Iowa City's HIDDEN Gem: Highlander Hotel's Unbelievable Luxury!
Highlander Hotel: Iowa City's "Secret" Weapon? (Yeah, Maybe!) - A Review That's Real AF
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Okay, so I’ve been meaning to write this review of the Highlander Hotel in Iowa City for ages. Like, since I left the Highlander Hotel! I needed some decompressing time before I could even attempt to describe the experience. And honestly? Some of the memories still make me grin like a loon. This isn’t your cookie-cutter hotel review – it's gonna be messy, honest, and maybe a little bit too enthusiastic. Consider this my love letter (and mild rant) to what I'm calling Iowa City's hidden gem.
Accessibility, Accessibility, Accessibility…and Then Some! (Because, Priorities!)
First things first: Accessibility. Listen, as someone who often travels with my super-opinionated Aunt Mildred (who, bless her heart, uses a wheelchair), this is HUGE. The Highlander shines here. They’ve clearly put some serious thought into it. Elevators? Yep. Wide doorways? You betcha. Bathroom setups that actually work for folks with mobility issues? Absolutely. Aunt Mildred was actually impressed. And that's saying something. The hotel gets a massive thumbs up on this front. Seriously, good on you, Highlander! (And yes, everything listed below is relevant – from the accessible restaurants to the ease of access itself, which is critical. Did I mention Aunt Mildred?) They offer :
- Accessibility: Full marks here.
- Wheelchair accessible: Obvious, but vital.
- Facilities for disabled guests: Covered, and then some.
Rooms, Rooms, Glorious Rooms (and That Free Wi-Fi, Oh My!)
My room? Oh, my room was heaven. I mean, just look at this list of room features:
- Available in all rooms: Air conditioning, alarm clock, bathrobes (yes!), bathroom phone (I felt like a spy!), bathtub, blackout curtains (bliss!), carpeting, closet, coffee/tea maker, complimentary tea (fuel!), daily housekeeping, desk, extra long bed, free bottled water (essential!), hair dryer, high floor, in-room safe box, internet access – LAN and wireless, ironing facilities, laptop workspace, linens, mini bar (tempting!), mirror, non-smoking (thank god!), on-demand movies, private bathroom, reading light, refrigerator, safety/security feature, satellite/cable channels, scale (to face the truth), seating area, separate shower/bathtub, shower, slippers, smoke detector, socket near the bed, sofa, soundproofing, telephone, toiletries, towels, umbrella, visual alarm, wake-up service, Wi-Fi [free], window that opens.
And the best part? They actually work! The Wi-Fi was fast and reliable (a lifesaver for streaming), and the blackout curtains meant I could sleep until noon if I wanted to. Which I sometimes did. (Don’t judge!) The bed was like sinking into a cloud. A giant, fluffy, perfectly-shaped cloud. And the complimentary tea? Amazing. I may have gone a little overboard on the tea.
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms!: A necessity, not a luxury.
- Internet, Internet [LAN], Internet services: Check, check, and check.
Cleanliness and Safety: Did They Hire a Germaphobe? (In a Good Way!)
I'm a bit of a cleanliness freak, and even I was impressed. The Highlander takes hygiene seriously. The level of detail was just… chef's kiss. It's like they're trying to make you feel safe.
- Cleanliness and safety: Top marks.
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Good.
- Cashless payment service: Convenient.
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Reassuring.
- Hand sanitizer: Everywhere!
- Hot water linen and laundry washing: Essential.
- Hygiene certification: Probably. (Don't quote me on that!)
- Individually-wrapped food options: A nice touch.
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: Yep, it's there.
- Professional-grade sanitizing services: I'm assuming.
- Room sanitization opt-out available: Excellent.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Absolutely.
- Safe dining setup: Feels safe.
- Sanitized kitchen and tableware items: Makes sense.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: Definitely.
- Sterilizing equipment: Possibly.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Where To Begin? (Or Should I Just Stay in My Room?)
Okay, the food. This is where it gets interesting…and occasionally a little…confusing? They offer a wide variety, but I was often torn. I can tell you everything from the menu:
- Dining, drinking, and snacking: Extensive.
- A la carte in restaurant: Yep.
- Alternative meal arrangement: Yep, if you ask.
- Asian breakfast: Available
- Asian cuisine in restaurant: Yes.
- Bar: Of course!
- Bottle of water: Plentiful.
- Breakfast [buffet]: Yes, but I ate in my room!
- Breakfast service: Yep!
- Buffet in restaurant: I missed it!
- Coffee/tea in restaurant: Essential.
- Coffee shop: I think.
- Desserts in restaurant: Decent!
- Happy hour: Cheers to that!
- International cuisine in restaurant: A bit of everything.
- Poolside bar: A MUST if you visit in the summer!
- Restaurants: Plural.
- Room service [24-hour]: Genius!
- Salad in restaurant: Yes, and usually fresh.
- Snack bar: Probably.
- Soup in restaurant: I'm a fan.
- Vegetarian restaurant: I think so.
- Western breakfast: Available
Room service. Let's talk about room service. I'm a huge fan of room service. Ordering a burger at 2 am while wearing pajamas and catching up on work? It’s just… chef's kiss again. The Highlander’s room service menu was extensive and delicious. They actually brought the order up in a timely manner. They didn't judge me…for the pajamas.
Speaking of the poolside bar – I didn't use it, but I heard it was amazing. I will be trying it, and getting a tan, next time.
Things to Do, Ways to Relax – Spa Day Dreams, Coming Up… Maybe.
Okay, so the spa. I didn't quite get around to the spa. Life, and work, and too much tea got in the way. But the thought of it – oh, the thought! Here's what's on offer (I still wanna go!)
- Things to do: They can set you up with anything!
- Ways to relax: Yes!
- Body scrub: They have one.
- Body wrap: Yep.
- Fitness center: Tempting!
- Foot bath: If you like
- Gym/fitness: Yep.
- Massage: Would love to.
- Pool with view: Sounds amazing.
- Sauna: Yes!
- Spa: They seem to have one.
- Spa/sauna: Sounds good!
- Steamroom: Ah.
- Swimming pool: Outdoor.
- Swimming pool [outdoor]: Very appealing.
Services and Conveniences: They Thought of Everything (Almost)
They really have. This is a hotel that’s clearly trying hard. Here is the list:
- Services and conveniences: Abundant!
- Air conditioning in public area: Essential.
- Audio-visual equipment for special events: Yep.
- Business facilities: Available.
- Cash withdrawal: Convenient.
- Concierge: Helpful.
- Contactless check-in/out: Smart.
- Convenience store: Useful.
- Currency exchange: Yep.
- Daily housekeeping: Thank goodness.
- Doorman: Polite.
- Dry cleaning: Helpful.
- Elevator: For me and Aunt Mildred.
- Essential condiments: Yes.
- Facilities for disabled guests: See above!
- Food delivery: Yep.
- Gift/souvenir shop: Probably.
- Indoor venue for special events: Yes!
- Invoice provided: Fine.
- Ironing service: Excellent.
- Laundry service: Always needed.
- **Lug
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your sanitized brochure itinerary. This is REAL. This is me, post-caffeine and pre-sanity, navigating the supposed "charm" of Iowa City, starting from the oh-so-appealing Highlander Hotel. Here we go…
A Highlander Hotel Hell-scape… of Sorts (Iowa City, IA - Don't Judge Me)
Day 1: Arrival & Initial Disappointments (aka "Why did I think this was a good idea?")
- 1:00 PM - The Long Haul & The Check-In From Hell: Arrive at Des Moines airport. The flight? Utterly unremarkable, save for the screaming toddler two rows behind me. (Seriously, where do parents get that kind of lung capacity?) Then, the drive. Iowa is… well, it's green. Very, very green. The Highlander Hotel… well, let's just say the logo suggests "charming Scottish Highland getaway", the reality is somewhere closer to "slightly worn motel with a vaguely themed bar downstairs." The check-in? A study in polite Midwestern efficiency. "Welcome to Iowa!" the receptionist chirped, which, in my current state of travel fatigue, sounded less like an invitation and more like a polite notification of my impending doom.
- 2:00 PM - Room Revelation & The Quest for Coffee: Unpack. Immediately discover the world's thinnest walls. Hear EVERYTHING. Especially the upstairs neighbor's enthusiastic interpretive dance routine. My room? Let's call it "functional." Clean, I guess. But the furniture looks like it predates the internet, and the air conditioning sounds like a dying lawnmower. Okay, focus. Coffee. Must. Have. Coffee. I drag myself downstairs, only to discover the hotel "restaurant" is closed. Closed?! Panic sets in. Where does one acquire the blessed nectar of the gods in this concrete jungle?
- 2:30 PM - Iowa City Scavenger Hunt (for Caffeine): Google Maps to the rescue! I stumble upon a quaint little coffee shop a few blocks away, called "Java House." The latte is good. Damn good, actually. It revives me. The walk, though, a reminder of my inherent lack of fitness. Iowa City is… hilly. Who knew? The "charm" I'm supposed to be feeling is currently battling a strong wave of "mild existential dread".
- 4:00 PM - Literary Landmarks & Unnecessary Stress: The writer in me is obligated to visit the "Iowa Writers' Workshop." I get lost. Repeatedly. Find it. It's a building. A slightly imposing building. I can practically smell the angst emanating from it. Walk around, take some pictures. Feel a pang of inadequacy. This is where the greats write, and I, well… I'm here, taking pictures. Note to self: Avoid any actual interaction with aspiring writers. Things get ugly fast.
- 6:00 PM - Dinner Disaster and Questionable Entertainment Choices: Dinner. Apparently, Iowa City's culinary scene doesn't quite rival that of New York. I choose a dive bar, figuring it'll be authentic at least. It’s packed with college students and… well, it's loud. And the burger? Mediocre. The beer? Slightly better. Then, the entertainment. Karaoke. Oh dear god, karaoke. A girl with a voice like a strangled cat attempts a Journey song. People cheer. I retreat, ears ringing and soul bruised.
- 8:00 PM - Back to the Highlander & the Interpretive Dancer's Encore: Back at the hotel. I can still hear the interpretive dancer. Clearly, my soundproofing expectations were laughably high. Attempt to watch TV. Flip between channels. Nothing interesting. Feel a profound sense of ennui. Should I just give up and order pizza? (Spoiler alert: I do.)
Day 2: Seeking the "Charm" & Accidental Adventures (aka "Maybe Iowa Isn't So Bad?")
- 9:00 AM - The Highlander Breakfast "Experience": Decide to sample the Highlander's breakfast, figuring it can't be worse than the previous horrors. It can. It's a buffet. Eggs that look suspiciously plastic. Sausage that tastes vaguely of… nothing. Coffee lukewarm and weak. I eat some toast and contemplate the futility of existence.
- 10:00 AM - The Iowa "Museum of Natural History" & A Giant Sloth: Okay, I'm going to be completely honest. I went to the Iowa Museum of Natural History purely because I was bored and desperate for something to do. I didn't have high expectations. It was, and I'm not sure what I expected, a small, quirky museum. Exhibits about Iowa's wildlife & history. And the highlight? A giant sloth skeleton. A giant sloth! I spent a good twenty minutes just staring at its massive, prehistoric form. It was unexpectedly… awe-inspiring. I suddenly felt a weird fondness for Iowa.
- 12:00 PM - Lunch & Literary Love: More coffee! And then, lunch at a cafe on the pedestrian area of the campus. The sandwich is surprisingly good. The sun, is shining. The atmosphere, is mellow. People watching, delicious, and this… this feeling of calm. I buy a book. It’s a biography of a great Iowa writer, and I find a new admiration. I'm starting to understand the "charm" people talk about. Maybe. Just maybe.
- 2:00 PM - A Walk Through the University & My Inner Student: Wander through the University of Iowa campus. It's beautiful. The architecture is stunning. The students? They're everywhere, bustling around with their books and backpacks and the air of youthful optimism that I, in my late 30s, can only watch with a mixture of envy and nostalgia. I find myself daydreaming, for a moment, of going back to school. Then, I remember the crushing reality of student loans. Snap back to the present.
- 4:00 PM - Book Shopping & The Accidental Book Shop Revelation: Discover a used bookstore tucked away on a side street. The smell! The dusty, paper smell of a thousand stories trapped within. Find a first edition of a favorite novel. Lose myself in the stacks for an hour. Talk to the grumpy, but helpful, bookstore owner about the authors. Discover a shared love for all things written. The high point of the day.
- 6:00 PM - Dinner Redemption: Find a local restaurant, the "Orchard Green," with an actual menu and reasonable prices. The food, is divine. I order a pasta dish and the taste is amazing. Iowa, is still Iowa, but I feel better.
- 8:00 PM - The Highlander's Bar (aka "Why did I do this to myself?!") Decide to embrace the Highlander's bar. "It can't be worse, right?" Wrong. It's actually worse. The music is bad. The beer selection is limited. The other patrons are… well, let's just say, they have a certain, distinct "Iowa charm." I have one drink. I retreat to my room. The interpretive dancer is, thankfully, quiet tonight.
Day 3: Departure & Maybe, Just Maybe, a Hint of Fondness (aka "It Wasn't All Bad")
- 9:00 AM - One Last Highlander Breakfast Disaster (and A Bit of Reflection): I skip the Highlander breakfast. I can't face it. I grab a pastry at the Java House. Reflect on my Iowa City experience. It wasn't the glamorous getaway I'd envisioned. It was messy, a little awkward, and full of unexpected moments. The giant sloth. The bookstore. The feeling of possibility on the campus. It’s not a place for tourists. I'll remember it more fondly than any other vacation.
- 11:00 AM - Iowa City's Unexpected Charm: A final stroll through the city. It's a beautiful day. The sun is shining. The air is crisp. Iowa City isn't "perfect," but it's… real. A little rough around the edges, a little quirky, but undeniably itself. I actually think, I'm going to miss the place.
- 12:00 PM - Head to the Airport & Des Moines's Surprise: Head to the airport. The flight back is uneventful. Des Moines is a charming city.
- Aftermath: Back to reality. The interpretive dance, the questionable cuisine, the giant sloth… This Iowa City trip? It's a reminder that sometimes, the best experiences are the ones you least expect. And that even slightly worn motels can hold a surprising amount of… well, something. And I definitely need to invest in some noise-canceling headphones. And maybe, just maybe, I'll go back. Eventually. After I've recovered from this one.
Highlander Hotel: Ready To Have Your Socks Knocked Off? (Probably) FAQs
Okay, Okay, Highlander Hotel... But Seriously, What's the Hype?
Alright, so you've heard whispers, right? "Luxury," "Hidden Gem," "OMG the beds!" Look, the hype is real, and it's *mostly* justified. I went in expecting... well, a nice hotel. I came out feeling like I'd accidentally wandered into a Hollywood movie set. Seriously. It's like someone took Iowa City, shook it up with a healthy dose of Hollywood glamour, and then dumped it all back out. The rooms? Stunning. The service? *Usually* flawless. The food? More on that disaster later. But the vibe? It's just... *cool*. It's the kind of place where you feel like you *deserve* a really good cocktail, even if you normally order a water with lemon.
Is it *Really* As Luxurious As They Say? I’m on a Budget (Kinda… Mostly…)
Luxurious? Define luxurious. Think plush carpets you *actually* want to walk on barefoot. Think giant showers with rain showerheads that could probably wash a small car. Think a mini-fridge stocked with… things you'd actually *want* to drink. Yes, it leans heavily toward luxurious. The problem is the price tag. It's… not cheap. I remember the *first* time I looked at the room rates I actually choked a little. But, and this is a BIG BUT, even after paying a small fortune, I don't regret the splurge. It's a treat. Maybe save up, skip a few lattes, and treat yourself. You deserve it. And honestly, it's a hell of a lot less than a weekend in Chicago or something.
What About the Staff? Are They Snobby? (Because, let's be honest, I'm not)
Okay, so this is where things get *slightly* less perfect. Most of the staff are genuinely lovely. Seriously, the front desk people are usually on point. Polite, helpful, the whole nine yards. There's a concierge, which is also wonderful because I'm the type of person who can't plan a dinner reservation to save my life. BUT... I had *one* experience, the kind where my blood pressure actually skyrocketed. I needed an extra blanket (I’m always freezing, okay? Don’t judge). It felt like asking for the crown jewels. The person on the phone was… terse, let’s say. It was a minor blip, maybe a bad day for them, but it did take the shine off things for a second. Still, the good far outweighs the bad. And hey, nobody's perfect, right?
The Food! Tell Me About the Food! Is It Worth the Hype? (Because I'm a Glutton.)
Oh, the food. Buckle up, buttercup. Because this is where things get… complicated. The restaurant, named *[Insert Restaurant Name Here, because I can't remember and I'm not even going to look it up right now. My brain is fried.]*, is stunning. The decor is beautiful. The menu *sounds* amazing. And sometimes? It *is* amazing! I had a [Insert dish name here, again, memory of a goldfish] once that made me weep with joy. But other times... Well, let's just say I've had experiences that could make a grown man cry. Overcooked steak. Cold soup. Service that's slower than molasses in January. It's a bit of a gamble. Go with tempered expectations. Order drinks. Don't build your entire world around a single meal there. I learned that the hard way; that specific meal, a total, and utter disappointment, almost ruined the whole experience for me, but I rallied. Just... go with a backup plan (like ordering pizza).
What's the Vibe Like? Is it Good for a Romantic Getaway? (Hint: Does it involve champagne?)
Romantic? Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Dim lighting, plush everything, cocktails that arrive like tiny works of art. It screams "special occasion." Champagne? Definitely a possibility. Heck, *I* felt romantic there, and I was just by myself, staring at the ridiculously large TV. It's perfect for a weekend away with your significant other, a special birthday celebration, or even just a little self-love retreat. It has that “I’m worth it” vibe. Really, really worth it.
Parking: The Eternal Iowa City Question. Is It a Nightmare?
Okay, parking in Iowa City is always a gamble. It's like a mini-game of chance, and you rarely win. Highlander Hotel has its own parking, which is a HUGE plus. It's usually pretty easy to find a spot, especially if you arrive outside of peak times. They do charge for it, so prepare to pay. But honestly, after you've just paid for the room, what's a few more dollars? Just factor it into your budget. It beats circling the block for 20 minutes, that's for sure.
Anything I Should Know Before I Go? Any Insider Tips?
Okay, here's a few things to remember.
- Book in advance, especially during peak season. You don't want to miss out!
- Check the specials; sometimes they offer packages. Discounts make everything better!
- Embrace the room service. Even if it's just for coffee in the morning. It's a treat. Treat. Yourself.
- Go with the flow. The food can be inconsistent; just enjoy the experience overall.
- Take a deep breath and enjoy the luxury, because the hotel experience is amazing.
Would You Go Back?
Absolutely. Even with the occasional food disappointments and the slightly-off service encounter, the Highlander Hotel is still a winner. It's a luxury experience that's worth the splurge. And that feeling of being pampered? Priceless (almost). Plus, that *bed* calls to me in my sleep.
