Conference Hotels in Iowa

Hosting a Conference or Event in Iowa

Travel managers and event planners searching for conference hotels in Iowa can compare properties across the state ranked by meeting and event capability. The Doubletree by Hilton Cedar Rapids Convention Complex in Cedar Rapids leads the list you can book through Engine, with a largest event space of about 27,000 square feet (Exhibit Hall A-C) accommodating up to 2,335 people, along with 30 event spaces and 267 guest rooms. Attendees booking their own rooms for a corporate event or large meeting anywhere in Iowa can search and compare these properties on Engine.

Iowa hosts conferences and corporate events year-round, drawing organizations across agriculture, manufacturing, finance, and technology to convention centers and properties in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Sioux City, and beyond. The hotels on this list serve organizations of every size and industry, offering guest rooms alongside large meeting and event spaces measured in the tens of thousands of square feet. You can search, compare, and book guest rooms at these hotels on Engine; for a stay of 9 or more rooms, Engine Groups handles the room-block booking, and for 8 or fewer you book self-serve. To find and request meeting and event space, use Engine Spaces, Engine's venue product with access to over 40,000 venues.

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Compare conference hotels in Iowa

Same order as the list above: ranked by a hotel's total event space across all its meeting rooms. The largest single room is shown here, so that column can run out of order. Space figures come from each hotel's meeting-space records. A dash means the hotel's data doesn't list that detail, not that it's unavailable.

#	Hotel	City	Largest event space	Max occupancy	Event spaces	Guest rooms	Guest rating
1	Doubletree by Hilton Cedar Rapids Convention Complex	Cedar Rapids	27,300 sq ft	2,335	30	267	4.3 (1,001)
2	Courtyard by Marriott Sioux City Downtown/Convention Center	Sioux City	28,634 sq ft	3,072	25	150	4.6 (738)
3	Des Moines Marriott Downtown	Des Moines	15,340 sq ft	2,200	22	413	4.4 (1,002)
4	Embassy Suites Hotel Des Moines Downtown	Des Moines	10,725 sq ft	1,183	23	234	4.2 (1,003)
5	Holiday Inn Des Moines-Airport/Conf Center by IHG	Des Moines	12,000 sq ft	1,500	20	214	4.2 (727)
6	Hilton Garden Inn Cedar Falls	Cedar Falls	11,133 sq ft	1,000	17	113	4.4 (654)
7	Holiday Inn & Suites Cedar Falls - Waterloo Event Ctr by IHG	Cedar Falls	14,000 sq ft	1,000	13	126	4.6 (615)
8	The Hotel at Kirkwood Center	Cedar Rapids	7,500 sq ft	700	24	71	4.9 (764)
9	Radisson Hotel Cedar Rapids	Cedar Rapids	11,250 sq ft	1,000	19	220	3.8 (1,000)
10	Hilton Garden Inn Dubuque Downtown	Dubuque	6,670 sq ft	675	17	116	4.4 (1,000)
11	Riverside Casino & Golf Resort	Riverside	12,420 sq ft	1,200	9	200	4.4 (397)
12	Gateway Hotel and Conference Center at Iowa State University	Ames	7,280 sq ft	850	19	187	4.6 (1,393)
13	Grand Harbor Resort	Dubuque	30,000 sq ft	3,333	7	193	4.0 (1,211)
14	Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel	Des Moines	6,496 sq ft	450	14	209	4.3 (1,000)
15	West Des Moines Marriott	West Des Moines	4,602 sq ft	400	16	219	4.5 (1,001)
16	Fun City Resort Hotel	Burlington	9,060 sq ft	650	10	185	4.3 (368)
17	Stoney Creek Hotel Sioux City	Sioux City	6,600 sq ft	625	12	161	4.5 (2,325)
18	Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa	Galena	5,301 sq ft	600	14	260	4.2 (423)
19	Hilton Garden Inn Des Moines West	West Des Moines	5,600 sq ft	500	12	176	4.3 (870)
20	Prairie Meadows Hotel Casino And Racetrack	Altoona	14,000 sq ft	1,300	2	168	5.0 (2)
21	Hilton Garden Inn Sioux City Riverfront	Sioux City	5,850 sq ft	450	7	123	4.4 (1,000)
22	Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Des Moines - Northwest by IHG	Urbandale	4,500 sq ft	500	18	198	4.1 (1,001)
23	The Rewind West Des Moines, Tapestry Collection by Hilton	West Des Moines	4,420 sq ft	320	9	137	4.5 (807)
24	Graduate by Hilton Iowa City	Iowa City	6,200 sq ft	600	12	231	4.5 (1,059)
25	Rock Island Inn & Suites Marshalltown	Marshalltown	5,000 sq ft	600	12	106	3.9 (493)
26	Hotel Julien Dubuque	Dubuque	3,450 sq ft	300	10	133	4.6 (1,948)
27	Ameristar Casino Hotel Council Bluffs	Council Bluffs	4,958 sq ft	550	9	160	4.0 (1,002)
28	Hilton Des Moines Downtown	Des Moines	10,032 sq ft	600	5	330	4.5 (1,002)
29	Holiday Inn Downtown - Mercy Area by IHG	Des Moines	4,554 sq ft	350	10	251	3.8 (1,001)
30	Courtyard by Marriott Iowa City University Heights	Iowa City	2,501 sq ft	500	8	140	4.8 (505)
31	Carrollton Inn	Carroll	5,000 sq ft	500	10	86	4.2 (540)
32	The Warrior Hotel, Autograph Collection	Sioux City	3,961 sq ft	400	9	148	4.5 (687)
33	Best Western Plus Dubuque Hotel & Conference Center	Dubuque	4,006 sq ft	450	8	150	4.1 (1,192)
34	Courtyard Marriott Ankeny	Ankeny	5,280 sq ft	577	7	119	4.4 (630)
35	Stoney Creek Hotel Des Moines - Johnston	Johnston	4,543 sq ft	400	8	164	4.4 (1,916)
36	Hilton Garden Inn Iowa City Downtown University	Iowa City	2,800 sq ft	250	6	143	4.7 (985)
37	Best Western Holiday Lodge	Clear Lake	3,456 sq ft	600	8	136	4.1 (730)
38	Hotel Winneshiek	Decorah	2,794 sq ft	300	5	34	4.7 (952)
39	King's Pointe Waterpark Resort	Storm Lake	2,751 sq ft	305	10	100	3.9 (261)
40	Hilton Garden Inn Des Moines/Urbandale	Johnston	4,320 sq ft	600	5	148	4.5 (1,000)
41	Ramada by Wyndham Cedar Rapids South	Cedar Rapids	2,592 sq ft	259	8	98	3.3 (1,003)
42	Hotel Blackhawk, Autograph Collection	Davenport	3,344 sq ft	250	6	130	4.6 (983)
43	Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo - A Caesars Rewards Destination	Waterloo	5,000 sq ft	300	5	195	4.2 (1,004)
44	Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Council Bluffs I-29 by IHG	Council Bluffs	3,080 sq ft	200	9	185	4.3 (1,157)
45	The Highlander Hotel Iowa City, an Ascend Collection Hotel	Iowa City	5,600 sq ft	600	3	90	4.4 (1,001)
46	Hilton Garden Inn Cedar Rapids	Cedar Rapids	3,744 sq ft	360	6	100	4.5 (259)
47	Hilton Garden Inn Des Moines Airport	Des Moines	1,674 sq ft	50	9	100	4.5 (742)
48	Hilton Garden Inn Ames	Ames	2,240 sq ft	200	5	112	4.3 (903)
49	Best Western Plus Steeplegate Inn	Davenport	3,737 sq ft	400	5	118	4.0 (1,001)
50	Ramada Tropics Resort & Conf Center by Wyndham Des Moines	Des Moines	5,200 sq ft	500	3	166	2.7 (1,232)

Frequently asked questions

What should I compare when choosing between large meeting hotels in different Iowa cities?

Start with the size of the largest event space and total number of meeting rooms, since these vary widely even among properties with similar guest-room counts. For example, the Courtyard by Marriott Sioux City Downtown has a largest space of about 29,000 square feet and 25 event spaces, while the Des Moines Marriott Downtown offers about 15,000 square feet in its largest room with 22 event spaces. Also consider guest-room count, location relative to the airport serving each city, and whether the property sits near restaurants or entertainment your attendees might want.

How does billing work when I book a room block for a conference in Iowa?

Engine offers consolidated invoicing and multiple payment options, with no membership fee. For a stay of 9 or more guest rooms, Engine Groups handles the room-block booking; for 8 or fewer, you book self-serve. Either way, you get one clear invoice rather than juggling individual receipts from every traveler.

What amenities can conference attendees typically expect at these hotels?

Most properties offer parking, wifi, and on-site dining, though specifics vary by hotel. The larger hotels on this list often include business centers and fitness facilities. For details on AV equipment, catering options, and breakfast service, check with each property directly since those amenities differ.

Which parts of Iowa have the most options for hosting a large corporate event?

Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Sioux City tend to have the most conference-ready inventory, given their size and the number of direct flights into each city's airport. The hotels on this list sit in those three cities and offer between 150 and 413 guest rooms, with event spaces that can accommodate groups ranging from small breakouts to gatherings of several thousand people. Planners can search and compare these properties on Engine to find the right fit.

How far ahead should I book hotel rooms when planning a big meeting?

For a conference with 9 or more rooms, reach out as early as possible, ideally three to six months in advance, so Engine Groups can secure your block. For smaller groups of 8 or fewer, you can book self-serve, though booking early still helps with availability and rate stability. You can also use Engine Spaces to find and request meeting and event space at over 40,000 venues, giving you one place to handle both the guest rooms and the venue search.

Conference Hotels in Iowa

Hosting a Conference or Event in Iowa

Compare conference hotels in Iowa

Frequently asked questions

Conference hotels in other states