Hotel Ottumwa

Vintage Elegance Ruined by Remodeling.
This hotel retains some of its 1940 charm, but most of it has been plastered over with 1970s junk. If you love posh, modern hotels, this is not the place for you. I was traveling by train and visiting Ottumwa on business. I wanted a nostalgic experience — hence the train — and the hotel. You can walk to it from the train station. The counter staff varies — from grumpy cows to charming people. The little restaurant is alright… but the waitress I had was delightful.
I got what I came for — I wanted a old school hotel. Yes, idiots had covered up a lot of its old elegance, but its like a pretty older woman — you can still see the girl she once was. It wasnt remarkable, but it beats the hell out of any of those damn lower end chain hotels.
Do not expect much and you wont be disappointed.

Ladies at the front desk were very rude… hallways smelled like must… you’d have to be 5 ft nothing to fit in the bathroom. But other than that it was alright.

I’ll be brutally honest– I love Iowa but I don’t love Ottumwa. So I write this review in the context of this not being any kind of destination town, but assuming you’re in Ottumwa for some reason and need a place to stay.
Hotel Ottumwa is a large, historic building in the heart of downtown Ottumwa. The building is not very well maintained, but it is historic with a nice façade. The hotel is old fashioned in that it has its own restaurant (so-​so) and its own bar (best full bar in town). It also has copious amounts of meeting and available office space on the first floor. If you’re holding some kind of business meeting Ottumwa for some reason, this is the place to do it.
The rooms aren’t bad. They’re large (larger than contemporary hotels make them) and the bed was clean and the fixtures in good shape. It’s also very competitively priced with the chain hotels in town (60 – 70 dollars per night).
If you’ve gotta do Ottumwa, stay here and drink at the bar. Just be realistic about your expectations.

We had to stay at Hotel Ottumwa while in town for a wedding.
While pulling up to the disheveled building, with exterior trim falling off, garbage on the sidewalk and a huge lack of signing, you shall know what you’re in for.
Walk in the front door and you’re hit with a stench that makes you cringe and ready to head back to the parking lot. But the potential of the lobby and its grand appearance will leave you hopeful.
The front desk clerk was minimally friendly, and stumbled through the process, eventually requiring me to sign off on my $ 95 room and sent me to the sixth floor.
The elevator reeked of moldy beer, but eventually dropped us off to a lack luster hallway, which somehow smelled worse than the rest of the building.
Entering the room, we found a single window, most of which was taken up by the air conditioner, and condensation which didn’t allow you to even look outside.
Every surface was old and stained. A simple scrub down, carpet shampoo and coat of paint would increase the value for the money.
We enjoyed the bed, very soft and comfy, also clean. (My sister in another room wouldn’t agree though, her son found an empty booze bottle and pool noodle under their bed).
Overall, this isn’t the worst hotel I’ve stayed at, and has a boatload of POTENTIAL, therefore earning it two stars.
Let me know when they get different management or housekeeping, and I may be back to see what could be an outstanding estate.

Really enjoyed our stay here. Friendly staff at check-​in, room was clean enough for $ 70, and the hotel clientele definitely kept things interesting.
The bar connected to the hotel is awesome. Great music playing, great old fasioneds to select from, and lots of happy hour specials.

Spent a weekend recently in Ottumwa and stayed at the Hotel of the same name, all I can say is never again and wish we had checked other places first. Rooms were small and the linens were filthy, not changed from the previous guests no shampoo and when called on it they said they would send someone up with shampoo if they could find it, sheets were never changed. After reading some of the other reviews I am wondering what other things we might have brought home. We p[aid way too much for this 4^th rate hotel.

Classic old style grand hotel. Clean rooms, digital TV, priced right. Friendly help at the desk, with a breakfast coupon to a buffet that smokes the chain hotels. No complaints. Will visit again!

Stayed here several times and have been to lots of functions. Really good price for what you get.

Three years ago I stayed at the Hotel Ottumwa and had hopes that the management would have some nice quaint rooms to match the historic nature of the building – no.
First, I was given keys to an OCCUPIED room. I let myself in and discovered someone’s possessions already in the room and they were in the shower. I wish I were making this up, folks. When I went to the front desk to report the problem there was barely an apology and certainly no financial compensation. I was also put in a room on the inside of the hotel. This was the weekend of the Fireman’s Ball, so the music was loud and went late and I got to hear every bit of it because the type of room I had requested wasn’t available.
Additionally, I had called ahead to ask about the availability of wi-​fi, which they said they had. I arrived and they said they might have it when I asked about log on information. Didn’t work for the first day of my stay, though it did for the second day. At this point I’m trying to get work done on the phone instead of on a computer – not ideal.
I love the building and have great memories of the restaurant from when I was a kid, but this place was amateur hour.

I have stayed at this hotel many times it comes in handy ecspecially where I was working when bad weather would hit I could just walk if needed right down the street to this hotel. The price was okay. The rooms were very clean, neat, organized. The beds were very comfortable, great views out the windows, great tv reception. It is nice they also have like a mini store as well downstairs available 24 hours a day or night, includes magazines, toothpaste, pop, candy, breakfast juice and or food, beer and many more items. I’d recommend this hotel.

What a dump, I had to stay at this hotel for work over a 7 yr period. I have seen everything there from bed bugs to urine in the toilet after the room was (cleaned) and not changing the sheets between guests, yeah gross I know! Body hair was common to be on the toilet or floor upon check in. Half of this hotel is rented rooms to senior citizens which give it that nursing home feeling. Nobody was happy staying here so we changed hotels to the new quality inn up the road. Totally redone from floor to ceiling. I would definitely check it out before staying in this ancient hole.