Hotel Grinnell: A New Meaning to “Old School”

“Old School” has a whole new meaning when it comes to the Hotel Grinnell!  Across from Central Park in Grinell, Iowa, you’ll find an old school that has been beautifully restored and renovated into a boutique hotel!  Owners Angela & Steve have painstakingly turned this historic building into a place you’ll want to come back to again and again. 

The building has not only been a school, but also a community center for 26 years.  Lucky for us (and all travelers), Steve and Angela purchased the building in 2016 and began their adventure.  Now, it’s a great stay with just over 40 rooms, which gives it cozy and intimate feeling plus lots of other amenities to make sure your stay is the best one possible!

Thank you to the Hotel Grinnell for hosting our stay with them! All thoughts and opinions are 100% authentic and our own. For more details, please see the Disclosure Tab.

Guest Rooms

There are a variety of options for rooms for you to pick from when you stay at the Hotel Grinnell! And the “Old School” features are what set this spot apart from the other options! Our room, a King Loft was beautifully done with a king-size bed, large TV mounted on the wall, a Keurig (that’s the new touches), but the high ceilings (my favorite part) and the original wood floors make it “Old School Cool”.

Each room is done in modern black, whites, and grays, but the warm original wood tones give it a cozy feel! The showers are luxurious with their rain heads and glass partitions! The beds are cozy and pillows plentiful!

If you’re traveling with a group (think girls weekend), make sure to check out their Bunk Rooms, which can sleep up to 10 people with unique bunk beds!

Food & Drink – the Periodic Table

Don’t worry, no science class is required to enjoy this Periodic Table. Located inside the Hotel Grinnell, you’ll find this wonderful little spot for a craft cocktail or small bite! Craft cocktails and locally brewed beers make this spot stand out from the other bars in the area! They only carry high end liquors and homemake all their syrups for cocktails, etc.

Here, drinking on “school grounds” is encouraged (but still no smoking in the boys room)! 😉 So, of course we had to indulge! I decided to try the Berry Shrub. This beautiful drink of house-made berry tonic, soda, and rosemary was delicious. You can choose to go for the non-alcoholic version or “booze it up”! I opted to add in the french vanilla Ciroc and it was the perfect touch!

You can also snag some small bites here. The menu changes and is limited, but it all looked (and smelled) delicious. The weekend we visited, they were offering Japenese noodles, pico & chips, flat bread options, cheesecake, and triple layer chocolate cake. Unfortunately, due to my gluten allergy we weren’t able to try any or I would have had a visit to the “nurses office”.

The Periodic Table is also home to their light breakfast which is free of charge when you stay on site! Oatmeal, cereal, pastries, fresh fruit, and yogurt were the staple options along with mini egg bakes topped with pico! Don’t forget the coffee, chocolate milk, orange juice, and almond milk!

Extra Curricular Activites

Whether you’re looking for things to do on site of the Hotel Grinnell or in Grinnell itself, you’ll find a friendly community with many things to offer!

Inside The Periodic Table, you’ll find an abundance of board games, shuffle board, and giant Scrabble. During the summer months enjoy the fire pits on the patio along with bags and free live music! Finally, Hotel Grinnell offers several bicycles that those visiting are free to use to explore town!

Around Grinnell

Central Park

Central Park is situated directly across the street from Hotel Grinnell and a great place to explore, even in the winter! They recently went under a massive renovation which includes a new band-shell (that offers live music on Thursday nights in the summer), shelters, a splash pad, and a great playground. The History Walk is another great feature of the park as you can learn about the history of Grinnell along with important people, businesses, and events.

Main Street Grinnell

Main street Grinnell and the historic downtown area has lots to offer! Between restaurants, coffee shops, a theatre, and locally owned shops you can spend quite a bit of time exploring this area. While you’re there, enjoy the historic buildings and architecture. Also downtown is the Grinnell Arts Center which offers a variety of art displays and events!

Old School is Cool at Hotel Grinnell

Hotel Grinnell is a great location in central Iowa with a lot to offer! The old school touches mixed with modern amenities make this stop a great destination. Grinnell, with its expansive downtown and the bunkhouses at the hotel, would make for a great girls weekend! The friendliness of the staff and the quiet facilities make this kind of “old school” super cool!

Looking for other fun places to stay?! Check out the most Unique Midwest Hotels, Lodges, and Bed & Breakfasts by clicking HERE!

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