192 reviews
From
$671400 S Dayton Place, Ames, 50010, Iowa, United States
192 reviews
1/21
Free parking
Business center
Indoor swimming pool
Free wifi
Fitness center
Spa tub
Air conditioning
Parking On Site
Sonesta Essential Ames is a 2-star motel in Ames, Iowa, United States. Located at 1400 S Dayton Place, it sits about 2.6mi from the city center and offers breakfast to jump-start each day. With 192 reviews, this property has plenty of traveler perspectives to consider.
Key amenities include free on-site parking, free WiFi, and an indoor swimming pool. A free fitness center, a business center, and a spa tub round out the wellness options, while air conditioning keeps rooms comfortable. The property is non-smoking, wheelchair accessible, and features an elevator with access to upper floors, 24-hour front desk service, and free toiletries. Pets are welcome with extra charges.
With a simple, traveler-friendly setup, Sonesta Essential Ames pairs comforts like breakfast and a pool with practical perks—free parking, free WiFi, and easy access to the highway and area sights.
For travelers chasing comfort and convenience, wellness and work-ready perks are easy to find. An indoor pool is open year-round, complemented by a spa tub and a free fitness center. A business center helps with productivity, while free WiFi and free on-site parking ease the logistics. Elevators serve the upper floors, a 24-hour front desk is ready to help, and free toiletries plus air conditioning keep stays comfortable. The property remains non-smoking, creating a clean, relaxed backdrop for the stay.
Pet travelers will be glad to know that pets are welcome with extra charges. Cash is not accepted; payment methods include Diners Club, American Express, Visa, Discover, and Mastercard. With 192 reviews, there are plenty of traveler perspectives to consider.
Overall, the mix of year-round pool fun, business-ready spaces, and simple on-site conveniences makes this Ames stay a reliable choice for a practical, traveler-focused visit.
Closest airports
Des Moines International Airport
32.8miFort Dodge Municipal Airport
48.8miFree parking
Business center
Indoor swimming pool
Free wifi
Fitness center
Spa tub
Air conditioning
Parking On Site
24-hour front desk
Non-smoking rooms
Wheelchair accessible
Elevator
Upper floors accessible by elevator
Free toiletries
6.9
192 reviewsCategories of assessments
Cleanliness
Comfort
Location
Facilities
Staff
Value for money
WiFi quality
Breakfast
Featured reviews:
Rita
9.1
July 2024
For the price, this hotel was surprisingly well-equipped and clean. The breakfast hours were generous, the staff member in charge of the breakfast was kind and accommodating of late eaters. Besides A/C sound, the room was very quiet.
My first negative impression was the feel of high humidity on the room. That persisted throughout my two-night stay, even though the room was at a comfortable temperature. There were no USB ports in the room, which was surprising and inconvenient. The person at the desk, while polite and attentive, was difficult to understand because of his accent. Finally, the hotel is a little hard to get to off the highway.
Deborah
10
December 2024
The staff was very friendly especially since we arrived close to midnight the 1st night and almost as late the 2nd time we stayed. The rooms were clean and in excellent condition. The beds were comfortable. I would recommend this Red Roof and would stay here again.
The only negative was the heat was high both nights even though we turned it to the lowest settings , but given the near zero temperature that was very possibly due to the combination of other rooms heat as well.
Svetik84
10
November 2023
My husband and I were very tired. We had a difficult and long journey. We needed to stop and take a breather. We found this hotel. We really liked the location. Calm and quiet! The service staff is very polite and attentive. The staff responded to our various requests instantly! Having breakfast was also nice! We were not able to enjoy all the services of the hotel, as we only stayed to sleep. But I definitely put this hotel on my radar☺️. Thank you. Sincerely, Lana and Paul Pausig
Bonita
10
October 2024
I had booked a room for the day before when I arrived it was my mistake and the guy at the desk gave me a room at a really great price not sure if this is the hotels regular rate it was even cheaper than what I had paid though and online website
Alfayez
9.1
January 2024
The receptionist is very friendly, the room was great, and breakfast was good. Although the location isn’t that good if you don’t have a car you have to take an Uber or Lyft. Also, CyRide ( the bus system in ames) doesn’t go there unfortunately, overall great hotel except the location
Just the location
Kate
9.1
July 2025
The breakfast was fantastic, the rooms were clean and comfortable, and it's in a great location for what we needed.
The pool was a bit too heavily cholorinated.
Azariah
10
June 2024
Check process was easy, staff were friendly, bed was comfy, breakfast was tasty! Big plus - no charge for our dog!
Rebecca
8.2
October 2023
The room was clean and the bed was comfortable. The WIFI worked well and the lighting was great for reading in bed.
It was really quite nice. I would have liked a little freezer within the refrigerator to keep my blue ice frozen but that's the only improvement that I can think of.
Ronald
9.1
August 2023
Room was very clean and spacious. Breakfast had quite a few offerings...waffles, biscuits and gravy, eggs, cereal, fruit, coffee, juice, bagels, yogurt, etc. I also had a special pricing for this hotel making it about $30.00 cheaper than what I have typically paying at hotels of a similar type this Summer.
n/a
Cody
8.2
November 2024
The space was nice comfortable bed and big tub.
Alot of the hot tub was broken like jets stayed on maybe 5 seconds, nobs were missing for it.
Airports
Des Moines International Airport
32.8miFort Dodge Municipal Airport
48.8miAirports
Des Moines International Airport
32.8miFort Dodge Municipal Airport
48.8miLocation
Availability
Free parking
Business center
Indoor swimming pool
Free wifi
Fitness center
Spa tub
Air conditioning
Parking On Site
24-hour front desk
Non-smoking rooms
Wheelchair accessible
Elevator
Upper floors accessible by elevator
Free toiletries
Accessibility
Entire unit wheelchair accessible
Toilet with grab rails
Upper floors accessible by elevator
Wheelchair accessible
Bathroom
Bathtub or shower
Free toiletries
Hairdryer
Private Bathroom
Spa tub
Toilet
Toilet paper
Towels
Bedroom
Linens
Business Facilities
Business center
Fax/Photocopying
Cleaning Services
Daily housekeeping
Laundry
Food & Drink
Tea/Coffee maker
Vending machine (drinks)
Vending machine (snacks)
Front Desk Services
24-hour front desk
General
Air conditioning
Designated smoking area
Elevator
Facilities for disabled guests
Heating
Non-smoking rooms
Pet Friendly
Smoke-free property
Internet
Free wifi
Kitchen
Microwave
Refrigerator
Living Area
Sitting area
Media & Technology
Cable channels
Flat-screen TV
Telephone
Parking
Free parking
Parking On Site
Physical distancing
Cashless payment available
Contactless check-in/out
Room Amenities
Socket near the bed
Sofa bed
Safety features
First aid kits available
Spa
Fitness center
Indoor swimming pool
From 15:00
Guests are required to show a photo identification and credit card upon check-in
Until 11:00
Pets are allowed. Charges may apply.
WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.
The minimum age for check-in is 18
Come and go whenever you want
Free public parking is available on site (reservation is not needed).
Child policies
Children of all ages are welcome.
Children 18 and above will be charged as adults at this property.
To see correct prices and occupancy info, add the number and ages of children in your group to your search.
Crib and extra bed policies
0+ years
Additional fees are not calculated automatically in the total cost and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.
The maximum number of cribs, extra beds, and children allowed in existing beds can vary depending on the option booked.
No capacity for extra beds or cribs.
Diners Club,
American Express,
Visa,
Discover,
Mastercard
This property does not accept cash.
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