Amy F.
Yelp
Let me start by saying that I am giving this lodge 5 stars, not because it's a "five star hotel," but because it is what it is and it's unapologetic about it.
I have seen other reviews hollering "Gahhh! Stay away," but you should only follow their advice if you're accustomed to staying in corporate type hotels. As with other historic, older, privately owned inns, I will tell you: IF YOU WANT THE HILTON, STAY AT THE HILTON.
Now, for the good part:
Staff: check in was a breeze and the woman that checked us in couldn't have been nicer. Check in isn't until 4, but she told us that if we came back by 3, they would have a room ready. We went out for lunch and some shopping and browsing and by the time we were done, our room was ready.
The room: Despite the pearl clutching over the "dirty carpets" is a little silly. Are there stains on the carpet? Yes. Absolutely. That carpet is probably 60 years old and despite the stains, it's actually clean and free of any debris or dirt or whatever.
The room smelled and looked CLEAN. Is it loveworn? Yes. Could it use a bit of a facelift? Maybe - but ONLY if they can find the same carpet and wallpaper.
Speaking of wallpaper, the cloth wallpaper in our room (103) was SUCH a fun throwback to old time "road trip/Rte 66 days." It's BLUE. And cloth. And was probably incredibly expensive when it was new. Yep. It's a little worn as well, but that's part of the charm!
THE BED was clean and had a mattress cover (yes...I always check lol), the pillows were firm, and the sheets were crisp, but soft. I stayed in four hotels this trip and never slept so well. It was a great mattress.
THE AC ISSUE: So look - Billings in the summer is freaking hot, so the old AC can only keep up so much, but they have fans in the room to help circulate the air. We got ours as low as it would go, pointed the fan at the bed and slept like babies.
THE SHOWER: WORTH EVERYTHING! LOL! From Montana, to Wyoming, to North Dakota and back, none of the showers in the nicer hotels had as much water pressure or got as hot as this one. I loved it! Oh - so, once upon a time, there was a "whirlpool" feature in the tub. I didn't use it because, regardless of the "class" of hotel I'm in, I'd never use a jet tub that wasn't my own. They're never clean, ANYWHERE but your own home, so it wasn't an issue for me.
Other reviewers have complained about the water mist as you enter the lobby from the courtyard parking lot. There's another door if you don't want to run through it, but frankly, it's a welcoming cool-off from the Montana heat. If it were at a restaurant courtyard, you'd probably welcome it!
I don't want to give anyone any illusions that this is some polished "grand hotel." It's not. It's a cool, funky, awesome, old motel on the National Register of Historic Places, within walking distance of great shopping and food, and despite the classist comments about the people that are "permanent residents," is totally safe. I left all kinds of stuff in the car. Guess what? It was all still there in the morning.
If you have a fun sense of adventure and curiosity, this place is an excellent find.
If you need to be pampered and have your bottom powdered everywhere you go (and there's nothing wrong with it if you are) this probably isn't the place for you.