Deck Those Halls — Memorable Iowa Holiday Events in Banquet and Reception Halls

Yes, you did see it. That was tinsel and glitter on display in the stores … in September! Tis’ the season to start thinking about the ho-ho-ho-holidays! And what better place for your holiday happening than a hall? Whether located in a hotel or an event center, halls offer a host of amenities, food options, and wide open spaces that you simply can’t find anywhere else.

With the twinkling lights of a festive city scape, cozy, comfortable rooms on site, mouthwatering menu options and spacious event facilities, a hotel banquet hall downtown might just be at the top of your wish list. With the option of an overnight stay for your guests, plus the convenience of a centrally located urban venue, Iowa hotels like Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel, Des Moines; Hotel Julien Dubuque; and DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cedar Rapids Convention Complex, are like the gifts that keep on giving. On-site bar/lounge, nearby restaurants and walking distance to shopping, theaters and more, might just tempt your attendees to gift themselves with more than a single night’s stay.

However, if your guests will be arriving via reindeer-pulled sleigh or the more contemporary airplane, it might be nice to claim a space a little closer to the airport. Many airport hotels not only offer shuttle services for their guests, but boast gorgeous guest rooms, onsite restaurants, lounges and catering, amazing banquet spaces, as well as business centers, fitness centers, and indoor pools. For these plus other amenities galore, your guests will have a holly jolly time at the Baymont Inn + Suites Airport Conference Center in Des Moines and Holiday Inn Des Moines-Airport | Conference Center.

Baby, it might be cold outside, but your event is really going to heat up when it’s held in the country at a resort. Spacious ballrooms, onsite catering of buffet or plated dinners, professional staff, beverage service, plus comfortable guest rooms and gorgeous grounds make them something you’d probably ask Santa to deliver. But there’s no need when all that and more is available at places like Grand Harbor Resort + Waterpark.

Falalalala, there’s nothing more fun than congregating at a casino. Not only do you typically have banquet halls that hold hundreds, but your guests can also revel in exceptional food and service, onsite hotels, onsite shopping, renowned entertainment, and of course, gaming. Bet you can’t find anyplace better, so when it comes time to choose you’ll definitely want to consider Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo, Wild Rose Casino + Resort Emmetsburg, and the new Hard Rock Hotel + Casino Sioux City.

Reindeer games really ramp up at reception halls. Whether they’re onsite at entertainment destinations like PIZAZZ! Entertainment + Casino Resort with year-round gaming and racing, the Planet X Fun Center in Cedar Rapids with bowling and arcade games, or elegant and unique venues like Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, The RiverCenter | Adler Theatre in Davenport, or Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, your guests are sure to be impressed. 

It’s really the most wonderful time of the year when you can have a holiday happening at a space that’s beyond grand. Consider the classics with a soiree at Living History Farms in Urbandale, the National Mississippi River Museum + Aquarium in Des Moines or seasonably splendid at the Iowa Arboretum.

Big or small, when you deck those halls, your event is sure to rock all the way around the yuletide tree! Check out our complete listing of Iowa banquet halls and hotel banquet halls for events here.