Residence Inn by Marriott Des Moines Downtown

We had a three-night stay at the Residence Inn in Downtown Des Moines, and had a very good experience. At check-in, both front desk clerks we spoke to were friendly and processed us quickly. In addition, when we arrived, there was a "social" going on in the lobby area where there were some free glasses of wine and soup for guests. They have this each weekday night, which is a nice perk.

The room was very spacious and includes a kitchen for those who'd prefer to cook when travelling. Housekeeping did a good job cleaning up each night. Free breakfast was provided each morning, with the hot options changing daily. The WiFi speed was good for most general web browsing.

The parking was $15/night, which I thought was a bit high for Des Moines, but even with this charge, we would still stay here again.

Address: 100 Water Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
Wifi: Free
Parking: $15/Night
Restaurant: No
Bar/Lounge: No
Smoking: Non-smoking
Hidden Fees: None
Free Breakfast: Yes

DoubleTree by Hilton Des Moines Airport

We had a flight cancellation at the Des Moines Airport and needed a hotel for just 1 night near the airport. We decided to go with the DoubleTree at the Des Moines Airport, and we were glad we did. As soon as we called to make a reservation, they sent the airport shuttle driver over and she was there within 5 minutes to come get us. They even offered to take us anywhere in the area with the shuttle, although we did not take advantage of that perk.

The staff was very friendly at check-in, and as always, they provided delicious cookies for us and drink coupons for the restaurant in the hotel. At check-out at 5 AM, the front desk clerk was just as friendly and we enjoyed chatting with him while we waited a few minutes for our airport shuttle, which we had scheduled the night before.

The room itself was very clean and large. The bed was very comfortable and the wi-fi connection was fast. We ate dinner at the restaurant in the hotel, Johnny's Steakhouse, that night, and it was delicious as well. We'd definitely recommend this hotel to anyone staying in the area, or who just need a quick airport hotel booking due to flight cancellations.

Address: 6800 Fleur Drive, Des Moines, IA 50321
Wifi: Free
Parking: Free
Restaurant: Yes
Bar/Lounge: Yes
Smoking: Non-smoking
Hidden Fees: None
Free Breakfast: No

Jethro's BBQ

After reading a "Best of Dining" in Des Moines website, we decided we needed to try Jethro's in the Drake neighborhood. The restaurant has a very hip feel for a barbecue restaurant.

Our waitress recommended for the two of us that we order the BBQ dinner for two - the half slab of ribs and two meats dinner, which is served with four sides and corn bread. We ordered brisket and pulled pork as our two meats and for our sides, we ordered, creamed corn, mashed potatoes, green beans, and onion rings.

All of the meats were served dry with four different barbecue sauces on the table. The ribs were incredibly fall off the bone tender. They were amazing in the Jethro's original sauce and the Jethro's Hot sauce. The pork and brisket were also incredibly tender.

The creamed corn was smokey and delicious. The green beans were crisp-tender. However, the highlight of the sides were the onion rings. They are house battered and fried, making them crispy, flaky, crunchy, and perfect onion rings.