The Hilton Garden Inn is spreading holiday cheer this winter with a five-week event in which a room at the hotel will be filled with hundreds of teddy bears in different shapes, sizes, and styles. The Inn hosts this event every year as an introduction to the holiday season, and it hopes to continue to do so for a long time to come.

Katie Carpenter works as the director of special events for the Iowa City Downtown District, and she is one of the main promoters of the Teddy Bear Room.

“I was in here yesterday and two kids came into the room. The look on their faces when they saw all the lights and decorations was adorable. Their eyes just lit up in happiness at all the activity going on,” Carpenter said.

She also mentioned the fact that the room not only cheers up young kids but also the parents and grandparents who accompany them.

“Coming up to this room is completely free,” Carpenter explained. “It’s fun and it gives the kids something to do.”

Visitors can easily access the Teddy Bear Room by checking in at the front desk. There, they will give out a key card that provides access to the eleventh floor, where the teddy bears are located. There is a return bucket for the key cards after each visit ends.

While the hotel does not charge admission into the room, there is an option for visitors to donate money to the Domestic Violence Intervention Program through the purchase of one of the miniature teddy bear ornaments hanging from the room’s Christmas tree.