The Guttenberg Motel
927 US-52
Guttenberg, IA
A 1940s motor court on the Great River Road, kept with care.
About The Guttenberg Motel
The Guttenberg Motel is privately owned and run by Dave and Patty Schwarz, and it shows in every small thing. The office sits behind a log-cabin front, and check-in still happens the old way, with an actual metal key handed across the counter rather than a plastic card. The bones are pure 1940s motor court, a single row of rooms you can pull up right in front of, but the care is entirely present-day. Repeat guests mention Patty by name, and many have been coming back for years, which is usually the truest thing you can say about a small motel.
What The Guttenberg Motel Is Known For
What Dave and Patty are proudest of is the welcome. This is a small, owner-run motor court where the hosts remember you, the rooms are honestly clean, and the details, from the log-cabin office to the firepit out back, are looked after by the people who own the place. Year after year, guests return not for anything flashy but for exactly that: a well-kept room, a real key, and someone glad to see them pull in.
Amenities
- In-room premium coffee
- Microwave and refrigerator in room
- Television
- Back patio with firepit and grill
- Outdoor seating and seasonal flowers
- Log-cabin office and real metal keys
- Free parking right at your door
What Guests Love
- Genuine 1940s motor court character, kept fresh and clean
- Owner-run by Dave and Patty, who treat guests like returning friends
- A back patio with a firepit and grill for slow evenings
- Steps from the Great River Road and the Mississippi in a charming river town
- Honest value, with repeat guests who come back year after year
Worth Knowing
- This is a vintage single-story motor court, so rooms can feel small and simply furnished rather than resort-sized.
- The rooms line up close to US-52, so front-facing units sit near the sidewalk and roadside; light sleepers may prefer a quieter room.
- It is a small, independent, owner-run place, not a chain, so expect character and personal service over a front desk that never sleeps.
The Room
The rooms have been remodeled and kept fresh, comfortable, and clean. Inside you will find modern comforts alongside the vintage character, including in-room premium coffee to start the morning, a microwave and refrigerator, and a television. Guests routinely describe the beds as comfortable and the rooms as well cared for, a good value for what you pay.
The Grounds
Out back is where the motel opens up into something more like a gathering spot. There is a patio with a firepit and a grill, along with comfortable seating for slow evenings, and planters and flowers that the owners tend through the season. It is a simple, welcoming stretch of ground, the kind of place where you end up talking to the people in the next room.
The Experience
Staying here is a proper Great River Road stay. Guttenberg is a German-heritage town on the Mississippi, tucked into the bluffs of the Driftless, and the motel puts you within easy reach of the river, the lock and dam, the riverfront, and the scenic drives that thread up and down this stretch of water. It is unhurried, friendly, and rooted in place in a way the interstate never manages.
Details
Guttenberg, IA 52052
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does The Guttenberg Motel serve breakfast?
No, breakfast is not included at The Guttenberg Motel.
What is there to do near The Guttenberg Motel?
Great River Road: Adjacent to the property. Pikes Peak State Park: 25 miles, about a 50 minute drive. Effigy Mounds National Monument: 35 miles, about a 1 hour 10 minute drive.
How far is The Guttenberg Motel from Great River Road?
Great River Road is right next door to The Guttenberg Motel.
How far is The Guttenberg Motel from Pikes Peak State Park?
Pikes Peak State Park is about 25 miles from The Guttenberg Motel, roughly a 50 minute drive.
How far is The Guttenberg Motel from Effigy Mounds National Monument?
Effigy Mounds National Monument is about 35 miles from The Guttenberg Motel, roughly a 1 hour 10 minute drive.
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Things to Do Near Great River Road / Driftless
Great River Road at Guttenberg
0.7 miles away
At Guttenberg the Great River Road squeezes between tall limestone bluffs and the Mississippi in Iowa's Driftless Area, locally called Little Switzerland.
Pikes Peak State Park overlook
16 miles away
Pikes Peak State Park caps a 500-foot bluff above the Mississippi near McGregor, one of the highest points on the river and one of the widest views in Iowa.
Field of Dreams Movie Site
19 miles away
The Field of Dreams movie site near Dyersville is the actual ballfield and farmhouse from the 1989 movie, still set in the corn.
Villa Louis
20 miles away
Most travelers rushing along the Mississippi never turn off for Prairie du Chien, and they miss one of the finest Victorian estates in the Midwest.
Effigy Mounds National Monument
35 miles, about a 1 hour 10 minute drive.
Preserved prehistoric earthen mounds, many shaped like animals, set on forested bluffs above the Mississippi with trails and river views.