The Highlander Hotel, Iowa City IA

Drama from the second I got a room. Dreadful weather had to pull over. Asked for privacy and got a room next to a family with a newborn and screaming 2 year old. Asked to be moved, no problem. Ordered a $15,00 burger with chips. Not worth it. Second room smelled like wet dogs but it’s pet friendly. When I left asked for a receipt which they said went to my email. No, didn’t receive, asked again and a third time. Again the next day still no receipt! Service at this place is lame. Unprofessional and rude. Finally 4 days later I called and asked them to print out a receipt and mail it to me. Ok no problem, except mgr said. Weve had computer problems for the last few days. Really? I worked at a hotel front desk and never did I tell a guest not to come back because I asked for help and they dropped the ball. Won’t go back. Trendy but boring.

One of a kind boutique hotel with a great 70’s vibe. Very clean and uniquely decorated. The Supper Club has a neat bar area & fun arcade. The pool and hot tub are also very nice. NYE stay was a lot of fun!

Went on a girls trip with my mom and sisters and had so much fun! The Highlander Hotel was organized and clean and the atmosphere was friendly and comfortable! We especially loved meeting Hope and getting to know them! We are already planning another trip to the Highlander and area:)

Went on a girls trip recently and stayed here. We enjoyed our time at the Highlander!
Very clean, comfortable rooms. Staff were friendly and helped us with everything we needed. We especially loved meeting Hope! Great atmosphere! Will definitely be back and recommending to friends passing through the area.

Went on a girls trip and honestly this hotel and staff was the highlight of the trip haha! It was so nice meeting Hope and I wish to come back soon! You won’t regret your stay!

We loved our stay at The Highlander! Overall it was really pleasant and the rooms were neat and clean, but the thing that makes this such a good place to stay are the staff. All of the people are incredibly helpful and generous with their time and advice. I could not recommend the Highlander more!

Stayed here a while back and had such a nice time! The rooms are somehow both chic and cozy. The staff are all so lovely, particularly Hope. Would definitely stay again!

In defence of the hotel, we stayed right between christmas and new years so not sure if they were behind or short staffed but there was much to be desired considering all the potential the Hotel has to offer.

By night the pool water was very murky and had a salty taste to it (probably due to the parties) Pool deck was very dirty; bandaids, food and dirt from outside shoes and the party room (update: everything was cleaner in the morning). The hot tub had a strange smell and the jets were not working properly.

The free drink area by the pool was a nice touch but clearly touched.by childern? Maybe? The Yogurt machine was pretty gross.

Rooms were fairly clean but trash hadn't been emptied.

Toilet paper holder was falling off. Tile by the shower was broken and sitting on the floor.

Watching the winter storm outside through the large windows/doors while in the pool was fun.

Many of the games in the arcade were broken or not working. There were still enough that our 5 year old loved. All games were anywhere from $0.50 to $1.00.

The shower water temperature could have been hotter.

Food wasn't great. The dessert fondue was worth it though. The bar seemed understaffed. Breakfast in the morning was ok.

Seemed like they had one guy running the entire place when we were there.

The sheets were very soft but the beds were too plush that you sink into them. Personally did not sleep good due to how soft they were.

Stayed one night to split up a long drive. It was Friday and the place was happening. Good price and cool decor. We will come back during the warm season.

A great place to stay! The staff was incredibly kind, helpful, and enthusiastic in all of my interactions. One of the managers, Hope, was especially a standout! I will definitely consider staying here on any future visits and will be recommending to friends and family visiting the area.

Very fun place to take kids with rooms on the pool, arcade and lounge. All staff we great, especially the ladies at the lounge bar.

Hotel shades don't block out the sun.power outlets aren't readily near the bed.someone attempted to enter my room at 5: 40pm and the hotel had no answer for the reason

This place is the best hotel i've had the pleasure of staying at! We stayed on december 16th and had an amazing time. They provide free unlimited fountain pop and fresh baked cookies they also had a free tye dying class! We could dye a bandanna or a t-shirts and it was free to guests. Also in the evening they had a band in the supper club.the staff was exceptional, the rooms were emaculant and it was so much fun!

The rooms are very well made and I would definitely stay here again, the pool is great but very busy. I would recommend staying here if you want to stay somewhere nice. The 2nd floor balcony is an amazing view of the pool and is a great place of the hotel room. Although there is only stairs which makes it hard carrying things upstairs to your room. The workers were very nice. The kids at the pool are really loud when I was still asleep but then woke up because of all the kids screaming. The keycard for my room just quit working and had to get a worker to open it and give us a new one. The workers are very nice and make sure everyone is having a fun time. The bathrooms are really nice looking and good to take a shower in. This hotel is definitely a great hotel to stay at and would stay here again if I could.

This place is amazing; the staff, rooms, pool, spa, arcade, food and overall atmosphere makes this hotel one of the best hotels we have ever stayed in. Do it. I promise you won't regret it.

Great hotel! Very clean… love that the rooms don’t have carpets. Pet friendly. Japanese noodles were very good! Will definitely come back

Went for a family, kid friendly birthday occasion. Pool side rooms were $300+/each. At 10: 00 pm, once the kids were in bed, adults wanted to sit pool side/4 feet from our room, at our table to visit. We were told the area is closed AND they lock your sliding glass door shut. Hope there's not a fire in the hallway!? The pool didn't open until 9 a.m. (kids like to get up early to swim!) and the hot tub was closed indefinitely. Food is medicore and room temperature. Overall a decent experience due to activities for kids, but would not visit again. Bang < Buck.

This place is amazing in every way. The hotel is beautiful and while it's spacious it's also very cozy. It seems every corner has a big comfy sofa or chair inviting me to sit with a book or have a quiet conversation. There's plenty of space for fun, too. The pool area is beyond compare with plenty of room for families. The game room is a great place to be a kid again enjoying skee-ball, pinball and my new favorite, the dance machine. The food and drinks were inventive and of course the staff was incredible. This hotel feels like home away from home.

My wife and I recently stayed for 2 nights at the Highlander Hotel in Iowa City. We had a great experience. The hotel was clean and staff was over the top friendly. We really liked the retro look of the room and the bed was really comfortable. The vibe is very casual. Its almost like you're in someone's living room when you're in the common areas. They play great music and people seem to be in a great mood enjoying the atmosphere. We listened to a great band in the bar one evening while enjoying a few drinks. We aren't into pools but from the looks of it, many people were enjoying it. We appreciated that they strictly enforced quiet hours as our room was next to the pool. They have a lot of nice touches in the hotel, such as a snack shack, arcade games for kids, games to play, etc. They also had 3 large screen TV's in a general sitting area and many in the bar for sports fans. If you're needing a place to have a good time or just catch up on rest, this hotel will provide it. This isn't your typical hotel chain experience which we normally opt for. We'll definitely return to The Highlander.

What an amazing place! They have done such a beautiful thing bringing this historic place back to life in a fun hip way! The rooms, entertainment, food and most importantly staff and service were all great