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Sonesta Essential Ames

2.0 star property

Photo gallery for Sonesta Essential Ames

Exterior
Room, 2 Queen Beds
Memory-foam beds, desk, laptop workspace, blackout curtains
Memory-foam beds, desk, laptop workspace, blackout curtains
Indoor pool

Reviews

7.6 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Gym
  • Pet-friendly
  • Laundry
  • Parking included

Explore the area

View map
1400 S Dayton Place, Ames, IA, 50010
  • Place, Jack Trice Stadium
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Place, Iowa State University
    ‪8 min drive‬
  • Place, Hilton Coliseum
    ‪8 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Room, 1 King Bed

Memory-foam beds, desk, laptop workspace, blackout curtains

Room, 1 King Bed

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(11 reviews)
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Room, 2 Queen Beds

Memory-foam beds, desk, laptop workspace, blackout curtains

Room, 2 Queen Beds

  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for Room, 1 King Bed, Accessible

Memory-foam beds, desk, laptop workspace, blackout curtains

Room, 1 King Bed, Accessible

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Room, 1 King Bed, Roll-in Shower

Memory-foam beds, desk, laptop workspace, blackout curtains

Room, 1 King Bed, Roll-in Shower

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Room, 1 King Bed, Jetted Tub

Memory-foam beds, desk, laptop workspace, blackout curtains

Room, 1 King Bed, Jetted Tub

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Room, 1 King Bed with Sofa bed

Memory-foam beds, desk, laptop workspace, blackout curtains

Room, 1 King Bed with Sofa bed

  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Twin Sofa Bed

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Quality Inn & Suites Ames Conference Center Near ISU Campus
  • Pool
  • Breakfast included
  • Pet-friendly
  • Parking included
3.5 out of 5, Good, 459 reviews
The price is AU$127
includes taxes & fees
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Quality Inn & Suites Ames Conference Center Near ISU Campus

About the area

Ames

Located in Ames, Sonesta Essential Ames is in a rural location, within a 5-minute drive of Cinemark Ames Movies 12 and Ames Dog Park. .This family-friendly hotel is 3.9 mi (6.3 km) from Iowa State University and 2.4 mi (3.9 km) from Main Street Cultural District.

What's nearby

  • Main Street Cultural District - 4 min drive - 4.2 km
  • Jack Trice Stadium - 6 min drive - 6.0 km
  • Iowa State University - 8 min drive - 6.7 km
  • Hilton Coliseum - 8 min drive - 6.7 km
  • Stephens Auditorium - 8 min drive - 8.3 km

Getting around

  • Des Moines International Airport (DSM) - 43 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Chick-fil-A - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Kum & Go - ‬9 min walk
  • ‪Wendy's - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Hickory Park - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Panera Bread - ‬4 min drive

About this property

Sonesta Essential Ames

Family-friendly hotel with free breakfast and a 24-hour fitness center
Sonesta Essential Ames offers 75 accommodations with video-game consoles and coffee/tea makers. Beds feature memory foam mattresses. 50-inch LED televisions come with cable channels. Bathrooms include shower/tub combinations with rainfall showerheads, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.

This Ames hotel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks and desk chairs, as well as phones; local and long-distance calls are complimentary (restrictions may apply). Additionally, rooms include irons/ironing boards and blackout drapes/curtains. Housekeeping is provided daily.

Recreational amenities at the hotel include an indoor pool and a 24-hour fitness center.

Children under 14 years old are not allowed in the swimming pool without adult supervision.

Make yourself at home in one of the 75 guestrooms featuring microwaves and LED televisions. Your room comes with a memory foam bed. Cable programming and video-game consoles are provided for your entertainment, while complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected. Bathrooms feature shower/tub combinations with rainfall showerheads and complimentary toiletries.
Be sure to enjoy recreational amenities including an indoor pool and a 24-hour fitness center. This hotel also features complimentary wireless internet access, a television in a common area, and a vending machine.
A complimentary continental breakfast is served daily from 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM.
Featured amenities include a 24-hour business center, a 24-hour front desk, and laundry facilities. Free self parking is available onsite.
A complimentary continental breakfast is served each morning between 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Free self parking on site
  • RV/bus/lorry parking on site

Food and drink

  • Free continental breakfast available daily 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM
  • Coffee and tea in common areas

Things to do

  • 24-hour gym
  • Books
  • Indoor pool
  • TV in common areas

Family friendly

  • In-room microwave
  • Indoor pool
  • Laundry facilities
  • Mini-fridge

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Laundry facilities
  • Vending machine

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)

Business services

  • 24-hour business centre

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Accessible bathtub
  • Braille/raised signage
  • Lift (100 centimetre wide door)
  • Stair-free path to entrance
  • Well-lit path to entrance
  • Wheelchair accessibility
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible path to lift
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk (91 centimetre high)

More

  • 1 building
  • 2 floors
  • Built in 1996
  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Blackout drapes
  • Memory foam mattress

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • Shampoo
  • Shower/bathtub combination
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 50-inch LED TV with cable channels
  • Video game console

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Microwave
  • Mini-fridge

More

  • Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
  • Connecting rooms available
  • Desk
  • Desk chair
  • Free local calls
  • Free long-distance calls
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Laptop workspace
  • Phone

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 4:00 AM
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
If you are planning to arrive after 8:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets allowed for an extra charge of USD 15 per pet, per night (maximum USD 105 per stay)
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs and cats only
2 total (up to 80 lbs per pet)
Pets cannot be left unattended
Restrictions apply; for more information contact the property at the number on the booking confirmation

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
3 children, up to the age of 18 years, can stay for free if using existing beds when occupying the parent or guardian's room
Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 10.00 per day
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • Deposit: USD 100 per accommodation, per stay

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

  • Pet fee: USD 15 per pet, per night (maximum USD 105 per stay)
  • Service animals are exempt from fees
  • Rollaway bed fee: USD 10.00 per day

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property
Daily housekeeping is included for stays of 6 nights or less. Limited housekeeping is provided for stays of 7 nights or more.
Pets must be declared at check-in. Guests bringing 1 pet will not be charged pet fees. The listed pet fee in the Fees section applies only if guests bring 2 or more pets. Pets must be leashed in public areas of the property. Guests are expected to clean up after their pet.

We should mention

The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation
Children under 14 years old are not allowed in the swimming pool without adult supervision
This property welcomes guests of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+ friendly)

Property is also known as

Hampton Inn Ames Hotel
Red Roof Inn Ames Hotel
Hampton Inn Hotel Ames
Hampton Inn Ames Iowa
Ames Hampton Inn
Red Roof Inn Ames
Sonesta Essential Ames Ames
Sonesta Essential Ames Hotel
Sonesta Essential Ames Hotel Ames

Sonesta Essential Ames Reviews

Reviews

7.6

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 316 out of 1001 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 337 out of 1001 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 199 out of 1001 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 88 out of 1001 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 61 out of 1001 reviews

7.6/10

Cleanliness

8.4/10

Staff & service

7.4/10

Amenities

7.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

Ch

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Susan

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness
This was one of the only hotels with availability for three nights due to an event nearby. Location was great (close to ISU) and the staff was very friendly. I appreciated the breakfast options, though it was your basic breakfast with cereal, oatmeal, bagels, muffins, bananas, oranges, a waffle maker, and egg patties and sausage. The issue for us was the condition of the room. When we arrived, the A/C was off so the room was stuffy and had a strong smoke smell. Once I turned on the A/C and it cooled down, the smell improved but it was still faint throughout our stay. There was a used towel hanging on the back of the bathroom door and a hair on the toilet seat. I left the towel hoping they'd take it the next day, but it was still there when we got back (they took other towels, but missed that one again). I put it on the floor and they finally took it the next day. Also, on one of the bedsheets there was what I'd describe as a "scuff" mark from someone's shoe. The wood floors are nicer than carpet, but they weren't clean and felt dirty (so I wore sandals when walking around). There is daily maid service, but it didn't seem very thorough. None of the ice machines were working, but the front desk was happy to provide ice upon request. There also isn't an easy option to fill water bottles (just a water fountain with a small spigot). It was affordable & an "ok" stay, but next time I think I would pay more to stay somewhere else.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Michelle

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Matt

Liked: Staff & service
Cheapest place in town
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Cheyenne

Liked: Staff & service
The beds were terrible, really springy and hard to sleep on. The hallway was super noisy with people yelling and running down the hallways. The staff were super kind.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Brian

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Michael

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Angelica

Travelled with group
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities
Everything was just okay
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

4/10 Poor

Jordan

Disliked: Staff & service
For the price, this is a good hotel. My issue is that they checked a guest into our room and gave the guest a key. At midnight or so, we were awoken by someone coming into our room--obviously scared both parties. Management did very little to address this.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Elizabeth, New Braunfels

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice for the price. Safe and quiet. Easy to get around town.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Tammy

Travelled with family, Travelled with pets
Disliked: Amenities
A typical motel. Not hotel quality. Thin, rough towels which were stained. Pillow cases were also stained and stunk like body oil. I laid a hand towel over the pillow case because it seemed like it was previously used without washing. The room was not pre-cooled so it felt hot and muggy for the first several hours.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

4/10 Poor

James

Travelled with family
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

2/10 Terrible

Nickie

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
The least pleasant hotel stay I have ever had.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

James

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Clean & a Great Value

Slightly older motel but kept very clean. Good breakfast. The desk staff and housekeeping are extremely friendly and helpful. Would definitely come back.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Ryan

Liked: Staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Manuel

Poor tv service
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2025

2/10 Terrible

Theresa

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Never again

First room reeked of cigarette smoke the second one they gave looked to be clean but had damp sheets on top of a made bed and smelled liked pee and an 80’s men’s locker room
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

MICHAEL

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
great breakfast
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

2/10 Terrible

Charity

Travelled with family and small children, Business traveller
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The pool was dirty and we had an issue getting towels everyday. They tried to charge us extra money when we prepaid up.
Stayed 15 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Diane

Business traveller, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The rooms were clean and neat. I like the "no carpet" rooms. They feel cleaner. The water was hot and i liked having a refrigerator in my room. The breakfast was good and the people were friendly
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Lori

Travelled with family
Had to call for staff to check in and none available when checked out. Dirty stained sheets and pillows otherwise room clean. All ice machines broken but could get ice at the desk. Positives ok breakfast, ample parking, room temperature good and also quiet.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Jeffrey

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

2/10 Terrible

christina

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Cleanliness
I would not recommend this hotel nor book it Thur Expedia
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

4/10 Poor

Jason

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We stayed two nights at this property. First off the ice machine was broken. The hotel is very out dated and had a funny smell. They tried to make updates to the rooms but it was a swing and a miss. The room was damp feeling and when the AC wasn't running it got very stuffy during the night. We had to push the door shut otherwise it wouldn't shut on it's own. The bathroom did not have a vent fan for showering. The shower had repairs done but they didn't bother to hide the repairs. The towel rack was broken. We had no tissues in the room either. The breakfast was decent which surprised me. I guess you get what you pay for.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Hunter

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025