I generally liked it a lot. It was conveniently located and was everything I needed in a place to stay. Also the breakfasts were good and the downstairs area was quite nice. The upstairs hallways and rooms were a little disappointing in terms of niceness, but everything I needed was there. I would give it 4 stars based on the above. However, I had some problems with my door code to get in on the first day. When I called to get it worked out, the employee gave me the master code. Obviously, yes, I wanted into the building and my room. But it's never acceptable for a guest at a hotel to have a code for other rooms. If relying on a locking system like this, there needs to be a secure way to solve problems without giving out the master code. For this reason, I have to deduct another star. read more

We loved our stay here. Very comfortable and close to everything. The host staff were attentive. And all the to-go goodies - they thought of everything! read more

I regularly visit to amesIowa and this my first time staying experience in Iowa house, this property used to be a fraternity house converted into a hotel. We are staying here as a part of group booking for wedding. They have decent spots for parking. This place have around 15 rooms and most of them have attached bathrooms in it. There are 3 floors and no elevators. The general lobby is nicely decorated and had some snacks and coffee arrangements. Overall a decent place. read more

My husband and I stayed one night in room 206. The place is extremely clean and close to campus. The breakfast was excellent. The place only had a few other guest the night we stayed and it was extremely quiet. The room doors are heavy and steel. Room 206 door stucked a bit and my only complaint of the place is the AC unit. We could never get it to work. We could get the red light to come on but never had any air. Thankfully, it was a cool night and we opened the windows. Additionally, they had a fan. As there is no staff post 8pm there was no one to ask what we were doing wrong. I am sure it was user error. We did follow the instructions in the guest information. Room 206 is at the end of the hall away from the stairs. This could be great if the place was full. Room 206 is one of the smaller rooms. It has everything that the other rooms has minus a seating chair. There is one for the desk but not one to sit in and relax. Whirlpool tub. Microwave, mini refrigerator. Great soap and shampoos. No wardrobe. There are a few hanger and hooks but limited. The room face the baseball fields and parking lot. The doors to the kitchen are on the same wall. As we had our windows open we heard the chief come in. Not a huge issue for us. Sheets and towel top notch. It was nice to see many of the other rooms as they were not occupied. They all have different furniture. All lovely decorated. The place smells amazing. Overall a great place in this small college town. When we return to Ames we will look here first. Hopefully they will have a room. read more

Warm, inviting, clean, and ran by great people. I popped into the place late afternoon on a Thursday with my brother. It was really quiet. Heard some rumblings of human origin coming from the kitchen. "Hello," bellowed the kitchen. I informed the kitchen that I had reservations for the weekend. "O, you want a beer?" The décor and ambiance of the Iowa House in impeccable. Great breakfast also. The rooms are quiet even for so close to campus town. Also roomy for a converted fraternity, but under sized compared to a typical hotel. If you're alumni wanting to get back on campus for a weekend, I recommend here. read more

Iowa House - Hotels Near Me - Ames, Iowa

A friend and I stayed here while visiting friends in Ames for Thanksgiving. Having read the Yelp and Trip Advisor reviews, we were looking forward to staying. unfortunately, Iowa House wasn't as good as the reviews suggested. One disappointment was the breakfast served every morning. While the service was fast and friendly, the quality of breakfast was just OK. For some reason, hash browns, or fried slice potatoes were dry and unappetizing. In asking for over easy eggs, we got over hard. The fresh fruit served was excellent though. We did not stay till Sunday, so we didn't have the eggs Benedict, so perhaps the Sunday breakfast is much better than the daily breakfast. Our room was so hot that you could bake cookies in it. While we felt guilty about, we ended up opening the windows to make it tolerable. With the temperature in the single digits, it seemed wasteful to be letting that much heat out, but sleeping was impossible otherwise. Housekeeping was inconsistent. One morning, our tip was taken, but nothing in the room was done, not even emptying the wastebasket. Soap wasn't replaced one day even though it was out, only to be doubled the next day. The staff was always friendly. It was also pleasant to come back and be able to have hot tea or coffee with a snack at any hour. I'd stay here again, but request a room on the second floor which I'd hope might be cooler than on the third. read more

Having only slept in a tent among a bunch of drunk cyclists upon my only other visit to Ames, this was one hell of an improvement. It's exactly what a B&B should be: a limited number of rooms in a building that feels more like a house than a hotel, with a comfy living room, and a lovely hot breakfast. The bedroom: In a chain hotel, you'll get a huge room, with a "meh" bed and a bathroom that just doesn't feel right. At the Iowa house you get a smaller room, that feels entirely yours, with a soft mattress, pillowy duvet and rich blankets. Honestly one of the best nights sleep I've had in ages. There's a flat screen television, fridge, microwave, and a small writing desk. Air-conditioners, of course, and the obligatory mirrors and hangers. The bathroom: Bright, well-lit with a jacuzzi tub and quality shower (good pressure.) Towels that aren't paper thin, and good quality toiletries. My only qualm is one that affects the ladies, so I'll put it in caps THERE'S NO HAIRDRYER. I'm sure that got your attention. The house, itself: An old converted fraternity house, renovated to the error when frat boys weren't considered huge, partying jerks, but rather rich, entitled, snobs. Leather chairs in the common space, with a selection of books and newspapers. Clean hallways throughout. Parking spots for every room. The breakfast: Held in a room off the common area, are two long six person tables in a communal setting. You can sit for coffee (wasn't the best I've ever had), and a staff member will bring you out the breakfast de jour, ours happened to be scramby eggs, sausage, and pancakes. It was just the right amount for the day, with portion sizes matching the 50's decor. We also met some great folks dropping their son off for grad school and stayed chatting probably a lot longer than we should have. FREE WIFI You can't beat the price, it was cheaper than some hotels I paid for out in the middle of nowhere off the highway in Wyoming. read more

I needed a place on short notice during my recent business trip to Des Moines. Due to the US Outdoor Track & Field event at Drake, every hotel was booked solid, so I ended up in Ames (40 miles away). It was indeed a blessing in disguise! I really enjoyed staying at the Iowa House. The room was very comfortable, breakfast was delicious, parking convenience, location was walking distance to campus for evening fun and the drive up to Ames was a piece of cake! The only thing stopping me from 5-star was that the housekeeping forget to supply the room with soap, shampoo or iron on the first night. read more

This was a wonderful place to stay. They were friendly upon arrival the rooms were clean and the beds were very comfortable with good shower head water pressure. We were lucky enough to be there for their Sunday special breakfast of eggs Benedict, and it was delicious. Highly recommend this B&B and plan to be back in the spring. read more

We just completed an awesome weekend family reunion at Iowa House and couldn't have been happier. Every detail to make our reunion complete was thought of....Noah was an outstanding help in everything we did and became a member of our family in these 2 days. The rooms were CLEAN, all the modern amenities, and great air conditioner. The "common" area was beautifully decorated, and there were always snacks and drinks available 24/7. The location is beautiful and quiet....loved it. Can't say enough about how perfect it was for our big family. Thanks Noah!!! read more

My mom and I have stayed at the Iowa House twice now when visiting Ames. Both times, the staff has been extremely kind and hospitable. The breakfasts are restaurant quality- not stale continental motel style- which is very nice. The history of the b&b is pretty cool too, being that it is an old fraternity house. (fitting being that many guests are visiting Iowa State) The Iowa House is so comforting, clean, and inviting. I'd recommend anyone staying here :) read more

Very pleasant atmosphere. The amenities of a hotel with the coziness of a B&B. Comfortable, quiet rooms and beautifully furnished common areas. Conveniently located within walking distance of the ISU campus. Outstanding breakfast! read more

The Iowa House in Ames manages to be both elegant and comfortable, providing a delightful home away from home. I happened to arrive for the Sunday breakfast specialty of eggs Benedict, which was delicious. The rooms are quiet, beautiful, and spacious, with everything in working order and well maintained. Iowa House is just a few blocks to the shops and restaurants of Campus Town and the lovely ISU campus. Coffee, tea, fruit, and snacks are available at any hour, and the living room on the first floor is an inviting place just to sit and relax. I highly recommend Iowa House to anyone. read more

My wife & I & two adult kids shared the main floor suite: 2 BR w/common bath and entry from the dining room. Amazingly quiet; clean; expensively renovated; comfy beds; liked the shower ;-). Charming staff, good basic B&B breakfast. I liked the ice water and oatmeal-M&M cookies on offer 24/7. Free wifi worked with no hitches. Convenient access by car to campus and Ames, convenient parking, running trail starts 1 block away. It worked very well as a base for our family reunion, lots of catching up over breakfast and in the sitting room. Would stay here again. read more

I stayed here on October 27, 2019 with my son when we went to Ames for a tour of Iowa State. Location was close to campus and they advertised wonderful homemade breakfast. I even spoke to the manager ahead of time to make sure they could meet my son's dietary restrictions. When we went down for breakfast in the morning, no one from the hotel was there. The other guests and I waited for a while, tried calling the hotel number, but there was no answer. (We actually heard it ringing at the front reception area, but there was no staff in the building). While we were on the university tour, I received a voicemail message (which I still have) from Noah, the manager who apologized and stated that they were offering each of us 50% off on our next two stays. He stated that he would keep a list of our names and I should call, rather than book online, and he would be sure to give the discount. Well, my son decided not to enroll at Iowa State, so we had no reason to return to Ames. I thought about calling to request some money back, instead of the discount that I was not likely to ever use, but I thought that would be a hardship for a small business, and I didn't want to be "that person," so I let it go. I guess it doesn't pay to be nice. Well, now that my daughter is considering Iowa State, I called to reserve a room with my discount. They refuse to honor it or to offer any sort of discount at all. First, she said it was because Noah is not there anymore and they cannot find the list (but she was able to verify my prior stay). I offered to play the voice mail message that I still have. Then, the reason she gave is that she never would have resolved it that way. This leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. Too bad for them - we are going down on a Sunday night and the place will likely be mostly empty. If my daughter does end up going to Iowa State, we'll certainly never stay here. read more

Prepaid for two nights next May on July 25. Today (Sept 6th) I receive a voicemail telling me they are overbooked and they have cancelled my reservation. It took them 1 1/2 months to figure out they are overbooked? I don't think so. Now all the rooms in Ames are booked for graduation weekend. Either they are grossly mismanaged or they have no principles. read more

I had a wonderful stay at the Iowa House. The facility itself is nice and very clean. The staff was courteous and quite helpful with recommendations of restaurants. The breakfast was top notch and the morning host was very pleasant. Good job all! read more

Clean, quiet and charming. I'd been meaning to try this out since my daughter started attending Iowa State. So glad I did. Rates competitive with chain hotels, and it's much closer to campus. Plus with that competitive rate, I enjoyed a well-decorated room, a jacuzzi tub, peaceful living room, treadmill and fresh-cooked breakfast. Great space. All travel should be like this. Only thing preventing a 5-star rating was the shaky and fairly slow Wi-Fi. That's important for my business and personal travel. read more

It was ok... Horrible horrible for kids... Room was falling apart, it smelled like cigar smoke and mildew (all the time), there was no laundry. Positive points- breakfast was very good, there were snacks in the dining area during the day. General point- it is an old fraternity house and it 100% smells like it... If you or family have ANY indoor allergies don't book here. read more

This place really feels like a B&B and that's a good thing. Very cozy, warm and inviting. Big main room and dining room that allow casual hang out. The room we stayed in had an updated large bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub. In the room, the only issue we had was the in wall heating and air-conditioning unit. The unit was noisy in standby heat cycle. Finally check in was difficult after hours. I had to call a number posted on the lock front door, and the person answering, sounded like they were under the influence. It took them over eight minutes to find my reservation and unlock the door. Don't hire a college kid to do an adults job. Great breakfast in the morning too. Cooked order. We will be going back when we visit our son and I was State University. read more

This is a converted frat house, and the rooms are more like motel rooms than what you would expect in a bed and breakfast; very comfortable, air conditioned, individual keys, and some, including the one I am in, are quite spacious. Also, free wifi is nice. The large common area is great for hanging out in. My father and I used it to play cribbage some evenings. The decor is very homey, and there are a wide assortment of chairs and couches. The breakfasts range from good to spectacular. The owners are a husband and wife team, and she cooks. There are amazing homemade pastries every day, and the main dishes, cooked when you come down and let her know you are ready, range from simple scrambled eggs with fresh tarragon (they grow their own herbs) to an amazing breakfast of asparagus and a quiche-like muffin-shaped mushroom thing with a sort of lemony white sauce over them. Usually there is either sausage or bacon and some kind of fruit as well, and there is cold cereal, milk, oranges, and orange juice for those who don't want a cooked breakfast. There is also coffee and hot water in those big thermos things with tea and hot chocolate packets available all day. I stayed here because it is close to my father's house, which I can't spend too much time in because of allergies, but it is as close as you can get to the Iowa State campus and convenient to CyRide, which proved nice. The owners and staff are very helpful and friendly, and at least during my stay, so were the other guests. read more

We came down from the cities and stayed here after a concert at the Steven's Auditorium. Quaint, clean, and very friendly. We would recommend it and would definitely stay again! read more

Hosts were very accommodating to our very late arrival. No issues and the breakfasts were great.

We absolutely loved staying here! The room was adorable, as was the entire house. The location was ideal and we were able to walk to campus. The breakfast that was included was delicious and there were always snacks and water out. read more

Beautiful small hotel. Our room was very clean and comfortable. The main living spaces in the house are quite lovely and welcoming. Breakfast was delicious. Great pricing for such a convenient (very close to campus) and comfortable hotel. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is that our room was on the 2nd floor right next to the main stairwell so a bit loud, both from the stairs and upstairs guests. Next time I will ask for a room on the 3rd floor. I highly recommend this hotel. read more

Iowa house could not have offered our family more. It is convenient , wells obtained and comfortable. The breakfast was delicious every day, served by a charming, friendly staff. We were in Ames for our son's wedding and staying here made it all the more special! Beds are soft and so welcoming!!! read more

While the house itself and rooms were great, and breakfast was delicious, the hosts left a lot to be desired. A gentleman working the front was very unpleasant to a friend who had paid for the room for his wedding, and later when we called to check if we had left an item in the room they were incredibly unhelpful. Great place, but I'd rather give my service to people to appreciate the business. read more

Great Breakfast, friendly staff and a good location. The rooms were lovely and the beds were comfy.

I had a wonderful stay and the cook, Svedlana made it feel as if I were staying with friends. OMG, the chocolate cake and other goodies out for late arrivals was wonderful. The rooms were super cute and they even have two room suites! read more

The location of Iowa House is great especially for visiting on Iowa State Campus! It is a lovely setting with quilts, large bathroom etc. However, they need to clean a little better-large dust bunnies under bed on hardwood floor. Housekeeping is not careful, left our room unlocked and forgot to replace towels. When we mentioned concerns at checkout, man at desk seemed not to care! This was not our first stay there, but we are considering if we will return. read more

Love this place! So easy to book and communicate with hosts regarding extenuating circumstances (we arrived very late). Cozy comfortable rooms with all the amenities! Great healthy breakfast! read more

We loved staying here. The bed was amazingly comfortable and the cozy. The room was clean and pleasant. The bathroom was also clean and modern. My daughter and I stayed here for a visit to ISU. WE would definitely stay here again. read more

I was almost afraid to write up this review for fear that it will be sold out the next time I want to stay, but I had to risk it. The place was amazing!! Clean, affordable and extremely comfortable. Oh and the country breakfast was delicious. I would highly recommend Iowa House in Ames!! read more

A friend recommended staying here when visiting ISU and I immediately texted them a thank you when we arrived. Walking in it, it felt like we were being welcomed into someone's home. The rooms themselves are great and the whole building gave off a feeling of warmth and comfort. I was honestly tempted to just stay in at the BnB all day instead of attending orientation. Breakfast in the morning was made to order and was absolutely delicious. With the price and being so close to campus, Iowa House will be the first place I recommend whenever someone is visiting Ames. read more

What's not to like? It's beautiful and homey. I just hope it's available when we need to visit ISU again this August and fall. Great alternative to a hotel or on campus housing for parents. Great breakfast, too! Thank you. read more

This is the perfect place to hold a family reunion or small group get together. It was very clean, comfy and the beds were very soft and comfortable. The Iowa House is easy to find, has off-street parking and is very quiet, even though it is only a few blocks from campus. We will be back! read more

Great place to stay for boards. Super close (walking distance; 15-20 min walk), quiet, right next to college-own restaurants and convenience stores. Nice, clean, rooms-- super comfy and warm bed and bedding, mini fridge, microwave, cable TV (of course) and JETTED TUB. Great complimentary breakfast spread (coffee/ tea, cereals, fruit, yogurt, with toast, eggs, bacon made to order by the kitchen), and an afternoon "snack" with chex-mix, fruit, and a baked treat (coffee cake, cake, cookies). Great for snacking while studying!!! Nice neighborhood area and adjacent park to go for a run outside to unwind. I'll be staying here again next year! :) read more

First time staying here - very impressed. Pleasant and relaxing atmosphere, comfortable accommodations, good breakfast and great location.

I made a reservation for one person for two nights....when I arrived they had me for two people for one night. I was threatened that the police would remove me when I tried to stand my ground in a firm but reasonable way.The manager/owner was nasty and only moderately helpful in making some other arrangements for me even though it was clearly their mistake. This all complicated our trip because I was traveling with a family group and we had only rented one vehicle for the whole group. EXCEPT for the personality of the owner the inn was perfectly adequate. read more