The Highlander Hotel Iowa City, an Ascend Collection Hotel

Proximity to I-80 The room was absolutely filthy. There were stains on sheets, cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, sticky floors, oily fingerprints on the doors, and dinged up walls that desperately need a paint job. Even the water had a weird smell to it. I was on the first floor courtyard with a sliding door that opened directly outside (didn’t make me feel super safe as a solo female traveler). If I hadn’t arrived so late and exhausted, I would have left. That being said, I was out the door by 5:30 am because I just couldn’t stay any longer. I paid almost $300 for the night for me and my two dogs - insanely expensive given the state of the place. I would avoid this place at all costs.

What a great experience! Loved the pool and restaurant. Had so much fun we didn't have time to hit up the arcade. We'll have to visit again.

Superb

The morning breakfast was delightful and yummy! My dinner was also yummy … both meals were eaten with no one else to be found… a little creepy. I was glad I could have my dog and that the first floor was dedicated to pet owners. The room was clean. My impression was the majority of people staying at the hotel were there permanently. Staff were preoccupied much of the time with phone etc. The hotel while looked great in the pictures online was run down and unkept. Overall I was disappointed.

Reserved a single room with double beds however when I checked in Friday night received keys to a two-bedroom suite. Immediately I went back to the front desk to let the staff know there was a mistake and requested another room. The staff just said oh no that is your room you have been upgraded. At 10:00 AM the next morning I received a call from the hotel that a mistake was made and I needed to check out of my room by noon that day and move into another room. I had already left the hotel that morning to prepare for football tailgate and was not planning on coming back to the hotel but now had two hours to adjust my schedule and come back and check out. Extremely frustrating and inconvenient. This mistake should have been addressed Friday night when I came back to the front desk instead of someone saying you have been upgraded. The manger was supposed to call me to discuss my experience, but no one ever bothered to call except for the one person telling me have two hours to get out of my room. We will not be back.

Wonderful hotel!

The common areas were nice It had an old smell to it that was noticeable as soon as you walked down the hallway to the rooms. The mattress had divets in it and was very worn. The price we paid for it was extremely overpriced considering how old the hotel is.

The staff. And the bed was comfortable The headlights coming in the window. The shade didn’t block them. Also the towels were dirty. And shower curtain got water everywhere.

No clothes Iron in room and asked for a rolling cot and told they don’t have them. Pool area is very loud and room was right on the inside where the pool was.

Disappointing. This hotel used to...

The last few times we have stayed have been disappointing. On football weekends, when we pay three times the normal room rate there should be enough staff to be able to order food or drinks in the bar. We were unable to find staff, asked the front desk staff and they told us to "just wait, they'll come out". Eventually we texted a number and someone finally came out. The pool area is unusable outside of the limited pool hours. Our bathroom light was flickering so we reported it the first night and no one checked into it. We couldn't get a fork at breakfast. The staff person said "sorry, we are out of them" likely due to the buss tubs being completely full. The rates for this weekend should have allowed for staff to handle guest issues. So many of the "guest instruction" signs were not only negative, but somewhat threatening, which is not necessary. We stayed due to the nice weather weekend hoping to have the garage doors open to play with the kids, but were unable to get them opened. We put the maid service hanger on our door Saturday morning hoping to get fresh towels only to return at 10 pm with the sign still on the door and got fresh towels ourselves. Several years ago, we fell in love with the Highlander but the service has gone downhill. We typically rent three rooms at a time for our family, but we will look somewhere else since there are many other options in the area that are more guest friendly. Other great additions would be a bathroom fan and microwave.

This hotel was very disappointing. The hotel looks nothing like the pictures online. Our room was very run down, and felt very dirty. We had to ask for tissues, shower gel, and there was NO hand soap in the bathroom at all. It was also very poorly decorated and the furniture in the room felt very random. We were sadly placed in a “pool facing room”. The windows were not sound proof at all, so all the noise from the pool carried right into our room. The binds covering the windows were very small, so tons of light shown in around them. It was honestly a bit of a joke. I will definitely not be staying here again.

Very unique inside. In its heyday it was probably great (not so much now). Jesus was the best part of our stay. Much needed repair!!! Toilet was standard for a gas station - yuck! Bathroom was sub par…needed pat, caulk, repair.

Exceptional

Very good

We checked into a handicap room for a 4 night stay. It was very musty and there was black mold on the wall. The night staff (9 pm) left a note for the manager The morning staff upgraded us to a handicap suite at no charge.

We’ve stayed here a dozen times and will stay here again but this was not our favorite stay. We are usually here on busier weekends with lots of staff and everything well kept. Hopefully just an off night for the place and staff.

-someone elses trash still in room on arrival. -dirt in shower. -floors were disgusting, my sons feet were black within 15 minutes of walking on it. -no smart tv and no tv guide for channels. -interior of room was poorly maintained; peeling paint, over spray, missing paint, ect. -inside door does not remain locked, making it very easy for a toddler or child to escape. -pool was not clean: clumps of hair and bugs everywhere. -saw a roach by the hot tub. -amenities that were advertised were not available (the hotel bar, the snack shack, multiple broken arcade games) -extremely over priced for what was offered. Praise: -staff was friendly. -the lobby and lucy’s was very clean and well maintained. -being able to text order from the restaurant to the room is amazing. -service at lucy’s was great. -wide variety of drinks at the bar.

Common spaces have had a nice renovation, but bathrooms could use a little more work. There appears to be a shortage of staff to run the hotel; one person was both running the bar and checking in guests; there are signs everywhere for guests to bus their own dishes at breakfast. Pool is a good size that you don't find in hotels in this price range.

I little too deep into the hippy vibe for me. The wall art had that feel of rejected traditional middle-class morality, institutional church authority, and conventional sexual and social rules. Nice place, just had an oppressive vibe feel.