Once in a while my job duties include dealing with hotel General Managers or Directors of Sales & Marketing. I wish they were all like the G.M. of Country Inn & Suites West Des Moines.

Setting Up an Overnight Trip
I work with adults who have developmental disabilities. They enjoy vacations as much as anyone does, yet they have very limited incomes. It is my responsibility to find clean, safe, comfortable and affordable hotels for my clients. When I explained to the Country Inn & Suites West Des Moines' General Manager that I needed a reduced rate, and why, on two rooms he didn't hesitate. Within minutes we had negotiated a room price that would allow the consumers to enjoy an overnight trip. The welcoming, friendly atmosphere didn't end there. From the desk clerks to the housekeeping staff we met smiles and offers of help.

The Rooms
Opening the door with the card key I entered the first room to see a small, open closet on the right with wood hangers, iron and ironing board. Next was the door to the bathroom with the room side of the wall covered by a mirror and a waist high shelf. After passing that I entered a room that was clean and appealing. An armoire held a TV with remote and two drawers that had an extra pillow in each. A small round table was accompanied by two chairs. A small, comfortable, easy chair, with an accompanying floor lamp, was in the opposite corner.

We had two queen size beds. They must have been the type of bed Goldilocks said was "just right". There was a layer of softness on top, but an underlying firmness that gave support to my back. There was a nightstand with a telephone and a radio/alarm clock on it.

The room was average size with pockets of roominess. With four of us in the room it got tight at times, especially when trying to pass each other at the foot of the beds. There were two windows that opened. It was a nice, cool night when we visited so we left our windows open and enjoyed fresh air instead of air from the wall air conditioner/heater. Our second room was identical to the first. Both were very clean and comfortable for the eight of us visiting this hotel.

The Bathroom
I love a bathroom that has a heat lamp in it, as this one did. It not only gave the room warmth, it gave extra oomph to the lighting. The bathroom light didn't seem dim until the heat lamp kicked off. Then there was a very noticeable difference. I did not like that the heat lamp was on a 15 minute timer, 30 minutes would have been more appropriate in my opinion. One other thing in the bathroom that was somewhat disappointing were the towels. They were the standard hotel white, nice sized and plentiful. But, they were scratchy, seriously rough.

The bathroom was a decent size. It had plenty of room for the large sink counter (that held a coffee pot and basket full of coffee, tea and condiments), toilet and bath/shower with a curved shower rod. The shower rod held the curtain out far enough that it allowed plenty of light into the bathtub area. The shower had plenty of hot water and a massaging shower head. Now you know why I wanted that heat lamp to stay on longer than 15 minutes.

Amenities We Enjoyed
While the Country Inn & Suites West Des Moines offers free high-speed internet, an exercise room and laundry facilities we did not take advantage of them. What we did enjoy was the indoor swimming pool and 12 person hot tub. We had to use our room card key to enter the pool area. I was pleased that my nose wasn't assaulted by a chlorine smell, yet concerned that it meant there might be some cleaning issues. After checking the area I was satisfied that the entire area was spotless. We spent about two hours enjoying the pool and spa. Extra towels are available in the area so we didn't need to use our room towels.

After enjoying the pool we were offered free evening snacks from the front desk. We chose from chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodle cookies and popcorn. The next morning we enjoyed the complimentary breakfast that included the standard fruit, muffins, toast and cereal as well as hot food. We chose from sausage gravy and biscuits, poached eggs and huge waffles. Juices, coffee and milk were plentiful. While the sausage gravy left much to be desired the waffles were a hit.

As a book lover I was thrilled to find a shelf full of books that I could "borrow". They are there for visitors to take home with them, to be returned the next you visit a Country Inn & Suites. It doesn't have to be the same hotel as you took the book from as you can return them to most any hotel in this chain.

Location
The Country Inn & Suites West Des Moines is located off I-80 (exit 124 if coming from the west). As soon as you get on the off ramp you can see the hotel. It sits behind restaurants and among other hotels. Each time we returned to the hotel we found ourselves going through a parking lot that belonged to another business. Luckily they all connect so you can get to where you are going no matter which entrance you take.

Overall
We enjoyed our stay at Country Inn & Suites West Des Moines. The hotel is comfortable and clean, the staff friendly and helpful. It was conveniently located for easy on/off to I-80 and the places we planned to visit. While we received a discounted price the next time I visit Des Moines for personal reasons I will pay the (average) price of $120/night.