Originally Posted by
bulldoggolfer05
W Des Moines!
Somehow I do not see that as forthcoming anytime soon.
When does construction begin on the Burj Al Des Moines?
Actually, I just dropped by this thread to pimp the Renaissance. Nice junior suite upgrade and just a nice, quiet, clean hotel all around. I suspect that some room renovations have taken place since the earlier review of this property. We had a modern decor and the normal flatscreen HDTV you'd expect at a Renaissance. I liked the general smallness and boutique style of the place - a sharp contrast from the large Marriott down the street.
Oddly enough, it was also less expensive than other options. We were just passing through roadtripping to Minnesota and queried all Marriott brands except Fairfield Inn and Courtyard - $95/nt. for the Renaissance was the best rate, lower than other FS Marriotts and a couple of Residence Inns. ^
The CL was closed so we were given a free appetizer and free breakfasts without asking. I find it interesting how some hotels will refuse the appetizer and make you actually ask for the breakfast when they close the CL on a non-holiday weekday: this one did not.
And finally, a minor note but one that we will remember: this hotel has the best bacon in the entire Marriott system, by far.
Someone mentioned expensive parking: Des Moines isn't exactly Manhattan - not the most difficult place to find legal overnight street parking... The Ren has $16/day valet but we just parked directly across the street from the hotel front door for free. (Metered parking...enforced beginning at 8AM.)