Ramada Tropics Resort & Conf Center by Wyndham Des Moines

We had a group of...

Liked: 2 bedroom was spacious. Kids were overly happy with the room and pools. Pizza and other food from the restaurant was very good. They had a super time. We had seen comments and ratings and were a little anxious, however, knowing we knew we had a heads-up that this wasn't a 5 Star hotel, we didn't expect it to be and we were happy with our visit. It's hard to have a massive pool with lots of moisture AND keep things dry and not sticky, so accept it. Did I say the pool was great and they had lifeguards to help watch over the kids?
Disliked: 4 little towels for an 8 person room. 2 couches we had to go get the bedding for. Not enough bathroom supplies or coffee. Definitely could use a newer table and chairs. Breakfast was very limited, apples, oranges, 2 cereals, oatmeal packets and waffles being prepared on two irons that got bottle-necked, milk, apple juice and coffee. I had never seen such an efficient breakfast, but kept in mind it was for families with children, not business travelers and formal stays so much. The children were pleased as punch. They realized quick they could share the huge waffle and all had more than enough with less to throw away. Different, but effective. I don't like front staff acting like pulling their earbuds out of their ears to help you out is an interruption of their time or the pool staff not in place for the pool to open on time in the morning. We are making our kids be patient to get in and the staff being late is not helpful.

Poor

Liked: If the facility was run better, it would be fantastic since it has a restaurant, arcade, and the reason everybody books this hotel...the pool.
Disliked: We are pretty unimpressed with our stay. The thermostat didnt work in our room so it was a hot night, half the pool was closed yesterday, and today you could only use the hot tub and the 3/4ft pool, oh....and they opened the pool late. The front desk said " it'll open when the lifeguards get here" which was well after the hours they list it open. The life guards quite literaly are not watching the pools, they're talking and on their phones crowded in the corner, also you only know they're life guards because they wear a shirt that says lifeguard otherwise they wear sweat pants,leggings, bonnets, etc. Not to mention all of the lifeguards look at everybody like they are an inconvenience and like they hate their job. The bathroom lock in our room and in a room we visited had non-working locks. Unfortunately the arcade was pretty terrible, the room was trashed, pizza and towels all over the place. It was disappointing that they do not have a prize counter but they had a vending machine that had only 3 prizes to choose from which is crazy, it used to be a somewhat decent arcade.

Dirty used sheets left after...

Liked: Burned out light bulb, and TV didn't work. Worst of all DIRTY SHEETS. SOMEONE HAD SEX ON THE SHEETS BEFORE I RENTED THE ROOM. PLENTY SIGNS. I was unaware when I went to bed because the lights were off, but saw the mess the next morning.
Disliked: Signs of serial fluids on the sheet and fitted sheet had been pulled loose from the corners of the mattress.

Exceptional

Never again will stay or...

Liked: The check in staff were very friendly and the bartender at the little tiki bar by the bar was lovely.
Disliked: It was filthy, the Sports Bar doesn’t even have a liquor license to serve alcohol and the food was disgusting.

Poor

Pleasant

Loud!

Liked: Location and price
Disliked: Housekeeping walked in without knocking while the do not disturb sign was up.So loud, people running up and down the halls at 3am. Pounding on the doors and walls, called the desk and lady said she couldnt do anything about it.

HORRIBLE!!! Just say NO

Liked: Nothing, except one female life guard was super sweet. She deserves a raise.
Disliked: Rude staff, they tried canceling us less than 2 hours before check-in time first claiming they over sold the rooms, then said booking.com wasn't supposed to sell the room as it doesn't exist, claimed they don't have managers, then claimed it was because they didn't have any clean rooms or housekeeping to do any cleaning, dirty rooms, cloudy pool, and kids pool area held together with duct tape. Mold in the shower and in the kids' pool. I'm not sure if they know how to work a vacuum.