Motel 6-Altoona, IA - Des Moines East

Hotels
6.5 (337 reviews)
3225 Adventureland Drive , Altoona , US
+1 515-967-5252

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
24-hour front desk
Heating
Terrace
Pets allowed
Laundry
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Good location
Affordable pricing
Cons:
Poor cleanliness
Lack of amenities

Categories

Cleanliness
5.21
Many reviews mentioned stains on sheets, cigarette burns in towels, and overall unclean conditions.
Service
8.18
Standard quality for this hotel tier, with some positive mentions of friendly staff despite the issues.
Location
8.72
Location was praised in several reviews, especially proximity to local attractions.
Room Quality
6.17
Mixed reviews regarding room condition; some rooms were modern while others were outdated.
Amenities
4.7
Negative feedback on missing amenities like microwaves, refrigerators, and an open pool.
Value for Money
7.66
Visitors noted reasonable pricing but felt the conditions did not meet expectations.
Food and Beverage
4.21
Lack of breakfast and weak coffee referenced negatively in multiple reviews.
Overall Experience
7.18
Mixed feelings overall, with some guests feeling disappointed but others content to have a place to stay.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-07 19:52

Property Description

Convenient Location near Attractions
Located less than 2 minutes from Adventureland Amusement Park and Prairie Meadows Race Track and Casino, Motel 6 Des Moines East Altoona offers easy access to popular entertainment venues. A free shuttle to the casino adds to the convenience.

Comfortable Rooms and Amenities
The rooms feature air conditioning, cable TV, and free in-room Wi-Fi, ensuring a comfortable stay. Guests can also enjoy free local calls. Additionally, the pet-friendly motel boasts an indoor pool, a secluded courtyard, and on-site laundry facilities for added convenience.

Close Proximity to Key Destinations
Situated just 15 minutes from Iowa State Fairgrounds, Downtown Des Moines, and the Polk County Convention Complex, this motel is the perfect choice for travelers looking to explore the vibrant city of Des Moines.

Book now for a memorable stay at Motel 6 Des Moines East Altoona!

Important information:

Guests must be at least 21 years old to check-in at this property. Military guests must be at least 18 years old and must present a valid military ID at check-in.Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: DSM

Location

Property Accessibility

Total Disability Score: 35.71
Public Area
  • Ramp: No
  • Entrance Leveled: No
  • Pet Friendly: No
Reception And Restaurant
  • Reception Hearing Accessible: No
  • Reception Wheelchair Accessible: No
  • Restaurant Wheelchair Accessible: No
Elevator
  • Elevator Audio Signals: No
  • Elevator Braille Numbers: No
  • Elevator Contrasting Buttons: No
  • Elevator Visual Signs: No
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Guest Reviews

6.5
Based on 337 reviews
Cleanliness: 5.21
Service: 8.18
Location: 8.72
Room Quality: 6.17
Amenities: 4.7
Value for Money: 7.66
Food and Beverage: 4.21
Overall Experience: 7.18
A
Alicia • couple • us
2
Not going back
Pros:

Staff was nice

Cons:

Motel under construction, no pool access, no remote, no phone soap used soap under my sheets

2026-11-02 • via Nuitee
A
Austin • extended_group • us
1
save your money, stay in your car.
Pros:

the only good thing was the beds were mediocre.

Cons:

MAGGOTS IN OUR DRAIN. WALLS WERE PEELING. NOISES BEHIND OUR BEDS. SMELLED ROTTEN

2026-10-22 • via Nuitee
J
james • couple • us
1
By far the worst hotel I have ever stayed at
Pros:

Nothing to like here. Hotel is in very poor shape
Dirty
Broken light fixtures
Bugs in the room
Smells bad

Cons:

Tear down the hotel rebuild it

2026-10-16 • via Nuitee
S
Satin • family_with_children • us
3
Disappointing
Pros:

Charging for everyone, having a 15 year old and two adults, and being given a room with one bed, no couch, no microwave, no fridge wasn't acceptable

Cons:

Mold on the ceiling. Two pillows for three people. No fridge. No microwave. One bed for 3 people, no couch

2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
K
Kallie • couple • us
4
2026-09-07 • via Nuitee
T
Thompson • solo_traveller • us
1
Pros:

Nothing

Cons:

Everything

2026-09-03 • via Nuitee
C
Carlos • couple • us
5
freeway location plus next to an outlet mall
Pros:

location,& close to other services

Cons:

access to outlining stores

2026-08-29 • via Nuitee
S
Shelby • solo_traveller • us
2
Wasn't to happy.
Pros:

I guess we like how close it was to adventure land

Cons:

Well....the room was dirty, no shower curtain, the remote was under the bed..the floors were sticky as shit. The hallway is super dirty. The pictures say it has a pool well guess what it doesn't was filthy and closed. Was one of the reasons I booked this place. Was very disappointed it definitely isn't a 4 star hotel dont let them foul you. The price was pretty high for how crappie this place was

2026-08-24 • via Nuitee
E
Ellen • couple • us
3
Will not stay again.
Cons:

Light not working over sink,hole in wall,safety latch broke.

2026-08-23 • via Nuitee
B
Bridgett • extended_group • us
1
Not a family friendly hotel!
Pros:

Nothing

Cons:

Dirty, floors dirty, patches and holes everywhere, toilet seat not attached, cigarette holes in comforter, hallways gross, not enough lighting in room or bathroom. Mold issues, rooms musty smelling.

2026-08-16 • via Nuitee
N
Natalie • solo_traveller • mx
1
Pros:

Nothing

Cons:

Pool was closed, hallways had trash on the floors, blankets were soiled in room when requested new they brought me a bag of linens that were still wet from not being dried all the way, floors were dirty where my children and I had to wear shoes in the room, toliet seat was broken and kept falling off, I do not recommend anyone to ever stay here!!!!!

2026-08-16 • via Nuitee
G
Greg • solo_traveller • us
1
I DID NOT STAY THERE I WENT AND FOUND ANOTHER HOTEL
Pros:

NOTHING !!!!

Cons:

THE PLACE WAS A dump !!! STAIR WELL HAD THE TRIM PULLIN OFF THE STAIR SO YOU COULD TRIP THE HALL WAY HAD GARBAGE I GUESS FROM THE ROOMS MY ROOM WAS NOT VERY CLEAN THE TRIM IN THE BATHROOM WAS PULLING AWAY FROM THE WALL AND PLASTER ON THE FLOOR THE WALL NEXT TO THE BED HAD PLASTER PEELING THE AREA OUTSIDE WAS FULL OF WEEDS THE DOOR IN THE BACK WAS NOT SECURED AND THE LOCK LOOKED BROKEN IT WAS A TRUE SHIT SHOW

2026-08-10 • via Nuitee
A
Auchstetter • couple • us
1
Felt unsafe and had weed smell all night long, dogs barking!
Pros:

Nothing, room electrical didn’t work, so got a different room. Dirty outside and inside, cum stains all over the walls, ceilings. Weed smell all night in this building. Doors to the outside didn’t lock. Bed sheets didn’t stay on they kept pulling off the corners. Sticky floors. No chair and table. Loud all the time, curtains had holes and let the light in all night.

Cons:

Everything needs improvement! Disgusting filthy, seen several “working women” in the hallways coming and going! Disgusting hotel!

2026-08-10 • via Nuitee
S
Steve • solo_traveller • fr
7
Bon rapport qualité / prix, à 30 minutes de l’Iowa Speedway
Pros:

Bon emplacement, proche de l’Iowa Speedway, zone commerciale à proximité, accueil chaleureux.

Cons:

La chambre était un peu humide.

2026-08-09 • via Nuitee
J
Jeffrey • couple • us
9
We had a nice room in an uncomfortable place yet in a good location of you are doing things in Altoona.
Pros:

Our room was better than we expected it to be in all honesty.

Cons:

It’s really not clean or upkept in the halls, outside, and parking lot. You see a lot of things that may make you uncomfortable if you are used to hotels that are a bit better.

2026-08-09 • via Nuitee
B
Barbara • couple • us
9
great for location and price
Pros:

clean great smelling room

Cons:

nothing

2026-08-04 • via Nuitee
A
Alicia • couple • us
5
Do better
Pros:

My room was comfortable

Cons:

No pool. When booking.com said there was one. The pictures.didnt match what booking.com has.

2026-07-23 • via Nuitee
C
Cortney • family_with_children • us
1
I have been calling and calling to complain and nobody has called me back. Very disappointing. Didnt look like the pictu
Pros:

Absolutely nothing

Cons:

Dirty, trash everywhere, grass not mowed, etc

2026-07-20 • via Nuitee
F
Fallen Lilly • solo_traveller • us
3
Pros:

It was a place to sleep.

Cons:

Wasn't that clean, doors were falling off, floors were sticky. The mirror for the bathroom didnt work at all. We were not impressed and wouldn't stay there again. Pool was closed the entire time. Didn't feel safe enough to be alone. The phone in the room was disconnected and couldn't be used. And I am sure there was more. .

2026-07-20 • via Nuitee
S
Shyela • couple • us
1
the whole motel stunk, paint chipped on the walls, rust in the bathtub, toilet didn’t flush, lights didn’t work.
Pros:

nothing

Cons:

everything

2026-07-19 • via Nuitee