very inviting. You could tell that it was rather new. Overall this was an experience that I wish I would get with all hotels but simply do not. 10 of 10, will stay again. read more

Not a thing at all wrong with this Hilton Garden Inn. Price is a bit high, however. It gets three stars because I'm rating in alignment with hotel ratings. The staff is professional and friendly, the gym is fine for what I need while on business travel, and the place is clean for a hotel with fabric upholstered couches and chairs. read more

Have stayed at this location before on business, expected similar decent expectations. However this 2 day stay was less than desirable. The always expensive breakfast buffet served cold horrible food and service. It was not busy. Eggs cold, table dirty-had to ask for it to be cleaned, nobody greeted or engaged us as we chose our table, we brought our food to table and had to ask for utensils 2x, had to go get myself, asked for coffee she brought it, never to be visited or refilled again, asked her for condiments as she walked by, she said she'd bring but didn't, never once did she come back. $30 (for 2)cold, coffee-less, no service, breakfast is ridiculous. What a waste of points on this stay. I'll be writing Hilton corporate. I travel a lot, had more planned stays here, now not. Oh and just when you needed it most...no TP! Plenty of choices out there. That's the great thing about having competition in a capitalist society. So Marriott here I come. read more

Nice staff, clean rooms and common areas. The room service menu is old and needs to be changed. Even though there is French onion soup on menu they have changed menus but the chef made it for me anyway which was awesome. read more

I like this hotel ... it is probably the best in Ames. Clean rooms, quiet, friendly staff. Appears to be well managed.

The staff was welcoming and helpful. The rooms were nice and comfortable. If I can choose this hotel for future stays in Ames, then I will. read more

Nice hotel and fairly new. This was my second stay here and it was consistently good both times. Great location directly off of the highway and close to ISU. Jimmy johns within walking distance is another unadvertised bonus. read more

Very nice and practically brand new Hilton Garden Inn. And as of June 2012 they have a new menu and new chef in the hotel restaurant. I have traveled nearly every week and stayed in a different hotel every week for the last 5 years, and this was the best dinner I've had in a hotel restaurant. I will definitely stay here again and eat here again for my next stay in Ames. read more

Really really really uncomfortable beds. Supposed to be sleep number like .. but that didn't work ... so tired ... so much pain. Blecch ...

This was the worst hotel experience I've ever had. Our door SLAMMED shut every time, and if you tried to slow it down it didn't latch. The hallway smelled like campfire the first night, and feces the next morning. The breakfast buffet is a complete joke. They charge $11 per person for a buffet that's no better than the free breakfast at Super 8. And the service for breakfast was terrible. The waiter took 2 orders from our table of 4 and left, we had to chase him down to complete our orders. Then he insulted my fiancé when he delivered the food. We waited almost 20 minutes for our bill after talking the wait staff we were done, and we were the only table in the entire dining room. The second day, the same waiter forgot to bring us our drinks, and we had to order them 3 times from the same person. He also didn't take half of our orders again and we had to chase him down to order our food. I will never stay here again! The service was terrible and the amenities and facilities were mediocre at best. read more

My family and I spent 3 nights at this hotel. The room was clean and had a nice set-up. However, one of the beds had a permanent indentation in the middle, so it was quite uncomfortable. The housekeeping staff were absolutely wonderful and very friendly. The pool area was nice, but had little air flow so the chlorine in the air was very strong. I couldn't sit in there for more than 15 minutes without my eyes burning. The worst part was the in-hotel dining. The fish in the fish and chips meal was mostly deep-fried batter (instead of fish), was very over-cooked, and horribly salty. The meal was $13, so I was expecting something half-way decent. The service was sub-par and the server seemed irritated by his job. We usually stay at Hamptons when we travel and have always had a wonderful experience. We figured that since Hilton and Hampton are part of the same company, we'd have an equally positive stay. But, we were wrong. We are sticking to Hampton going forward! read more

Service at desk and in restaurant was great. Dinner was one of the worst meals ever. I didn't even touch the pizza - it was soggy as though heated in a microwave. Onion soup was tasteless. Tortilla soup was mostly broth and no tortillas. read more

Great room...big, new. Loved the Keirig machine. Breakfast is horribly over-priced. And watch out for Neutrogena imposters!

Very poor service. They could not figiure out how to get the printers to work. I ordered an appetizer to be delivered to my room and it never came. Additionally, coffee was not available in the morning until they started to serve breakfast which is very different from other Hiltons. read more