Stuart Motor Lodge
203 SW 7th St
Stuart, IA
Pull right up to your door at a small-town motor lodge that looks brand new inside
This property is an Honorable Mention. It has been vetted and approved for our highest standards of cleanliness, safety, and operational excellence. While it is still evolving toward our full design-led designation, it is a proven, reliable anchor for any road trip. We recommend it with confidence.
About Stuart Motor Lodge
For years this was a plain little motor lodge on the edge of Stuart, an easy pull-off just south of the interstate. Local, American owners took it over and refreshed it thoroughly, adding a new roof, new carpet, updated sinks and bathrooms, and new heating and cooling throughout. Guests notice the difference right away, and the reviews return to the same words again and again: super clean, and it looks like new.
What Stuart Motor Lodge Is Known For
This is a small, owner-run motel that takes cleanliness seriously and treats guests like neighbors. Freshly refreshed and genuinely welcoming, it is the honest overnight a road trip is glad to find.
Amenities
- Pets Welcome
- Park at your door
- 24-hour lobby coffee
- In-room microwave and refrigerator
- Flat-screen TVs
- Pet-friendly
- Free Wi-Fi
What Guests Love
- Fully refreshed inside and kept genuinely spotless
- Pull right up to your own door
- Warm, welcoming local ownership
- Easy stop just off I-80 west of Des Moines
Worth Knowing
- This is a clean, basic motel, not a design destination or full-service hotel
- It is a small property, so plan ahead on busy travel weekends
- Rooms open to the outdoors in the classic motor-lodge layout
The Room
Rooms are simple, spacious, and kept genuinely spotless, with comfortable queen beds, a flat-screen TV, and a microwave and refrigerator. The furnishings are recently updated, and you park right outside your door.
The Grounds
This is a classic single-story motor lodge, so you pull right up to your room and carry your bags a few steps inside. The lobby keeps coffee going around the clock, and the whole place is easy to get in and out of when you are back on the road early.
The Experience
Stuart makes a handy base for the covered bridges of Madison County and the John Wayne Birthplace and Museum in nearby Winterset, both an easy drive south. Des Moines and its restaurants, museums, and ballparks are a short run east on the interstate, and the small towns and farm roads around Stuart are pleasant country in their own right.
Details
Stuart, IA 50250
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stuart Motor Lodge pet friendly?
Yes. Stuart Motor Lodge welcomes pets. Contact the property to confirm current pet fees and any restrictions before you book.
Does Stuart Motor Lodge serve breakfast?
No, breakfast is not included at Stuart Motor Lodge.
What is there to do near Stuart Motor Lodge?
Madison County Covered Bridges: 22 miles, about a 45 minute drive. John Wayne Birthplace and Museum: 24 miles, about a 50 minute drive. Des Moines: 42 miles, about a 1 hour 25 minute drive.
How far is Stuart Motor Lodge from Madison County Covered Bridges?
Madison County Covered Bridges is about 22 miles from Stuart Motor Lodge, roughly a 45 minute drive.
How far is Stuart Motor Lodge from John Wayne Birthplace and Museum?
John Wayne Birthplace and Museum is about 24 miles from Stuart Motor Lodge, roughly a 50 minute drive.
How far is Stuart Motor Lodge from Des Moines?
Des Moines is about 42 miles from Stuart Motor Lodge, roughly a 1 hour 25 minute drive.
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Things to Do Near Stuart, just off I-80 west of Des Moines
Madison County Covered Bridges
18 miles away
Six weathered 1800s wooden covered bridges are scattered across the farm roads around Winterset, about a half hour southwest of Des Moines off Interstate 80.
John Wayne Birthplace and Museum
20 miles away
The plain four-room house where Marion Morrison, the future John Wayne, was born in 1907, restored to its period look, sits beside the only museum in the world devoted to the Duke, holding the largest collection of his a...
Living History Farms
30 miles away
Living History Farms near Des Moines lets kids step through three centuries of Iowa in an afternoon, moving between a 1700 Ioway village, an 1850 pioneer farm, a 1900 horse powered farm, and an 1875 town with working sho...
Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway
36 miles away
Iowa's stretch of the Lincoln Highway, America's first coast-to-coast road, laid out in 1913 and now a marked heritage byway.
Des Moines
42 miles, about a 1 hour 25 minute drive.
Iowa's capital, with its golden-domed statehouse, sculpture park, science center, and a lively downtown of restaurants.