A long-anticipated University Heights hotel opened earlier this month just steps away from Kinnick Stadium.
Courtyard by Marriott Iowa City University Heights began receiving guests June 3, offering what hotel officials called “a sophisticated yet comfortable environment for guests to elevate their travel experience.”
Located at 901 Melrose Ave., the 140-room hotel will operate as a Marriott franchise owned and operated by Hawk Hospitality of Iowa City. In addition to its close proximity to the stadium, the hotel offers convenient access to other university athletic facilities, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics and the UI’s Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
The hotel features more than 13,000 square feet of meeting space to accommodate events for up to 500 people including a unique rooftop patio with views of Kinnick Stadium.
“My vision was to create a space for visitors and residents to enjoy and share in University Height’s motto, ‘The Height of Good Living,’” said hotel owner Greg Stiltner in a release.
The hotel’s design is “unique and intuitive,” it said in a statement, offering room to recharge with multifunctional space for working, sleeping and relaxing. Upon arrival, guests can unwind within modern guestrooms featuring plush bedding, a luggage drop, hospitality cabinet and outlets where most needed. The décor features classic, clean lines and solid colors. Other guest room amenities include a 55-inch flat-panel television, in-room refrigerator, microwave, and complimentary Wi-Fi.
The Courtyard by Marriott Iowa City University Heights features an open lobby that includes the Bistro restaurant, which the hotel called the lobby’s “epicenter.” An upscale, fast casual dining destination, The Bistro offers a variety of fresh classic American menu items with a contemporary twist and an array of craft cocktails, local beer and wine, as well as a Starbucks counter. The Bistro’s large outdoor patio area includes gas firepits and six TVs for sports enthusiasts.
The six-story hotel also features an indoor swimming pool, valet and shuttle service, an expanded fitness center and guest laundry facilities.
