Centrally Located Serene Wooded Retreat w/ Hot Tub

Entire home in Des Moines, Iowa

  1. 9 guests
  2. 3 bedrooms
  3. 6 beds
  4. 2 baths
Hosted by Melissa
  1. Superhost
  2. 10 years hosting

Listing highlights

Top 5% of homes

This home is highly ranked based on ratings, reviews, and reliability.

Between Des Moines and Ankeny

A secluded wooded property that's still only about 15 minutes from downtown Des Moines

Hot tub and fire pits on 7 acres

A hot tub nestled among the trees on a wooded property with fire pits and trails to explore

A place guests return to

Guests keep coming back, with several reviewers noting they've returned or plan to
"...felt like we were tucked away in our own woods." - Ian

7 acres of space to roam. Spend time in the trees. Relax in the hot tub.

Plenty of space to enjoy the duo of a serene getaway paired with enticing nightlife minutes away.

Only minutes away from one of the most progressive dining and restaurant cultures in the Midwest.

"Cutest house on a secluded lot close to downtown! Loved this rental so much!" - Marissa

The space
We are a family of 5 and this is our primary residence. Would be a perfect place for a family to stay with enough space for a couple of families. Or just a great space for anyone wanting to have a peaceful stay in the trees.


OUTDOOR SPACE

Short trails in our trees for you to enjoy. Various wildflowers throughout the spring and summer. During the winter you can follow animal tracks in the snow.

Large 6 person hot tub to relax while you enjoy the view of the trees.

Two areas with fire pits. Outdoor table near the house if you want to eat outside. Large wrap around porch with swings to sit and relax.

"The home is beautiful and the grounds are fabulous. We saw a few deer every morning just outside the front door. The hot tub was a great way to end each day. We will definitely be returning!" - Diann


BEDROOMS

The master bedroom has a King size bed and a master bathroom attached with a walk-in shower.

"One of my favorite places I’ve stayed! Very quiet and comfortable indoors and out!" - Tiffany

The 2nd bedroom has a King size bed and a large closet with space to hang your clothes and a dresser for you to use.

The 3rd bedroom is a large loft area with triple Twin size bunk beds and Queen size bed. There is no door that closes off that area but it is upstairs and offers privacy. Plenty of toys for your kids to enjoy.

"This home is even more perfect in person than it is in the photos. The inside is filled with cozy spaces and beautiful design accents. The outdoor living space is one of the best I’ve ever seen from the hammocks and swing on the porch to the sitting area with a smokeless fire pit to the hot tub and outdoor dining area, all lit by hanging lights. We spent a perfect fall weekend with friends here. I’d highly recommend it!" - Jennifer


AMENETIES

- Kitchen stocked with cooking supplies/utensils.
- Kitchen table can seat up to 8, with 5 additional spots around the island.
- Coffee and tea.
- Soft water.

We will communicate mostly over the phone via text. The entire house will be yours so we will not be on the property.

"Spending Christmas with family at this property felt like a Hallmark movie. This beautiful home had everything we needed, wanted and more. We used the kitchen to cook all of our meals, including Christmas dinner -- the kitchen had everything we needed. We really enjoyed the wood-burning fire place and hot tub." - Jennifer

Other things to note
We have a glamping tent tucked into the trees that we also rent out on Airbnb. It's far enough away from the house that you will still have space and privacy. You may see a parked car but shouldn't see other people unless they are driving on or off the property. If your group is larger than 9 you may want to see if you can rent both the house and the tent.

"We rented both the house and tent for a group of 12. Plenty of wonderful spaces to gather together or retreat to privacy." - Jenny

✅ This property has special local compliance requirements which include a signed rental agreement, ID verification, and a security hold of $1,000 (which is not a traditional security deposit, just a pending transaction). As an optional alternative to the security hold, you may opt in to purchase a non-refundable damage waiver provided by a third-party insurance company. The optional damage waiver is $45 for stays up to 10 nights, with an additional $1.50 per day for stays longer than 10 nights. Damage waiver purchases are optional.

To make this process easy for you, we use a secure and very simple, app-free platform called Happy Guest. It is not an app, and you do not have to sign up for an account - it’s a safe and secure website. It also gives you a guest portal with all the info about the home and all of my favorite local spots.

Your guest portal includes advertisements with third-party upgrades that you may want to enhance your stay. These upgrades are optional and include:
🛎️ Early Check-In: Early check-in is sometimes available, but not guaranteed. If the home is ready early, the hour before check-in time is always free, and if you’d like to get in earlier, it’s $20/hr.
😴 Late Check-Out: Late check-out is sometimes available, but not guaranteed. If it is available, it’s $50/hr.
🔥🍫 Ultimate S’mores Package: Includes Hershey's Chocolate, Ghiradelli Chocolate, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, Marshmallows & Graham Crackers. $50

If you have any questions, just message us anytime! Happy to help!

Where you’ll sleep

1 of 2 pages

What this place offers

Kitchen
Wifi
Free parking on premises
Private hot tub
TV

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Rated 4.97 out of 5 from 112 reviews.

Guest favorite
This home is in the top 5% of eligible listings based on ratings, reviews, and reliability

Overall rating

  1. 5 stars, 97% of reviews
  2. 4 stars, 3% of reviews
  3. 3 stars, 0% of reviews
  4. 2 stars, 0% of reviews
  5. 1 stars, 0% of reviews

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for cleanliness

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for accuracy

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for check-in

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for communication

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for location

Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars for value

Guest reviews mention

Where you’ll be

Des Moines, Iowa, United States
This listing's location is verified and the exact location will be provided after booking.

Neighborhood highlights

LOCATION

We are in between Des Moines and Ankeny. Only a couple of miles away from Interstate 80/35 so it's quick and easy to get anywhere in the Des Moines metro.

1.5 miles away from a convenience store/gas station. About seven minutes away to the nearest grocery store, coffee house, restaurant, etc.

"The house is adorable and the location is perfect - not far from the interstate, close to Saylorville Lake where we went boating, and only 15 minutes from downtown Des Moines." - Kennedy


SECLUDED AREA

There is enough space between our house and the next that you never see our neighbors. Past the trees on our property it is mostly fields, so it's a secluded spot.

"A great getaway that feels secluded from the hustle bustle, but super convenient to restaurants and entertainment in Des Moines and Ankeny. Very clean, everything is easy to find in the Airbnb and well organized." - Melanie

We do have a glamping tent tucked into the trees. If the tent is rented out during your stay you may see a parked car, but the tent is far enough in the trees that you shouldn't see the other guests.

Meet your host

Superhost
433 reviews
4.98 out of 5 average rating
10 years of hosting
Born in the 70s
Where I went to school: Iowa State
We are an Iowa family who loves to travel. Our kids love to explore and stay at new places. We have a lot of flexibility in our schedule which allows us to go almost whenever we want. We love Jesus and value the principles that he set forth for us. One of the favorite verses that we talk about a lot is one that our son learned when in preschool - "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as in Christ, God forgave you." We love being outside. Hiking trails, going swimming or playing at parks would be the kids favorite activities.

Melissa is a Superhost

Superhosts are experienced, highly rated hosts who are committed to providing great stays for guests.

Co-hosts

  • Mark

Host details

Response rate: 100%
Responds within an hour
To help protect your payment, always use Airbnb to send money and communicate with hosts.

Things to know

Cancellation policy
House rules
Check-in after 3:00 PM
Checkout before 11:00 AM
9 guests maximum
Safety & property
Exterior security cameras on property
Carbon monoxide alarm
Smoke alarm