Title: Once Upon a Stay - Urbandale, Iowa Reviews, Deals & Photos 2025 - Expedia.co.uk [See all properties](http://www.expedia.co.uk/Hotel-Search?regionId=&adults=2&children=&sort=RECOMMENDED&useRewards=false&semdtl=&userIntent=&vip=false) Entire home # Once Upon a Stay - Urbandale, Iowa ![Living area](https://images.trvl-media.com/lodging/111000000/110790000/110789800/110789796/493eafe9.jpg?impolicy=resizecrop&rw=598&ra=fit) ![Private kitchen](https://images.trvl-media.com/lodging/111000000/110790000/110789800/110789796/51b60097.jpg?impolicy=resizecrop&rw=297&ra=fit) ![Living area](https://images.trvl-media.com/lodging/111000000/110790000/110789800/110789796/dbfdedf3.jpg?impolicy=resizecrop&rw=297&ra=fit) ![Exterior](https://images.trvl-media.com/lodging/111000000/110790000/110789800/110789796/7d064c30.jpg?impolicy=resizecrop&rw=297&ra=fit) ![Terrace/patio](https://images.trvl-media.com/lodging/111000000/110790000/110789800/110789796/d402477c.jpg?impolicy=resizecrop&rw=297&ra=fit) - Overview - Amenities - Policies - Location Once Upon a Stay - Urbandale, Iowa provides laundry facilities and more. Stay connected with in-room WiFi. 10 Exceptional ### Entire home 5 bedrooms4 bathrooms ## Popular amenities - Dryer - Washer - Pet-friendly - Air conditioning ## Add dates for prices Check-in Check-out Travellers ## About this property ### Entire place You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party. ### Once Upon a Stay - Urbandale, Iowa Unwind in this exquisite, book-themed retreat where every chapter of your stay is filled with comfort, relaxation, and entertainment. Whether you're hosting a family reunion, wedding party, work travel, a reading retreat, or just looking for a cozy getaway, Once Upon a Stay is the perfect backdrop for your story. (This home is under new management! We are experienced hosts with a great track record with guests, just switching up how we do things this year - we look forward to hosting you!) Thoughtfully designed with soft pastel hues, literary-inspired décor, and cozy nooks, Once Upon a Stay is a haven for book lovers and those looking for a unique, relaxing escape. Home Highlights: \- Event-Ready: Perfect for special events like family reunions, weddings, and corporate retreats with spacious gathering areas. \- Fully Equipped Kitchen: Has all you need for preparing meals or hosting a dinner party, stocked with all the essentials. \- Living Areas: The open living areas offer comfortable seating, board games, and a library of books to lose yourself in. Let the natural light and luxurious finishes create a space you’ll never want to leave. \- Outdoor Spaces: Relax in the backyard, complete with covered dining table, outdoor furniture, a BBQ grill, and plenty of room for storytelling around the fire or sipping wine on the patio. \- Work-Friendly: A peaceful office space with a desk or comfy chairs, for those mixing business with pleasure. \- Furry Friends Welcome: With a dog door leading to a fenced backyard, your pets can roam freely and enjoy the stay just as much as you do. ($75 non-refundable pet fee; max of 2 pets). \- Electric Car Charging Station: Keep your EV charged and ready to go. \- Garage Parking: 2 spaces in the garage, including 1 electric vehicle charger, plus additional free driveway/street parking. Nearby Attractions: Located in the heart of Urbandale, Once Upon a Stay is close to parks, trendy cafes, and shops, offering both city convenience and quiet retreat vibes. You’re also a short drive from popular attractions like: \- Kollmorgen Park - 2 minute drive \- Barrett Boesen Park - 4 minute drive \- Horizon's Ridge Park - 4 minute drive \- Central Standard - 8 minute drive \- Kue'd Smokehouse - 8 minute drive \- Waukee Triumph Park - 8 minute drive \- Mickey's Irish Pub - 9 minute drive \- Kinship Brewing - 11 minute drive \- Waukee Ice Cream Shoppe - 12 minute drive \- The Brenton Arboretum - 16 minute drive \- Raccoon River Park - 19 minute drive \- Paws and Pints - 20 minute drive \- Downtown Des Moines - 20 minute drive \- Wells Fargo Arena - 20 minute drive \- Grays Lake - 25 minute drive \- Iowa State Fair - 28 minute drive \- Saylorville lake - 30 minute drive Planning a book weekend with friends? Let us know! We can provide a planning spreadsheet to get you started. Here's a list of some local bookstores to visit during your stay: \- Wandering Raccoon Books - 11 minute drive (6 miles) \- Half Price Books - 14 minute drive (7 miles) \- Beaverdale Books - 22 minute drive (10 miles) \- Reading in Public Bookstore + Cafe - 20 minute drive (12 miles) \- The Little Book - 22 minute drive (14 miles) \- StoryHouse Bookpub - 22 minute drive (16 miles) \- Plain Talks Books & Coffee - 22 minute drive (16 miles) \- Nos Books - 21 minute drive (14 miles) Bedrooms: \- BR1: A king bed with ensuite master bathroom \- BR2: A full bed \- BR3: 2 Twin beds \- BR4: 2 Twin beds, one bed can be expanded to a king size if needed \- BR5: A queen bed (lower level) House Rules: \- No smoking \- Pets allowed for a non-refundable $75 fee (max 2 pets) \- No filming or professional movie shoots \- Must be 25+ to book \- Please report any damages that occur during your stay Book Now & Begin Your Story: Whether you're here to relax, celebrate, or embark on a new adventure, Once Upon a Stay is the perfect setting to create unforgettable memories. ## Property amenities ### Internet - Available in the house: WiFi ### Bedrooms - 5 bedrooms - Bedsheets provided ### Bathroom - 3.5 bathrooms - Bathtub or shower - Hair dryer - Shower - Soap - Toilet paper - Towels provided ### Laundry - Laundry facilities - Washing machine ### Comfort - Air conditioning - Heating ### Pets - Pet friendly - 2 pets total ### Suitability/Accessibility - Smoke-free property ### Services and conveniences - Iron/ironing board ### Safety features - Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property) - Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property) ## Policies ### Special check-in instructions You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions ### Pets Pets are allowed Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees 2 total pets ### Children and extra beds Children are welcome ### Events No events allowed ### Smoking Smoking is not permitted ## Important information ### You need to know This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking. Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation ## About the area ![Map](https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/staticmap?&size=660x330&map_id=3b266eb50d2997c6¢er=41.637524,-93.83394&zoom=13&channel=expedia-HotelInformation&maptype=roadmap&scale=1&path=color:0xFFFFF|weight:2|fillcolor:0x005AEB7F|enc:sed%7DFb%7Du%7BP%3FU%3FU%40Q%3FU%40U%40S%3FSBU%40S%40U%40SBSBSBUBS%40SDSBSDSBSDSDQDSDSDQFSDQFQDSFQFQHQFOFSHOFOHQFOHQHOJOHOHOHMJMHOJMJMJMJMJMJKJMJKLKJKLILMJILILKLGLIJINILGLGLGNGLGLENELENELGNCNCLCNELANENANANALANANAN%3FN%3FN%3FN%3FL%3FN%3FN%40N%40N%40N%40L%40N%40NDN%40LDNBLBNDNDLDNDLDLDNFLFLFLFNHLFLHLHLHJHLHLHLLJHLJJJJJLLJJHLLLJLHLJLHNJLJLHPHLHNHNHPHNFPHNFNHRFNFPFPFPDRFPFPDRFPDRDRBPDRDRBRDRBRBRBRBTBR%40R%40RBT%40R%40T%40R%40R%3FT%40T%3FP%3FT%3FT%3FR%3FT%3FRAT%3FRARATATARCRARATCRCTCPCRCRETCRERERCPERERGPERGPGPEPGPGRGPGNIPGPINGNIPINIPILININKNKLILKNILKLMLIJKLMJKLKJMJKHMJMJMHKFMJMFMJMFOFMHMFMDOFMDMFODMDOBODMDOBMBOBOBOBM%3FOBO%40O%3FO%40O%40M%3FO%3FO%3FO%3FOAOAO%3FMAOCO%3FOCOCMCOCMCOEOCMEOEMEOGMEMGOEMGMIMGOGKKMGMIMIMIKKMKMIKKMKKMKKKMKKKMKMKMKOIMKMIOIMIQKMIQIOGQIOGOIQGQGOIQGSGQEQGQEQGSEQESESEQESCSESCSEUASCQCUCSCUASASASCU%3FUASAS%3FUAS%3FU%3FS&key=AIzaSyCYjQus5kCufOpSj932jFoR_AJiL9yiwOw&signature=YpVP0FjJPUNgSLKbDsquOWNtvXY=) Urbandale, IA #### What's nearby - Mercy Medical Center West Lakes - 9 min drive - 5.2 miles - Living History Farms - 9 min drive - 5.4 miles - UnityPoint Health - Methodist West Hospital - 10 min drive - 5.4 miles - Jordan Creek Town Center - 11 min drive - 6.3 miles - Drake University - 20 min drive - 14.7 miles #### Getting around - Des Moines International Airport (DSM) - 37 min drive #### Restaurants - ‪Hy-Vee Market Grille Express - ‬5 min drive - ‪McDonald's - ‬7 min drive - ‪Dairy Queen - ‬7 min drive - ‪Casey's General Store - ‬4 min drive - ‪Burger King - ‬6 min drive ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Once Upon a Stay - Urbandale, Iowa pet-friendly? > Yes, this property allows pets (limit 2 total). ### Where is Once Upon a Stay - Urbandale, Iowa located? > Situated in Urbandale, this holiday home is within 1 mile (2 km) of Walnut Creek Hills Park and Brookshire Open Space. Country Club West Plaza and Wildwood Park are also within 3 miles (5 km). ## Have a question? Beta Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews. Ask a question ## Once Upon a Stay - Urbandale, Iowa Reviews 10 ### Exceptional All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.[More information](https://www.expedia.co.uk/lp/b/content-guidelines) ### 9.0 Cleanliness ### 10 Location 10 - Excellent 2 8 - Good 0 6 - Okay 0 4 - Poor 0 2 - Terrible 0 ### 10/10 Excellent #### James M. 21 Jun 2025 Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy #### Excellent place One of our nicest places to stay, lots of attention to detail, lovely place ##### James M. Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025 ### 10/10 Excellent #### Shara L. 26 May 2025 Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy #### Here for wedding Beautiful home, Amazing communication, easy check in! We will definitely see if this is available next time we are in the area with a big group. We ended up having 6 of us instead of the full 10, but that was ok. 5 star rating only a 4 on cleaning because a few dishes put away dirty, but we wahsed them so not a big deal. 1000% recommend. Honestly wish had stayed 1 more day. It's a must see home. ##### Shara L. 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