Axel's take on East Village: #2 of 5 in Des Moines, 6.6/10
Choose East Village for independent shops, good dinners and evenings on foot. Independent shops, dining and character put East Village second, with nearly downtown-level access but fewer strong hotel options and similarly weak value.
East Fifth Street, East Locust and East Grand give you an easy neighborhood routine: independent shops, coffee, restaurants and bars between the river and the Capitol. This is our pick for a couples' weekend or a food-led visit, and the clearest LGBTQ+ base, with established gay bars concentrated around East Fifth and East Grand.
Choose it for neighborhood evenings rather than maximum office convenience. Crossing the river for conventions and western downtown adds walking, while the Capitol sits uphill. Nor does East Village automatically mean quiet: its own nightlife can run late. Local replies to visitor questions repeatedly recommend it alongside downtown for a walkable short stay.
- Best for: couples, food lovers, shopping, LGBTQ+ travelers
- Skip it if: You want the shortest walk to west-side offices; You expect silence beside nightlife
- Getting around: Walk the shopping streets, Capitol and river bridges; DART Route 4 connects East Village with downtown and beyond; use taxi or rideshare from DSM.
- After dark: Restaurants, cocktail bars and LGBTQ+ venues sustain an evening scene; East Fifth is not a guaranteed quiet-night alternative to Court Avenue.
- Rates: Typical Axel rate $176 a night
Where to stay in Des Moines: every neighborhood ranked
Where to look in East Village
- East Locust at Second Street. Stay near the river crossing for walking into western downtown while keeping East Village restaurants within reach. Hotels here: Staybridge Suites Des Moines Downtown by IHG.
- East Grand, Fourth to Fifth. Choose these blocks for shops, dinner and drinks close together; they suit evenings out more than a retreat from nightlife. Hotels here: AC Hotel Des Moines East Village.
How to choose
- Choose Staybridge Suites Des Moines Downtown by IHG if you need a kitchen, family-friendly suite layouts and breakfast included.
- Choose AC Hotel Des Moines East Village if you prefer minimalist rooms and a sixth-floor lounge, and can accept possible late-night noise.
What paying more buys
AC Hotel Des Moines East Village costs more than Staybridge Suites, buying contemporary styling and a sixth-floor restaurant and lounge. Staybridge is cheaper than most here and includes kitchen-equipped suites, breakfast and a pool. The premium is hard to justify for families or longer stays built around self-catering. Typical rates with Axel here run from $149 a night at Staybridge Suites Des Moines Downtown by IHG to $203 at AC Hotel Des Moines East Village (last 30 days).
The best hotels in East Village, ranked by Axel's take
Each hotel scored for what it is by Axel's own review; the rate is one stay Axel priced this week, beside the public rate for the same dates.
- Staybridge Suites Des Moines Downtown by IHG 8.7/10, practical 3-star all-suite hotel in the East Village. A strong East Village base with useful kitchens and a few service trade-offs. Why it's here: cheaper-than-most East Village suites with kitchens, included breakfast and family-friendly layouts. Accept: paid parking, weekly full housekeeping and variable breakfast consistency. $147 a night with Axel against $184 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $37 a night less (20%). Sign up free to book this rate
- AC Hotel Des Moines East Village 8.5/10, contemporary 3-star hotel in the walkable East Village. A strong East Village base, especially if restaurants and nightlife matter more than silence. Why it's here: modern minimalist comfort and a sixth-floor lounge for East Village evenings. Accept: possible late-night noise; parking and breakfast cost extra. $188 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate
