Hotel Fort Des Moines

We had a family wedding at a downtown DesMoines wedding venue in June 2026. We booked a courtesy block of rooms for our wedding guests. This process was seamless! The sales manager, Scout, was absolutely fantastic to work with. She promptly replied to my questions prior to the weekend. When we needed an accessible room or to extend the block dates, all I had to do was reach out and she quickly took care of things. The hotel staff were very friendly and efficient from the valets to the desk personnel, to houskeeeping to the servers- all were professional but still welcoming. We parked in the public parking next to the hotel. It worked well and was free on weekends!

Beautiful building, but a few more details could elevate it even further. The Hotel Fort Des Moines is a beautiful old building with a lot of character. The rooms are a decent size, the lobby is large and impressive, the on-site cafe is nice, and the staff were genuinely friendly throughout my stay. On my first impression, it has everything going for it. Unfortunately, a few things didn't quite live up to the setting which would make it better. No luggage stands: Surprising for a hotel positioning itself at this level. With limited drawer space, we were left living out of bags open on the floor. Hotel front desk said they could deliver a luggage push cart to our room?? Lobby is hard to work in: The large wood communal table is fine, but the rest of the seating leaves you at neck-level with tables that are too tall (or the seating's too low), and none of the power outlets I tried actually worked. Rooms need attention: Our shower door wouldn't close properly, and when housekeeping replaced our towels, they took the washcloths and hand towels but never brought replacements. Overall, it was a nice stay and the bones of the hotel are great, but a few touches would make it even better.

I recently stayed at Hotel Fort Des Moines and had a great overall experience. The building itself has a lot of historic charm, but it’s been beautifully updated with modern touches that make the stay feel comfortable and upscale. The rooms were clean, well-designed, and surprisingly spacious. The bed was very comfortable, and I appreciated the attention to detail—from the lighting to the quality of the linens. The bathroom was also spotless and felt high-end. The staff was friendly and welcoming from check-in to check-out. They were quick to answer questions and made the whole experience smooth and enjoyable. The location is another big plus—right in the heart of downtown. If I had to mention a downside, it would be that parking can be a bit inconvenient or pricey depending on your preference, but that’s fairly typical for a downtown hotel. Overall, I’d definitely recommend Hotel Fort Des Moines for anyone looking for a mix of history, comfort, and a great location.

My husband and I have stayed at the Hotel more than a dozen times since the remodel. It is a beautiful hotel. It speaks Old Hollywood Glam! Ironically we recently learned about the speakeasy.. it is absolutly evrything you could imagine! Drinks - the vanilla old fashioned was delicious and the Service was 5 stars. Michelle and Cullen have a great team!!

I called to get some information on venue pricing for my Anniversary. I was told that I will receive an email. I never received the email. Aafter realizing the email received was an add, I called and scheduled a tour to make sure I was getting the correct information. I arrived and we toured the space. I loved it and I was told that I would receive the pricing and menu by email again. I never did. I called to follow up and even offered to confirm my email address again, but was told it wasn't needed and that she was going to respond to the email that was sent earlier. I still never received the information. Unfortunately, as much as I loved the space, I couldn't move forward with a venue that wasn't responsive during the planning process. I have less than 3 weeks to get a space for my event. This was a big disappointment.