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Sonesta Essential Ames

2.0 star property

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Exterior
Memory foam beds, desk, laptop workspace, blackout drapes
Memory foam beds, desk, laptop workspace, blackout drapes
Room, 2 Queen Beds | Memory foam beds, desk, laptop workspace, blackout drapes
Indoor pool

Reviews

7.6 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Gym
  • Pet friendly
  • Laundry
  • Air conditioning
$66
includes taxes & fees
Nov 20 - Nov 21

Explore the area

View in a map
1400 S Dayton Place, Ames, IA, 50010
  • Place, Ames Dog Park
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Place, Main Street Cultural District
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Place, Iowa State University
    ‪6 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Room, 1 King Bed

Memory foam beds, desk, laptop workspace, blackout drapes

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 drapes

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 drapes

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 drapes

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 drapes

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 drapes

Room, 1 King Bed with Sofa bed

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

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About this property

Sonesta Essential Ames

Ames hotel with indoor pool
This smoke-free hotel features an indoor pool, a 24-hour fitness center, and a 24-hour business center. Free continental breakfast, free WiFi in public areas, and free self parking are also provided. Additionally, coffee/tea in a common area, a business center, and laundry facilities are onsite.
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.

Sonesta Essential Ames features an indoor pool and a 24-hour fitness center. Wireless Internet access is complimentary. This hotel offers access to a 24-hour business center. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast each morning. This family-friendly hotel also offers a vending machine, coffee/tea in a common area, and laundry facilities. Onsite self parking is complimentary.

Sonesta Essential Ames is a smoke-free property.

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 transportation

  • Free self parking on site
  • RV/bus/truck 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 center

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
  • Elevator (39 inch wide door)
  • Stair-free path to entrance
  • Well-lit path to entrance
  • Wheelchair accessibility
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible path to elevator
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk (36 inches high)

More

  • 1 building
  • 2 floors
  • Built in 1996
  • Smoking not allowed

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

Property 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

Reviews

Sonesta Essential Ames Reviews

7.6

Good

7.6/10

Cleanliness

8.4/10

Staff & service

7.4/10

Amenities

7.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.4/10

Eco-friendliness
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

Reviews

8/10 Good

Jim

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

8/10 Good

Tracie

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
hotel was clean and comfortable. Decent breakfast. only problem we had was when we got to hotel they were redoing parking lot and the work crew swore at us because we wanted to get into parking lot so we could check in through the front door as I am disabled and didnt want to walk through the entire building from the back.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

William

Front desk person was helpful. Cleaning ladies were nice.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Ch

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Susan

Traveled 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

Traveled 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

Traveled 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

Traveled 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

Traveled with pets, Traveled with family
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

Traveled 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

Traveled 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

Traveled with family and small children, Business traveler
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 traveler, Traveled 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

Traveled 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