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Ramada Tropics Resort & Conf Center by Wyndham Des Moines

3.0 star property

Photo gallery for Ramada Tropics Resort & Conf Center by Wyndham Des Moines

Indoor pool
Lobby
Free daily continental breakfast
Suite, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking, Pool View
Bar (on property)

Reviews

5.6 out of 10

Popular amenities

  • Room service
  • Bar
  • Housekeeping
  • Pool

Explore the area

View map
5000 Merle Hay Rd, Urbandale, IA, 50322
  • Place, Merle Hay Mall
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Place, Jordan Creek Town Center
    ‪11 min drive‬
  • Place, Casey's Center
    ‪11 min drive‬
  • Airport, Des Moines, IA (DSM-Des Moines Intl.)
    ‪20 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking

Desk, soundproofing, iron/ironing board, free cots/infant beds

Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking

  • 19 sq m
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Room, 1 Queen Bed with Sofa bed, Accessible, Poolside (Accessible)

Room amenity

Room, 1 Queen Bed with Sofa bed, Accessible, Poolside (Accessible)

  • 19 sq m
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Double Sofa Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking

Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking

Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking

  • 28 sq m
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Suite, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking

Deluxe Suite, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking

Deluxe Suite, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking

  • 19 sq m
  • Sleeps 6
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Suite, 1 King Bed with Sofa bed, Jetted Tub, Poolside (1 Bedroom)

Desk, soundproofing, iron/ironing board, free cots/infant beds

Deluxe Suite, 1 King Bed with Sofa bed, Jetted Tub, Poolside (1 Bedroom)

  • 19 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 6
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Double Sofa Bed

View all photos for Room, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking

Desk, soundproofing, iron/ironing board, free cots/infant beds

Room, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking

  • 19 sq m
  • Sleeps 5
  • 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for Deluxe Room, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking

Desk, soundproofing, iron/ironing board, free cots/infant beds

Deluxe Room, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking

  • 19 sq m
  • Sleeps 5
  • 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for Suite, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking, Pool View

Suite, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking, Pool View

Suite, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking, Pool View

  • 19 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 6
  • 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for Room, 1 Queen Bed, Accessible, Non Smoking (Accessible)

Room amenity

Room, 1 Queen Bed, Accessible, Non Smoking (Accessible)

  • 19 sq m
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking

Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking

Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking

  • 18 sq m
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking, Poolside

Desk, soundproofing, iron/ironing board, free cots/infant beds

Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking, Poolside

  • 19 sq m
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Room, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking, Poolside

Desk, soundproofing, iron/ironing board, free cots/infant beds

Room, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking, Poolside

  • 19 sq m
  • Sleeps 5
  • 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for Suite, Multiple Beds, Non Smoking (1 King Bed and 2 Queen Bed)

Suite, Multiple Beds, Non Smoking (1 King Bed and 2 Queen Bed)

Suite, Multiple Beds, Non Smoking (1 King Bed and 2 Queen Bed)

  • 21 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 8
  • 1 King Bed and 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for Suite, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking, Poolside

Suite, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking, Poolside

Suite, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking, Poolside

  • 23 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 6
  • 1 King Bed

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About the area

Urbandale

Located in Urbandale, Ramada Tropics Resort & Conf Center by Wyndham Des Moines is within a 10-minute drive of Iowa Gold Star Military Museum and Buccaneer Arena. .This family-friendly hotel is 5.1 mi (8.2 km) from Des Moines Community Playhouse and 7.5 mi (12.1 km) from John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park.

What's nearby

  • Merle Hay Mall - 3 min drive - 2.5 km
  • Drake University - 8 min drive - 8.0 km
  • Jordan Creek Town Center - 11 min drive - 18.7 km
  • Casey's Center - 11 min drive - 14.6 km
  • Iowa State Fairgrounds - 15 min drive - 21.5 km

Getting around

  • Des Moines International Airport (DSM) - 30 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪7 Brew Coffee - ‬20 min walk
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬19 min walk
  • ‪Sonic Drive-In - ‬15 min walk
  • ‪Taco Bell - ‬6 min walk

About this property

Ramada Tropics Resort & Conf Center by Wyndham Des Moines

Family-friendly hotel with a water park and free breakfast
Ramada Tropics Resort & Conf Center by Wyndham Des Moines offers 166 air-conditioned accommodations with coffee/tea makers and hair dryers. 37-inch flat-screen televisions come with premium cable channels. Refrigerators and microwaves are provided. Bathrooms include showers and complimentary toiletries.

This Urbandale hotel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks along with free local calls (restrictions may apply). Change of towels and change of bedsheets can be requested. Housekeeping is provided daily.

An indoor pool and a children's pool are on site. Other recreational amenities include a water park and a fitness center.
Make yourself at home in one of the 166 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators and flat-screen televisions. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with showers feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include desks and microwaves, and housekeeping is provided daily.
Take advantage of recreational opportunities offered, including a water park, an indoor pool, and a fitness center. This hotel also features complimentary wireless internet access, an arcade/game room, and gift shops/newsstands.
Enjoy a meal at Castaways Grill, or stay in and take advantage of the hotel's room service (during limited hours). Unwind at the end of the day with a drink at the bar/lounge or the poolside bar. A complimentary continental breakfast is served on weekdays from 6:30 AM to 9:00 AM and on weekends from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM.
Featured amenities include a 24-hour business center, dry cleaning/laundry services, and a 24-hour front desk. Planning an event in Urbandale? This hotel has 10000 square feet (929 square meters) of space consisting of a conference center and meeting rooms. Free self parking is available onsite.
A complimentary continental breakfast is served on weekdays between 6:30 AM and 9:00 AM and on weekends between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM.
Castaways Grill - Onsite restaurant.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Free self parking on site
  • Free RV/bus/lorry parking on site
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking available

Food and drink

  • Free continental breakfast available 6:30 AM to 9:00 AM on weekdays and 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM on weekends
  • A bar/lounge
  • A poolside bar
  • A restaurant

Restaurants on site

  • Castaways Grill

Things to do

  • Arcade/game room
  • Children's pool
  • Gym
  • Indoor pool
  • TV in common areas
  • Water park
  • Waterslide

Family friendly

  • Arcade/game room
  • Children's pool
  • In-room cot
  • In-room microwave
  • In-room refrigerator
  • Indoor pool
  • Laundry facilities
  • Rollaway/extra bed (surcharge)
  • Soundproofed rooms
  • Water park
  • Waterslide

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • ATM
  • Gift shop/newsstand
  • Laundry facilities
  • Vending machine

Guest services

  • Change of bedsheets (on request)
  • Change of towels on request
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Wedding services

Business services

  • 24-hour business centre
  • Computer station
  • Conference centre (10,000 square foot of space)
  • Meeting rooms

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Assistive listening devices
  • Braille/raised signage
  • Lift
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible business centre
  • Wheelchair-accessible gym
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
  • Wheelchair-accessible pool
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk
  • Wheelchair-accessible restaurant

More

  • 2 floors
  • At least 80% lighting from LEDs
  • Ballroom
  • Banquet hall
  • Local culture and ecosystem education
  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Free cot
  • Rollaway/extra bed (surcharge)

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 37-inch flat-screen TV with premium cable channels

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Limited room service
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Connecting rooms available
  • Desk
  • Energy-saving switches in guestrooms
  • Free local calls
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board
  • LED lighting
  • Recycling
  • Soundproofed rooms

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Early check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 21

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
Contactless check-out available
Late check-out subject to availability

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property

Renovations and closures

The following facilities are closed on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday:
  • Hot tub

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets allowed for an extra charge of USD 20 per pet, per night
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs only
1 total (up to 30 lbs per pet)

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Children up to the age of 17 years can stay for free if using existing beds when occupying the parent or guardian's room
Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 10.0 per day
Free cribs are available on request at the property

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Pet fee: USD 20 per pet, per night
  • Service animals are exempt from fees
  • Rollaway bed fee: USD 10.0 per day

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards and debit cards; cash is not accepted
This property reserves the right to pre-authorize the guest's credit card prior to arrival.
Cashless transactions are available
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room
This property affirms that it follows the cleaning and disinfection practices of Count on Us (Wyndham)
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

We should mention

The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation

Property is also known as

Ramada Tropics
Ramada Tropics Des Moines
Ramada Tropics Resort
Ramada Tropics Resort Des Moines
Tropics Resort
Des Moines Ramada
Ramada Des Moines
Ramada Hotel Des Moines
Ramada Tropics Hotel Des Moines
Ramada Tropics Resort / Conference Center Des Moines Iowa
Ramada Tropics Resort Moines Urbandale
Ramada Tropics Resort Moines
Ramada Tropics Moines Urbandale
Ramada Tropics Moines
Ramada Tropics Resort & Conf Center by Wyndham Des Moines Hotel

Ramada Tropics Resort & Conf Center by Wyndham Des Moines Reviews

Reviews

5.6
Rating 10 - Excellent. 118 out of 651 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 104 out of 651 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 128 out of 651 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 121 out of 651 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 180 out of 651 reviews

5.8/10

Cleanliness

6.2/10

Staff & service

6.0/10

Amenities

5.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

5.6/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Be prepared…..

Our room had not been vacuumed, the thermostat was broke in our room, the “sports bar” couldn’t serve alcohol and the pool bar closed at 9pm. Was told we weren’t allowed to bring our own beverages into the pool area, the pool bar bartender was not behind the bar working many times of our 3 hours in the pool area. The next morning, the pool opens at 9am (let’s be honest it wasn’t staffed until 930) while the pool staff was friendly and rotated frequently, they shut the pool down at noon for an hour so they could all go on break. If you have 5 people staffing the pool to rotate, take your breaks while off rotation. Many things about this place could definitely be improved!!! Cool setup for the kids, comfy bed and food ordered from restaurant was decent but again, many things could definitely be improved.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

2/10 Terrible

Tiffanie

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Terrible!!

I had it booked for a week. I got a call the day of my reservation that they no longer had the suite that I reserved. I was told I could have a regular room but was more expensive than what I booked the suite for. I get there and the sports bar being advertised does not sell alcohol. The pools had A LOT of mold. DO NOT STAY HERE!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

JASON

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

4/10 Poor

Paige

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

4/10 Poor

Zachary

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

2/10 Terrible

Jared

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Terrible Facility

Booked a poolside, king sized bed. Got a room far from the pool and a full sized bed. Only 1 out of three lights in the room worked. No hot water in the shower and the room was beat up. Got moved to a new room after complaining several times and one light didn't work and still no hot water. People at the front desk didn't want to help
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

4/10 Poor

Kristy

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff was kind and friendly. They were always working to keep things clean and orderly. But this property is terribly outdated and desperately needs to be renovated. Or at the very least needs some work done to fix all that’s broken. Our room’s toilet seat was broken, the bathroom door was very difficult to open and close. In fact, all the doors were difficult to open and close. Multiple lights in our room did not work. The TVs weren’t working properly and had to be fixed. We had said we’d have 5 people in our suite, and would need the pull out bed. There was no bedding for that bed and we had to call to ask for it. When I called I was told they “might not have any.” Thankfully they did and security brought it up. The complimentary breakfast was terrible. They had one waffle iron that a staff member was using to make waffles for a long line of people. The other choices were generic brand yogurt, apples, oranges and two kinds of cereal. Again, the staff was very nice but the whole facility is old and falling apart. It was far too expensive for what we received. The pool is also not as pictured. There are slides and a pirate ship play area, but it’s not all in one open pool as the photos seemed to show. Instead, it’s 4 separate smaller pools in the same area.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Todd, Bayport

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service, amenities
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
First, the front desk staff were great. Very helpful and offered to help with anything we needed. The room was not ready at check-in. The room was outdated, some unrepaired damage, missing lightbulbs, and didnt have cold water in the morning. The waterpark was excellent. Love that the water was not cold. Overall, some good and some improvements needed for higher rating.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

2/10 Terrible

David

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
There was no hot water and tv was poor and Telephone didn't work in room and the beds were uncomfortable
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

jessica

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Just manage expectations and it’ll be fine!

We booked to stay during the state fair with our 3 year old. The hotel is older, for sure. Certainly not a luxury establishment. That said, though, our rooms were clean. The AC worked very well in our room, almost freezing us out the first night until we adjusted it. Our room opened to the waterpark so we felt the humidity and smelled the chlorine when we opened that door, but we didn’t have a dampness or humidity issue in our room at all. Door C was broken so you didn’t need a keycard to get in, the guest laundry on the second floor was out of order, and the hallway carpets were kind of ripped up in a few spots. But the kid pool was warm and the pirate ship was so fun for my kid. I think understanding up front that you’re not staying at Great Wolf lodge helps manage expectations, and as long as you do that the stay was fine. We did have dinner through the on-site restaurant and the wings were very good. For it being 98 deg out this week and the state fair in town, it wasn’t too busy and served us just fine. Well stay again I’m sure. Staff were very helpful and friendly, so that was a plus!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Casandra

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

2/10 Terrible

Russell

Travelled with family, Travelled with family and small children
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Rude unprofessional staff, bait and switch rooms, no hot water for showers, no towels for pool area. This is my second bad experience here, arrived after 10 pm to check in, and was treated piorly, i was very tempted to drive 2 hours back home instead of staying for the weekend and disappointing my children. Made the wrong decision by staying.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

2/10 Terrible

Robbie

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
The room is dirty. Bathroom is gross and there’s no hot water and the telephone didn’t work.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

4/10 Poor

Justin

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

4/10 Poor

Tristan

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Candice

Travelled with family and small children
The promptness of the staff. My tv wasn't irking and someone got on it immediately
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

4/10 Poor

Kacey

Travelled with family, Travelled with family and small children, Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We have this place a chance despite mixed reviews and I wish we hadn't. First there's mildew / mold all over the edge of the pools. Second the life guards are lazy at best, the only ones paying any attention are the managers and they're usually at the top of the slide. My kid was held underwater by another and when I stopped the incident the life guard found the other boys mom and said I was screaming at him. The mom and I ended up on good terms but the lifeguard was extremely rude and was ignoring safety issues the entire time we were there. It all finally got to be too much when I found a live roach in our suite. I was refunded in full from Expedia and we left in the middle of the night to a holiday inn Express. We will be writing a detailed letter to Ramada corporate on hopes this place is looked into. The ONLY good part about this place was the friendly front desk lady who gave me all the sympathy and no grief when I slapped a bag with a live roach on her counter at midnight.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025

4/10 Poor

Michael

Travelled with family and small children
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The indoor waterpark is fun if you have kids but I would otherwise pass on the hotel as it had many subpar features such as a very limited breakfast, no hot water, and a leaky toilet.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

4/10 Poor

jim

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Brooke

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

4/10 Poor

penny

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Staff & service, amenities
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Bathroom ceiling leaked water through it all over bathroom floor.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Elizabeth

Travelled with family and small children
Great pools for kids. Hotel is older and not perfect The kids enjoyed swimming.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Mykal

Travelled with family, Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Staff & service
The room and property were okay.... Not the cleanest. The sofa bed was not a sofa bed, simply a sofa. The chair in the room was wet. Towels were stained. Doors were not aligned. Door handles were loose. Overall it was ok at best.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Family Fun

Everything was good! The rooms are a little dated, but for the price that was to be expected. Our two year old absolutely loved the water park.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

2/10 Terrible

Sondra

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Most disgusting place I've stayed. Pool area dirty as well as whole building dirty and in ill repair. Life guards at pool area are a joke. Are they really life guards? Water is dirty mirky. Is it treated correctly? Mold around edge of pool. Rooms were filthy dirty. Dirty carpets. Breakfast was rolls from walmart, milk juice from walmart and yogurt. Would never stay again. Check in looked like a bunch of meth heads with no teeth and so unprofessional. Very price for 3 nights. I want to turn them in to the state inspections. Looks like people who work there probably live there. Elevator was broke down. Absolutely disgusting.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025