The Highlander Hotel, Ascend Hotel Collection Iowa City | City stay in Iowa City | Book Now

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About the Hotel

2525 Highlander Place, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America, 52245

Retro-Inspired Rooms

The Highlander Hotel offers rooms with king or queen beds, private balconies overlooking the indoor pool, and organic bath products. Select rooms include a full chef's kitchen, a living area with a large TV, and a walk-in shower with multiple shower heads. All rooms feature multi-purpose workstations, luxury linens, and tiled bathrooms.

On-Site Dining

The Highlander Lounge serves craft cocktails and happy hour specials. The Snack Shack offers milkshakes, tacos, and flatbread pizzas by the pool. A complimentary grab-and-go breakfast includes cereal bars, fruit, and yogurt on weekdays, with a cooked-to-order breakfast available on weekends.

Indoor Pool & Arcade

The hotel has Iowa's largest hotel atrium with an indoor pool and hot tub, open year-round. The retro arcade features Pac-Man, Skee-Ball, and Dance Dance Revolution. Guests can also relax in the courtyard with yard games and fire pits.

Iowa City Location

The hotel is a 10-minute drive from Mercy Hospital, Xtream Arena, and the University of Iowa. Nearby attractions include Carver-Hawkeye Arena and Amana Colonies National Historic Landmark. Quad City Airport is 40 km away.

Pet-Friendly & Eco-Conscious

The Highlander allows pets for a $30 fee per stay, with dog-friendly parks nearby. The hotel uses LED lighting, bamboo toilet paper, and refinished vintage furniture. Recycling bins and compost sites are available on-site.

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Choose the Room

From cozy doubles to spacious family suites – all with flexible options, breakfast, and exclusive deals.

King Room Disability Access

Max:

2 persons

Bed options:

1 King Size Bed

Shower

room details

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Quadruple Room Disability Access

Max:

2 persons

Bed options:

2 King Size Beds

Shower

room details

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King Suite

Max:

2 persons

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Check Dates & Room Rates

See what's available for your travel dates

Getting around

All Transportation Options at a Glance

City Center

Iowa City 2.6 mi

Airports

The Eastern Iowa (CID) 23.7 mi

Quad City International (MLI) 62.6 mi

Amenities

Thoughtfully designed amenities for a comfortable & memorable stay

Wi-Fi

Free parking

Baggage storage

24-hour services

24-hour reception

24-hour security

General

No smoking on site
Wi-Fi
Parking
24-hour reception
Express check-in/ -out
Pets allowed
Rooms/ Facilities for disabled
24-hour security
ATM/Cash machine
Coffee shop
Fireplace
Smoke detectors
Fire extinguishers
Key card access

Sports & Fitness

Fitness center
Table tennis

Services

Room service
Dry cleaning
Welcome drink

Dining

Restaurant
Poolside snack bar
Snack bar

Business

Meeting/ Banquet facilities
Fax/Photocopying

Children

Board games

Spa & Leisure

Indoor swimming pool
Sun loungers
Sun terrace
Leisure/ TV room
Jacuzzi
Shallow end

Room features

Air conditioning
Heating
Sitting area
Garden furniture

Bathroom

Free toiletries

Location

2525 Highlander Place, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America, 52245

Map view

2525 Highlander Place, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America, 52245

City landmarks

Parks

Hickory Hill Park

1.3 mi

Southeastern Iowa Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church

2300 ft

Relationships

3800 ft

Life

3900 ft

Family

5200 ft

800 Brown St

Happy Hollow Park

1.9 mi

Visionary Stone

1.2 mi

Man on a Bench

1.2 mi

Church

First Presbyterian Church

1.5 mi

Adugas Achim Cemetary

1.6 mi

422 Brown St

Black's Gaslight Village

2.1 mi

Museums

Old Capitol Museum

2.8 mi

2850 Prairie Du Chien Rd NE

Devonian Fossil Gorge

3.0 mi

200 Park Rd

City Park

2.4 mi

Museums

University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

2.7 mi

1645 N Scott Blvd

Sacred Stone Circle

2.3 mi

Church

Iowa City Zen Center

2.0 mi

Saint Marks United Methodist Church

2.0 mi

Brown St

Brown Street Historic District

2.1 mi

St. Patrick Catholic Church

2.0 mi

Iowa Avenue from Clinton Street to Gilbert Street

Iowa Avenue Literary Walk

2.6 mi

610 E Jefferson St

St. Mary's Rectory

2.4 mi

Woodlawn Historic District

2.2 mi

Saint Wenceslaus Church

2.2 mi

Park Maintenance Building

2.2 mi

Church

New Creations International Church

2.2 mi

515 E Davenport St

Letovsky-Rohret House

2.3 mi

Church

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church

2.2 mi

University

University of Iowa

3.0 mi

Church

Zion Lutheran Church

2.3 mi

Nearby

Southeastern Iowa Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church

700 ft

Restaurants

Joensy's Restaurant

900 ft

2563 N Dodge St

Guest Ratings & Reviews

Real Guest Experiences & Ratings

80%

enjoyed their stay & would return

8.0/10

Great

Rooms

8.0

Location

8.5

Service

7.5

Dining

7.0

Jim

United States of America, March 2024

7.6/10

I had a wonderful stay at this hotel. The rooms were perfect for my granddaughter to play in the pool after the first night. The hotel has a huge grassy courtyard that adds to its charm, although I missed having a whirlpool tub in the room.

Rooms

8.0

The rooms were spacious and clean, providing a comfortable stay.

Service

6.0

The service was decent overall, but some staff members seemed disinterested. However, they were courteous when we requested room service and dry cleaning services.

Location

9.0

The location was convenient, right off the I-80 by the Iowa City off-ramp. The proximity to the interstate and the large parking lot make it ideal, especially for travelers with trailers.

Dining

7.0

The dining options were satisfactory, but some items were not restocked timely. The breakfast had hot items but lacked variety.

Facilities

8.0

The facilities were well-maintained, including a hot tub and a ping pong table that added to the entertainment options.

Harry

United States of America, October 2023

8.0/10

I had a great time at the hotel. The rooms were always clean and comfortable; perfect for my granddaughter to enjoy the pool. However, there was a bad odor from the unclean shower curtain. The price for the room was reasonable.

Rooms

8.0

The rooms were always clean and perfect for my granddaughter to play in the pool.

Service

9.0

The service was always excellent and helpful, especially given that I'm disabled. The staff even lit a fire for us in the courtyard at night.

Location

8.0

The location was good, especially with the large parking lot, making it convenient if you're pulling a trailer. It was also close to the I-80 and the Iowa City offramp.

Dining

7.0

The dining experience was ok, not restocked properly, but the homemade jams were a nice touch.

Facilities

8.0

The hotel also included a hot tub and ping pong table, which added to the good experience.