This was a very happy surprise. We picked Ames as ...

This was a very happy surprise. We picked Ames as an overnight stop on a road trip because we were interested in a few of the sights on the Iowa State campus. This hotel is very conveniently located to the campus, but if you want to walk downtown it would be a bit of a hike.

The place was spotlessly clean, the rooms were spacious, quiet, and comfortable, and there are a bar and restaurant on site. Often when I travel I pick a "name brand" hotel because even if they are not great, at least you know what to expect. In this case I'm glad I chose something different. This was much nicer than the usual chain places.

A special shout out to the staff: All were very friendly and helpful, and when we found we had left an item behind, they found it and offered to mail it back to us free of charge. The customer service is greatly appreciated.