Affordable & Safe hotels in Missoula & Bozeman (Livingston, Lolo: safe area, university)

[gowestgal]

Coming into town July 4th for a few weeks and in need of an affordable yet safe and clean hotel. Any recommendations? Thanks!

[jimj]

Just happend to look at hotels in Missoula for this weekend and boy was I shocked how the price has gone up! Average was $100++ a night. Suggest doing a search on one of the travel websites. Your major chains are usually a good bet for clean and safe.

[gowestgal]

THANK-YOU for the reply, I was starting to think my posts were being ignored I was surprised at the high rates too. There were a couple of $50 a night places (Days Inn - University) which made me skeptical.

Guess I should have asked a more direct question...Are the cheaper hotels in Missoula/Bozeman (for example, Days Inn - University/Airport & Val U Inn) safe places to stay.

Thanks again for the reply!

[mandapanda]

Not sure where you are going elsewhere in the state, but sometimes you can get a place in Yellowstone for not too much. Would call ahead, but we have gotten some the same day due to cancellations.

Also, between Livingston and Gardiner ( north entrance to Yellowstone) is a lodge in Pray called Chico Hot Springs. If you get a room in the main lodge without a bathroom, it is really cheap. There are several bathrooms/showers available. For a few dollars more, you can have a room with a private bath, but don't feel you need to do that. They have a hot spring pool which is wonderful in the cool evenings. They have a grill type restaurant off of the pool where you can go in to eat in your bathing suit. They also have a superb dining room that is open for dinner (should call for reservations) and breakfast (buffet is great). Not sure if the breakfast is just on the weekends. Anyway, it is only about an hour from the park and it is a great place to stay. They have games available at the desk and dogs are welcome.

If you do go there, try to get a room that is not on the path from the pool as some guests go through very late. You can also use the pool by paying for the day. If you get a book of tickets, it comes to three dollars. If not, it is $6 or so. Towels are a dollar. You might just bring your own. They have cabins, but they would probably be booked.

[gowestgal]

Thanks so much, great advice!!

[jimj]

To be honest, I don't know that there really is a "unsafe" area in Missoula. While I haven't stayed at that particular days inn I have stayed at some and they weren't bad. Just checked a hotel that I know has decent rooms, safe area and an OK breakfast it is Rubys Inn & Convention Center and is running 89 a night and has rooms open for the week of the 1st. It is next to hampton inn and owned by the same people, it is not far from the shopping strip. I would hurry though as things fill fast in Missoula.

[Carolina_Belle92]

Originally Posted by gowestgal

THANK-YOU for the reply, I was starting to think my posts were being ignored I was surprised at the high rates too. There were a couple of $50 a night places (Days Inn - University) which made me skeptical.

Guess I should have asked a more direct question...Are the cheaper hotels in Missoula/Bozeman (for example, Days Inn - University/Airport & Val U Inn) safe places to stay.

Thanks again for the reply!

Anything around the University in Missoula should be pretty safe. It's a clean, quiet neighborhood, and as long as you don't go wandering around the neighborhood grafittiing buildings, you're going to be fine.

You might consider staying in a hotel slightly outside the city limits... for instance, there is a hotel about 15 mins. outside of Missoula in Lolo that is quite cheap... not sure of the exact rates. If you're staying IN TOWN, then I would recommend a Hampton Inn or Ruby's, which is pretty inexpensive. Super 8 isn't for everyone.