Downtown Des Moines, Iowa

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Hotels

Hotel Tips

Always find a reason to email the front desk manager in hotels that you plan to visit again. Tell them what they did right and express your plans to stay again and ask what opportunities there might be for frequent discounts or upgrades on your next visits. If you become friends with the manager, you just might get the friends and family rate some day.

Call ahead to make sure your reservation is still active and rebook if there are any price drops or changes in number of people staying with you. Another cost saving tips is to bundle the stay with airport parking and shuttle to avoid hefty fees.

Ask to be shown a room before you check-in which signals the front desk agent to show the best room available to sell it right away. This can put you in the best room available at that time and gives you the ability to check for cleanliness, smells and sounds before transacting with the hotel.

Things To Do

Des Moines has the perfect game shop for both young and old. Your friends and family will enjoy hours of entertainment with a wide selection of board games, card games and games of skill. A perfect stop for travellers with kids and those seeking a new adventure for game night.

Des Moines has several options for shopping for specialty food items that are not found in regular grocery stores. Shops tailored for "foodies" offer tastings of the products as well as scheduled culinary classes to perfect your skills. Shop for infused oils, salts and spices from around the World!

Des Moines is the place to buy jewelry offered by downtown merchants with a wide variety of lovely earrings, necklaces, bracelets and of course diamond rings. You are sure to find the top artisan brands and jewelry maker that brings a special touch to each piece offered.

Why Do You Love Downtown?

Valentina Eagar
Fun and unique shopping and eats

Devany
I love downtown because there is so much life all around. From the shoppers walking the streets to the workers stocking the stores. Everybody comes together in one place, different purposes, yet all the same. Downtown stores are always so beautiful. You can see the care workers put into making their store not only clean and beautiful, but also safe and homey.

Megan H.
I love being able to browse a variety of my favorite restaurants and bars, all within easy walking distance of convenient parking. Enjoying local fare and live music downtown after a grilling day at the office makes every day feel like the weekend.

Mara Crane
I haven't been downtown yet.

Deborah Wilson
We enjoy local dining and shopping.