When he evaluates hotels for possible conversion into extended-stay operations, Philip Schneider looks for interior hallways, a sprinkler system, removable ceiling tiles in the hallways to facilitate electrical work – and, of course, a good price. Schneider found everything he was looking for in the summer of 2004 at 11040 Hickman Road in Clive.

The hotel there was being operated as a Clarion Inn at the time, but its owner had entered into bankruptcy. Schneider bought the six-story building near the Interstate 35-80 interchange for $1.1 million.

Since then, he has spent another million dollars to transform the 157-room hotel into the Clive Hotel & Suites, a 100-room facility designed to accommodate people who are in Central Iowa on temporary work assignments, usually with large companies. About 35 of the rooms are available for traditional overnight hotel stays.

Schneider said an earlier extended-stay hotel venture required nearly a year of operation to reach capacity.

At the Clive Hotel & Suites, workers spent about 14 months on renovation, as they cut out some walls to create one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, and added cabinets and appliances to create a kitchen in each of those units.

The monthly rental rates are $550 for standard hotel rooms; $650 for furnished studios; $800 for one-bedroom units; and $1,200 for two-bedroom units.

Renters – who will soon include cast members of “The Lion King” during its run at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines – also can take advantage of wireless Internet access, use a business center that’s equipped with a computer, printer, copy machine and fax machine, and take a swim in the pool. Renters also are allowed to use the exercise facilities at the Aspen Athletic Club next door.

Schneider operates Schneider Management Co. and also owns extended-stay hotels at 2525 Grand Ave. in Des Moines and 3530 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines.

“I would like to do more, but they’re hard to find,” he said. “Some of the owners owe more on their hotel than I can afford to pay.”