133 N Canyon St, Us 20, 191 & 287, West Yellowstone, Montana, United States | (785) 214-4651
Great West Yellowstone location, minutes from Yellowstone National Park
Simple, spacious rooms with microwaves, mini-fridges, and coffeemakers
Free hot breakfast buffet with egg dishes
Heated indoor pool and whirlpool with a handful of loungers
Free property-wide Wi-Fi and on-site parking
On-site laundry facilities
Pets are welcome (for a fee)
Rates can spike quite high in peak season
Breakfast room can get very crowded
Wi-Fi service can be spotty sometimes
No on-site restaurant or bar
The Best Western Desert Inn is a budget property in the heart of West Yellowstone, in an area with plenty of restaurants and just a two-minute drive from the park entrance. This pet-friendly hotel is clean and well-maintained, with attractive amenities that include a free hot breakfast, laundry facilities, free Wi-Fi, and a heated indoor pool. Its 74 rooms are spacious and well equipped, with microwaves, mini-fridges, and coffeemakers, but bathrooms are small. Like other hotels in this world-famous destination, rates can spike quite high in peak season when it often fills up. The slightly pricier mid-range Holiday Inn - West Yellowstone is a good alternative and has a restaurant/bar, an indoor pool, free breakfast, and even a small casino.
Scene
Busy budget hotel with a rustic Western theme
The Desert Inn is a three-story budget hotel that gets tourists from around the world, along with plenty of tour bus groups staying here, especially during high season. Fitting for its rugged location, the lobby is decorated in a rustic Western theme, with wildlife art, Navajo rugs, and leather furniture with animal prints. Despite the low ceilings, the modest space is cheerful, as it gets lots of natural light from numerous windows. Amber wood frames the registration desk, the windows, and a partial wall that separates the lobby from the breakfast room. An elevator leads up to the rooms. The hotel is frequently full, and the breakfast room can get crowded beyond capacity in the morning. This property quiets down considerably in the off season.
Location
In the heart of West Yellowstone, surrounded by restaurants and near the national park entrance
The Best Western is located in the heart of West Yellowstone, just a two-minute drive or eight-minute walk from the western entrance of Yellowstone National Park. There are plenty of restaurants in the immediate area and a grocery store a five-minute walk away. The Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center and the Yellowstone IMAX Theater are about eight minutes from the hotel on foot or two minutes by car. Yellowstone's famed Old Faithful Geyser and other in-park attractions are under an hour's drive away. The Jackson Hole Airport is about two hours and 45 minutes south of the hotel, while Salt Lake City International Airport is about four hours and 45 minutes away.
Rooms
Clean and spacious -- if generic -- rooms with coffeemakers, microwaves, and mini-fridges
Rooms at the Desert Inn are quiet and dark, with smallish windows, and generic and easily forgotten chain decor that's spruced up with the addition of rust-and-beige patterned bolster pillows and bed runners. Rooms come in King, Double King, and Double Queen options, and some add sleeper sofas, making them a good choice for families with kids. Standard amenities include coffeemakers, microwaves, mini-fridges, and 40-inch flat screen TVs. Bathrooms are cramped, with shower/tub combos, and vanities are located in the hallways, which frees up a bit of space.
Features
Free hot breakfast, indoor pool/whirlpool, free Wi-Fi, and guest laundry
The Desert Inn doesn't have a ton of amenities, but it does offer a free breakfast buffet with eggs and breakfast meats. Unfortunately, tables can be hard to find at peak times in the dining room, as most guests get up early before heading out to the park. Other features include a heated indoor pool and whirlpool and a business corner in the lobby with a computer and printer. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, but connections can be spotty. There's also a guest laundry room and the hotel offers laundry services for those who don't want to wash clothes themselves. Pets are welcome, and parking is free.