New hotels in Des Moines

Des Moines tracks two open hotels, both restorations of buildings that never previously operated as hotels (a 1919 presidential landmark and a 1913 bank tower) plus one delayed conversion of a 1962 motor lodge with no confirmed opening date. All three sit within a few minutes of the East Village and the Iowa State Capitol, so location isn't the deciding factor between them; era, scale and price are.

What to do

A weekend in Des Moines

Walk the East Village's shops and restaurants, a few blocks from both Hotel Fort Des Moines and Surety Hotel, then take the free self-guided tour of the Neoclassical Iowa State Capitol and its gold dome, dating to 1886. In the afternoon, the Pappajohn Sculpture Park's outdoor collection of monumental works (a partnership between the Des Moines Art Center and the city, opened in 2009 on 4.4 acres in Western Gateway Park) is open from sunrise to midnight and free to visit, a short walk from downtown's core.

A full week

With more time, the Des Moines Art Center's indoor galleries pair naturally with an afternoon at the sculpture park, and Water Works Park's trails along the Raccoon River give a longer outdoor option away from downtown. Drake University's campus, near the Hotel MoLo site on Grand Avenue, is worth a look for its own architecture even without a hotel there yet, and the Ingersoll Avenue corridor nearby has its own independent restaurant and shopping strip distinct from downtown's East Village.

Where to stay

Downtown core: Hotel Fort Des Moines and Surety Hotel

Hotel Fort Des Moines, Curio Collection by Hilton reopened in 2021 after a $50 million restoration of Iowa's largest 1919 hotel, an 11-story reinforced-concrete building that has hosted at least 13 U.S. presidents from Woodrow Wilson to Barack Obama; the 290-room hotel restored historic details throughout, including gold-inlay headboard touches referencing its past, and starts from $120. A few blocks away, at the corner of 6th Avenue and Mulberry Street, Surety Hotel, Autograph Collection converted the 1913 Iowa Loan & Trust Company tower (briefly the state's tallest building and a building that had never operated as a hotel) into a 137-room property that opened in November 2020, keeping the original bank vault doors, the twelve-story mail chute and the banking hall largely intact around Mulberry Street Tavern; rooms start from $140.

Grand Avenue, west of downtown: Hotel MoLo (delayed)

Hotel MoLo, a planned restoration of a 1962 Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge at 2525 Grand Avenue near Drake University, has been in development since 2019 and remains unopened as of August 2026. Developer Christensen Development and architect Slingshot Architecture describe it as a new independent hotel brand rather than a HoJo recreation, reinterpreting midcentury-modern cues including the original Gate Lodge along Ingersoll Avenue, but the project has been repeatedly delayed (through pandemic-era setbacks and several restart targets) with no confirmed opening date since its last public update.

Which hotel for your trip

Travelers who want Des Moines' grandest address

Hotel Fort Des Moines' scale and presidential history make it the choice for a special occasion or a first visit built around downtown's core sights.

Travelers who want a smaller, design-forward stay

Surety Hotel's preserved bank-era details and East Village-adjacent location suit a shorter, more design-conscious visit at a lower price point.

Travelers curious about Hotel MoLo

No confirmed opening date exists yet for the Grand Avenue restoration: worth checking back before planning a stay around it specifically, since the project's timeline has already slipped several years past its original 2020-21 target.

Frequently asked questions

What is the oldest hotel building in Des Moines' current lineup?

The 1919 building housing Hotel Fort Des Moines, Curio Collection by Hilton, restored and reopened in 2021 after a $50 million renovation.

Has Hotel MoLo opened yet?

No, as of August 2026, the restoration of Des Moines' 1962 Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge on Grand Avenue remains delayed with no confirmed opening date, more than six years after it was first announced.

Which Des Moines hotel is closest to the East Village?

Surety Hotel, Autograph Collection, at the corner of 6th Avenue and Mulberry Street, sits closest to the East Village's shops and restaurants.

How many U.S. presidents have stayed at Hotel Fort Des Moines?

At least 13, from Woodrow Wilson to Barack Obama, across the building's history since 1919.

Is Hotel MoLo a Howard Johnson's hotel?

No, while it occupies a former Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge building, architect Slingshot Architecture has described the restoration as a new independent hotel brand rather than a recreation of the original chain.

What is the Pappajohn Sculpture Park?

A free, 4.4-acre outdoor collection of monumental sculptures in Western Gateway Park, a partnership between the Des Moines Art Center and the city, open from sunrise to midnight and a short walk from downtown's hotels: close enough that Hotel Fort Des Moines, Surety Hotel, the East Village and the Iowa State Capitol all sit within roughly a 15-20 minute walk of one another.