Days Inn by Wyndham Ames

We made a reservation sight unseen on our way up HW I-35. Driving into Ames, we noticed maybe a half dozen nice hotels. When we arrived at this specific Days Inn, we weren't sure if it was abandoned or actually open for business. The exterior looked worn, the parking lot was virtually empty, and weeds were growing around the south perimeter. My wife and I are beyond AARP age and did not feel safe staying here, based on its appearance and proximity to a busy street. We didn't even get out of the car and quickly made a reservation elsewhere — this was how bad the place looked. When I later called, I was informed that I had exceeded the 24-hour cancellation period and would still be charged. When I pursued online customer service processes, I received either boilerplate or rote responses unti

Positive: Bathroom was clean and it was quite Negative: Sheets were dirty

Staff was fine. Hallway smelled like cigarette smoke. The kiosk check in worked fine but was very weird. Not having a front desk staff is annoying when you're looking for something simple like a fork or spoon. Will not stay at another Days Inn

Breakfast was behind a locked door. No access. Handle on Hot Tub leaked. Hot Tub was dirty. No liners for ice bucket that was full of coffee packets etc. Kiosk in lobby instead of people. Office was locked so couldn't ask about the "free breakfast".

Great location and price, as other options are pricey in the season. They need more cleanliness to get five stars. You need to provide a bottle of water, at least. Unfortunately, there is management, so I’m not smiling, so it seems like they are not happy worker here, though the owner is working during the day. So they overcharged me as a deposit, which is an unusual figure for life, one $26.66, and I went to the front desk and asked the guy who was claiming it, and he didn’t answer satisfactorily. Customer Service is the main thing for any business, and I hope they will learn the lesson very quickly.