Unbelievable Mt. Rushmore Views! Your Dream Hill City Getaway Awaits (Comfort Inn & Suites)
Unbelievable Mt. Rushmore Views! Your Dream Hill City Getaway Awaits (Comfort Inn & Suites) - A Really Honest Review (Brace Yourself!)
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because I’m about to dive headfirst into the Comfort Inn & Suites in Hill City, South Dakota – the one they brag about having “Unbelievable Mt. Rushmore Views!” I’m talking the full shebang here, from the overflowing coffee machine (more on that later) to the questionable definition of "spa." My brain is still recovering, so bear with me. This review will be… well, candid. And hopefully, helpful.
First Impressions (and the Smell of…Optimism?)
Pulling up, the exterior isn't exactly bustling with charisma. It's a Comfort Inn, you know? Functional. But, and this is important, the location is dynamite. Seriously. You're right on the edge of the Black Hills, and the promise of those Mt. Rushmore views? Well, they're definitely… there. More on that later. The lobby was… clean. Which is, frankly, a win in my book after a long drive. And the check-in process? Smooth. Contactless? Maybe I touched something accidentally. But hey, points for trying, right? The staff seemed… friendly, if a little… zoned out. (Possibly from dealing with endless requests for Mt. Rushmore viewing advice).
Cleanliness & Safety: Germaphobe Approved (Mostly)
Okay, this is a big one for me. We're talking post-pandemic travel here, people! I’m a borderline germaphobe, so the “daily disinfection in common areas” and “rooms sanitized between stays” claims were music to my ears. I'm happy to say they SEEMED legit? I didn’t see any rogue dust bunnies plotting world domination in my room. AND there was hand sanitizer everywhere. Score! The “anti-viral cleaning products,” well… I have to trust them on that, right? They did have “professional-grade sanitizing services,” which made me feel a smidge safer. The fact that "room sanitization opt-out" was an option… is odd. Why would you opt in to germs? Perhaps for the sheer thrill of a free-for-all of bacteria? Regardless, the impression was good. And hey, they had a "doctor/nurse on call" in case I went into a panic attack from, idk, TOO MUCH CLEANLINESS.
Rooms & Amenities: The Good, The Bad, and the "Meh"
The Room Itself: My room? Pretty standard Comfort Inn fare. Clean sheets, a comfy bed (score!), and… well, the promised view. Yes, from my window, I could see a sliver of Mt. Rushmore. (Zoom in, people! It's there!) The "Unbelievable" part? I’m thinking it's more… unbelievable that they could squeeze a view in there. The "Extra long bed" was a blessing for my lanky frame, though. The "Blackout curtains" were also crucial for trying to sleep off the caffeine crash that came with the coffee.
The Bathroom: Standard, functional. The “separate shower/bathtub” was nice, though I'm not sure I ever used both at the same time. The provided "toiletries" were generic, but they got the job done.
Internet Access: Free Wi-Fi? Yeah, and it actually worked! A miracle! (This is especially critical, seeing as you're often out in the sticks.) BUT, and this is a big BUT, there was "Internet access – LAN." Who uses LAN these days?!
Other Room Nibbles: Air Conditioning? Check. Refrigerator? Check. And the "complimentary tea?" Well, it was there. I didn't trust it and stuck with bottled water, which was a nice touch.
Things to do and Stuff: Okay. This is where the "dream getaway" gets a little… complicated. They do have a "swimming pool [outdoor]" and a "pool with view." The view was certainly… there. The water was… wet (probably). I saw a guy in a Speedo do a dive. I have seen things. They also boast a “fitness center” and "gym/fitness". Fine. I didn't. I was on vacation, and I prefer to engage in my "fitness" while chasing my screaming children around the parking lot. Which, is technically, free.
The "Spa?" Now, this is where it gets… entertaining. "Spa?" I'm picturing a luxurious oasis, right? Wrong. The "spa" is a room with a sauna, a steam room, and… Maybe a sad-looking foot bath. I was a little disappointed. But hey, a sauna is a sauna. The "massage" probably involves a therapist. I didn’t get one.
The Ponderous Lack of Spa Services: Now, for those of you seeking a lush, relaxing experience, this is where it crumbles. No "body scrub" or "body wrap" to be seen. No "Body wrap" that I could see. They need to re-evaluate the term "spa."
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Fuel for the Journey (and the Views!)
Breakfast was included. And you know what? It was… okay. “Buffet in restaurant” with the usual suspects: scrambled eggs that tasted vaguely of rubber, sad-looking pastries, and the aforementioned coffee that could probably strip paint. There was a "hot water linen and laundry washing" service after a child threw some oatmeal. The “Asian breakfast” seemed as generic as the western version? I didn't see any "Asian cuisine in restaurant." I saw a "coffee shop." I needed the coffee. The "bottle of water" was welcome; considering the hike to get a view.
- The Coffee Saga: The coffee… oh, the coffee. It was… strong. REALLY strong. So strong, in fact, that it fueled a three-hour hike, a near-death experience on a souvenir shop step, and a very, very detailed conversation with the front desk about the history of taxidermied squirrels in the Black Hills. This coffee was a literal, caffeine whirlwind. It powered days. It lived. I'm pretty sure they could bottle and sell it as rocket fuel.
- Other Options: There was a "snack bar," but I didn't brave it. “Restaurants” were available, though I mostly ate whatever I could grab on the go because I was too busy chasing Mt. Rushmore views!
Getting Around & Other Conveniences: Practicalities (and the Unexplained)
- Parking: Free car park! A blessing in a tourist town.
- Accessibility: "Facilities for disabled guests" were listed.
- Laundry: "Laundry service" was essential with my clumsy offspring.
- The Elevator: "Elevator" was essential for ascending the hotel.
- Other Things: They offer "concierge," which I didn't use. "Cash withdrawal" (useful). "Gift/souvenir shop." I bought three t-shirts (one for me!).
The Verdict: Should You Book It?
Okay, honestly? Yes. But temper your expectations. This isn’t a luxury resort. It’s a comfortable, clean, and conveniently located basecamp for exploring the Black Hills and, yes, seeing Mt. Rushmore.
Here’s the deal:
- The Good: Location, cleanliness (mostly), free Wi-Fi, decent beds, and friendly (if slightly spacey) staff.
- The Bad: The "spa" is a stretch. The coffee is… intense. The "Unbelievable" view is… debatable.
- The "Meh": The breakfast. Fine.
- Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a practical, affordable, and conveniently located hotel to explore the area, then absolutely, book it. Just don't expect a spa day, and maybe limit yourself to one cup of coffee.
SEO Stuff (Because, You Know, Marketing):
Keywords: Mt. Rushmore, Hill City, South Dakota, Comfort Inn, Black Hills, hotel review, family travel, budget travel, accessibility (wheelchair accessible), free Wi-Fi, pool, free parking, clean hotel, things to do, family friendly.
Call to Action (And a Little Honesty):
Ready for your own adventure in the Black Hills? Book your stay at Unbelievable Mt. Rushmore Views! Your Dream Hill City Getaway Awaits (Comfort Inn & Suites) NOW! (Don't forget to pack an extra pair of socks… and maybe a helmet for the souvenir shop steps.)
Uncover the Hidden Gem: Les Suites Fenelon, Le Cateau-Cambresis!
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your average, pre-packaged "Look how perfect my vacation was!" itinerary. This is real life, South Dakota-style. We're talking tumbleweeds, questionable gas station coffee, and a healthy dose of existential questioning while staring at giant presidential faces. My guide is the Comfort Inn & Suites near Mount Rushmore in Hill City, the unofficial home base for our family's chaotic pilgrimage.
Day 1: The Great Plains Pilgrimage (and Minor Panic)
- 1:00 PM - Arrival at Comfort Inn & Suites: Okay, so, the "near Mount Rushmore" part is true. But "near" translates to "we see the tiny, almost-invisible, still-there-mountains through a gap in the trees." Fine. The lobby smells like chlorine and vaguely of pancakes. Sign of a solid hotel, right? Check-in was smooth. The front desk lady was super friendly, which is a good start. The kids are already fighting over the "good view," which, let's be honest, is the parking lot.
- 1:30 PM - Room Recon: The room… well, it's clean. The beds look… bed-shaped. We're in. Unpack. Attempt to organize things for approximately five minutes before giving up and just letting everything explode. Found a rogue sock under the bed. My husband thinks it's mine. It's not. I know I said this trip was for fun, and for the kids, but I wanted a break!
- 2:00 PM - First Real Meal. This is a big deal. We make way to Firehouse Brewing Co in Rapid City. We ate their delicious and authentic. I had a burger, a little overpriced, but, it was worth it.
- 4:00 PM - Mount Rushmore: The Big Reveal: Okay, this is what we came for. Driving up the winding road, butterflies the size of small bats are having a rave in my stomach. Then, BAM. There they are. The Presidents. Bigger than I ever imagined. Lincoln's face… well, he looks tired. Like he just wants a nap. I feel that, Abe. The sheer scale of it is mind-boggling. I swear, I could hear a collective "Whoa" pass through the crowd like a wave. My kids, predictably, were more interested in the gift shop. One of them grabbed the "talking" Lincoln doll. We tried the audio tour, but our preteen was mortified that we were doing this and the kids lost interest in like, five minutes.
- 6:00 PM - Dinner in Hill City: We drove back to Hill City to find somewhere to eat. Found the Alpine Inn. It was pretty crowded but the food was good.
Day 2: Custer State Park and Wildlife (and Possibly My Sanity)
- 8:00 AM - Breakfast at Comfort Inn (Round 2): The pancakes were definitely yesterday's leftover. But the coffee… the coffee is a solid 5/10. Adequate for survival. My husband is already talking about "the drive" and how we need to be "efficient." Bless his heart.
- 9:00 AM - Custer State Park, Here We Come!: This is supposed to be epic. The wildlife! The scenic drives! The bison! We're doing the Wildlife Loop Road first. Five minutes in, the first animal sighting: a lone prairie dog. My kids, after an hour, started acting entitled to every species of wildlife. I swear there was a time when I was ready to leave them there.
- 9:30 AM - The Bison Encounter: Oh. My. GOD. The bison. Massive, shaggy, grumpy-looking beasts. One decided to stroll right across the road in front of our car. We stopped. Everyone held their breath. The kids were silent. Even my husband was quiet for a moment. Then, the bison lumbered off, and the kids started screaming. Okay, maybe not screaming, but the adrenaline rush was definitely there.
- 11:00 AM - Needles Highway: Now, this is something I'd heard of. This is actually beautiful, stunning. This is the perfect road trip. I felt safe and comfortable.
- 12:00 PM - Lunch in Custer State Park: We decided to splurge and go to the State Game Lodge. It was good, but it's no Michelin star restaurant.
- 1:00 PM - Wildlife Loop: The Sequel: We backtracked down the Wildlife Loop, because, why not? The kids are on a roll. We saw some more bison, some deer, and a whole lot of other tourists taking photos. I'm pretty sure I'm in half the photos. Also, the kids are tired.
- 3:00 PM - Return to the Comfort Inn: The kids were already asleep.
- 5:00 PM - Dinner: We went to a local pizza place. It was…a pizza place.
Day 3: Caves, Carvings, and the Crushing Weight of History
- 8:00 AM - Breakfast and the Great Packing Debate: Okay, let's be honest: no one ever packs well on a family vacation. There's always that one random shoe, the charger that's lost in the abyss of the suitcase, and the overwhelming sense that you've brought way too much (or, in my case, not enough). Trying to figure out if we have enough snacks to survive another six hours of driving with the kids.
- 9:00 AM - Jewel Cave National Monument: I'm not a "cave person" per se. I'm claustrophobic. But, hey, adventure, right? The elevator ride down was…surprisingly smooth. The cave itself is amazing. Like, jaw-dropping beautiful. The formations, the silence… It's humbling. And then, the kids start arguing about who saw the coolest stalactite.
- 11:00 AM - Rushmore's Gift Shop (Round 2): We had to go back. The kid thought he was missing something. I knew I had to buy something, too. The tour guide was pretty good.
- 12:00 PM - Lunch, Again:
- 1:00 PM - The Big Drive Home: The kids were ready. The ride was long, but we had a little fun.
Final Thoughts (and Post-Vacation Meltdown)
Look, this trip wasn't perfect. It was messy, it was stressful, and there were moments I wanted to run screaming into the Black Hills. But it was real. It was life. And somewhere in between the bison encounters, the gift shop wars, and the questionable hotel coffee, we made memories. Silly, imperfect, messy memories. And that, my friends, is what counts. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go find that missing sock. And maybe a stiff drink.
Kyoto's Hidden Gem: THE POCKET HOTEL Shijokarasuma - Unbelievable!
Unbelievable Mt. Rushmore Views! Your Dream Hill City Getaway Awaits (Comfort Inn & Suites) - Ugh, Questions, Answers, & Ramblings!
Okay, first things first: Is the view of Mt. Rushmore REALLY as good as they say it is from the Comfort Inn & Suites? Because, let's be real, hotel brochures lie.
Alright, buckle up, buttercup, because this is where things get...complicated. The brochures? Yeah, they're not *entirely* lying. But they also don't prepare you for the emotional gut punch of *actually* seeing it. I, being the skeptical travel blogger that I am, scoffed. "A view? From a *hotel*? Please." I was wrong. So very, very wrong.
The Comfort Inn & Suites (let's call it the "Cozy Inn," just for fun) has this...thing...it's more of a *vantage point* actually. You wake up, bleary-eyed, stumble to your window, and BAM! There it is. Giant stone faces staring back at you. It's... honestly, it's a little overwhelming. The first morning, I think I actually yelped. Not a graceful "Oh, wow," more of a "HOLY CRAP, IT'S RIGHT THERE!" See, the brochure can't account for the existential dread/awe the sight inspires. It's good. Really good. But just be prepared to feel things you weren't expecting. And, I can't stress this enough: *bring your camera.*
Side note: One morning, I swear to you, there was a deer grazing right outside the hotel. Like, *right* outside. Photobombing my perfect Rushmore shot. Nature, man. Nature is a jerk.
What if my room doesn't *directly* face Mt. Rushmore? Am I doomed?
Okay, deep breaths. No, you're not doomed. But listen, you've gotta *try* to get a view-facing room. Like, call ahead. Beg. Use that puppy-dog face. Do whatever it takes. Because, yeah, you *can* see the monument from other angles, but it's just... not the same. It's like ordering pizza without cheese (blasphemy, I know). It's still pizza, technically, but... you know?
My first tip? Book early. Seriously. These rooms are like gold. And second, if you *don't* get the prime view, don't panic! You've still got the hotel's observation deck, various spots around the property, and that sweet, sweet South Dakota air. Plus, you can always wander around, guilt-free, and peer into other people's windows. (Kidding! ...Mostly.) Just be sure you are going to visit that mountain!
Besides the view, what else does the Comfort Inn & Suites... offer? Is it, like, *comfortable*?
Comfortable? Yeah, it's comfortable. Not a luxury resort, mind you. No revolving doors or butler service. But it's clean, the beds are decent, and the free breakfast? Alright, it's your standard hotel breakfast buffet. But hey, free waffles are free waffles, and after a long day of exploring, you're not going to complain. I am a big breakfast person and I'm not mad about it.
The pool is... there. It is a simple pool. The hot tub is decent. There's a gym, if you're one of those people. And they have, bless their hearts, a little gift shop with all sorts of quirky Mt. Rushmore-themed paraphernalia if you are into that. I mean, let's be honest, you *need* a tiny plastic replica of the monument. For, uh, scientific purposes.
Location, location, location! Is the Comfort Inn & Suites actually *conveniently* located for exploring?
Absolutely. The Cozy Inn (I'm sticking with it) is in Hill City. Hill City is *right there* near everything you want to see. Mt. Rushmore? A quick drive. Crazy Horse Memorial? Easy peasy. Custer State Park? You're golden. You can get to everything within an hour (give or take). This is a huge win, trust me. Less driving, more sightseeing. Happy travel blogger = happier me.
Plus, Hill City itself is charming. Quaint little shops, some decent restaurants (grab a burger at the Alpine Inn & Restaurant - you can thanks me later), and a general feeling of "This is the Wild West, but with Wi-Fi." It's the perfect base camp for your Black Hills adventures. Just, you know, don't expect big city nightlife. Unless you count the crickets chirping, which, honestly, is pretty relaxing.
Okay, I'm sold. But tell me MORE about the actual experience of seeing Mt. Rushmore from your room! Give me the *details*!
Alright, picture this: you're nestled in your Cozy Inn bed, maybe slightly hungover from the night before (ahem...), and you're feeling your stomach grumbling but not yet able to move. You pull back the curtains… and there they are. The stone faces. Lit up by the morning sun. It's this moment of quiet contemplation, with just you and history, and the faint smell of hotel coffee lingering in the air. It's almost unreal.
I remember one particular morning. I was still half-asleep, clutching my phone, trying to take a photo that would *capture* the moment. (Spoiler alert: it didn't. No photo can truly do it justice.) The light was perfect. The sky was this gorgeous, deep blue. And the faces... they just seemed to *loom*. Like they were judging my travel decisions! (Probably rightly so, on some days.) There's this weird sense of perspective, of seeing something so monumental and then realizing how small you are. And after a bit of staring, a tiny wave of feeling like you're capable of something massive. It's kind of inspiring I guess.
And then, the practical: you get dressed, grab your coffee, and head down to the breakfast buffet. But, because you have gazed upon the faces of the giants before breakfast, you’re now ready to face an array of scrambled eggs and lukewarm bacon. The experience is both humbling and strangely invigorating. It stays with you, even after you’ve checked out. Seriously it does. I caught myself staring at other mountains for days.
Any downsides? Be honest!
Okay, let's get real. The Cozy Inn is not perfect. The Wi-Fi can be a little spotty at times. The walls are, well, hotel walls. You might hear your neighbors. The breakfast is not gourmet. And sometimes, there's a slight mustBook Hotels Now
Post a Comment for "Unbelievable Mt. Rushmore Views! Your Dream Hill City Getaway Awaits (Comfort Inn & Suites)"