Disclaimer: We were not approached or compensated by anyone affiliated with Yellowstone Gateway Inn to create a review, positive or otherwise, for this location. We had such a positive experience staying in this location that we wanted others to know about it.
If you are looking for a place to stay near Yellowstone National Park, we recommend “checking in” to the Yellowstone Gateway Inn (YGI) in Gardiner, Montana (http://www.yellowstonegatewayinn.com). More than just a hotel, this inn has been remodeled recently to include beautiful tile surround bath/showers, newer appliances, and updated beds. We visited YGI in November and December of 2015, on two separate occasions, and we were pleased with our stay both times.
In November we had a King-Queen Two Room Kitchen Suite, which includes beds as stated, a full kitchen with dishwasher, and a nice-sized bathroom. In December we stayed in a similar unit, but the queen bed was replaced with a sofa-bed. These suites all have two large-screen HDTV’s with satellite, two DVD players, all kitchen equipment you might need, and organic coffee, teas, and natural soaps. Our family of 4 was very comfortable in both units. All units are at ground level, with just 3-4 entry steps up to the door. There is also a handicapped-accessible suite available.
These units were extremely quiet! In fact, we had a large Labrador retriever next door to us on the November trip, and we only heard it bark one time. We were told that during the renovations over the past few years they increased the insulation between units, which has helped cut down on both outside and neighbor noise inside.
Laundry self-service is available on site for a fee (in quarters). On our first trip we did not need the services, because it was only 3 nights. In December, we tried to do one load, but found out that the washers are only available after 4 pm, when the staff is done with the business laundry. This didn’t work out for us as we had plans to go to Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel for dinner that night and had made reservations. Beyond the time restraints, we cannot comment on the laundry machines as we never got to use them.
Other amenities include: gas barbecue grills, outdoor benches, free movie “rental” on DVD, pretty decent Wi-Fi with a range of routers to choose from, daily housekeeping (or not, by choice, if you’re like us), in-room recycle bin, and organic coffee/teas. Creamers were also available in the refrigerator. On both occasions, the owner was prompt about snow and ice removal from the sidewalks and parking lot, which was a nice surprise. In addition, they offer reduced lodging rates for multi-night stays, starting at 3 nights. We took advantage of this rate during both our stays, and it ended up being about 30% cheaper than the Super 8 next door (which we have also stayed at and do NOT recommend), and included the full kitchen!
The cons of this establishment are very few: difficult parking (small, oddly-shaped lot), limited laundry hours, off-season restaurants were a bit of a hike away, units need more casserole-style pans for the oven (although they do have a pizza pan), and heating seems uneven, even with separate heaters in the living room and bedroom.
If you find yourself heading to Yellowstone, and want to be near the North Gate and Gardiner, Montana, we encourage you to make a reservation to stay at the Yellowstone Gateway Inn! You can visit their website at http://www.yellowstonegatewayinn.com.
