Ranch Inn

For tourists who prioritize rates and location over amenities, the Ranch Inn reliably delivers. It's a friendly and casual place offering affordable rooms in a convenient downtown spot. The original two-story building sits right on busy East Pearl Avenue and has exterior corridors and staircases. A cozy covered porch area is a great people-watching spot. It also has excellent views of some of the area’s famous ski runs. The small lobby is essentially a corridor for checking-in and moving onto your room. It’s bright, thanks to lots of windows, but there’s nowhere to sit. Lovely photos of spectacular local scenery are a nice touch, and postcards are for sale. The sunny breakfast room invites a bit more lingering, although it's a long, narrow space with only a few tables that won’t accommodate everyone during peak hours. Still, it’s the only gathering place for guests who otherwise stick to themselves at this busy motel-style property. 

The Ranch Inn has a surprisingly convenient location for a budget property. It’s just a three-minute walk from Jackson’s historic Town Square. Located on East Pearl Avenue, the Ranch is near a world of dining and shopping options, including some restaurants next door or directly across the street. The hotel’s original building sits right on the road with a fire station across the street, so traffic noise can be heard at times. The Jackson Hole Mountain Resort at Teton Village is 24 minutes away by car, and the Snow King Resort slopes are just a four-minute drive. The National Elk Refuge is about five minutes away by car. Jackson Hole Airport is 14 minutes driving, and Craig Thomas Visitor Center, a starting point for Grand Teton National Park, is 20 minutes away. Yellowstone National Park is approximately 75 minutes driving. 

Guest rooms could be considered part of the compromise of staying at the Ranch Inn. Overall, they're simple and dated, suffering from frumpy bedspreads, garish carpeting, and generic artwork. Their wood furniture varies a bit from brass-handled and old fashioned to IKEA-like and modern, but none of it feels particularly pulled together. Standard rooms have plain acrylic vanities outside their bathrooms holding acrylic shower/tub inserts. Suites and Tower rooms have larger bathrooms, with similar vanities both inside and outside, as well as nicer tile framing their shower/tub inserts. On the upside, all rooms are generally well-maintained and spacious, even Standard Double Queens offer enough space to include desks and small oval tables with two chairs (Kings have sofas). The newer Tower Rooms and Suites are also larger and feature more amenities, including coffeemakers, microwaves, and mini-fridges—but all rooms have flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. Suites also have wood-burning fireplaces and kitchenettes with wet bars, counters, and dishes. Your room category will also dictate your view: Tower Rooms and Suites have balconies with tables and chairs as well as excellent views of local ski runs. Standard rooms simply overlook the property grounds or the street, and those in the latter category tend to hear more ambient traffic noise, although it does die down at night. 

As expected for a budget, no-frills property, Ranch Inn has limited amenities. But it does offer a few value-added freebies, starting with a free continental breakfast that includes yogurt, cereal, fruit, bagels, and pastries. Coffee and tea are free all day, too. There is plenty of free parking on the hotel’s surface lot, including spaces directly in front of some ground-floor rooms. Wi-Fi is free, and there's a computer available for guests' use in the breakfast room, and the guest laundry room has one washer/dryer set. Be aware that only the newer, tower section has elevator service—the original two-story building does not.