Hotels in Glacier National Park
Inside the Park
With only one exception, Glacier Park, Inc. (GPI), operates all of the hostelries in Glacier National Park, which fall into two categories. Lake McDonald Lodge, Glacier Park Lodge, and Many Glacier Hotel are first-tier properties that have been popular destinations since early in the 20th century; Swiftcurrent Motor Inn is typical of the casual motel-style properties at the other end of the spectrum that provide good accommodations for less money.
Although the lodges have a certain stately charm, don't expect in-room hot tubs or even air-conditioning. The structures may have been constructed to withstand natural disasters, but little thought was given to interior soundproofing. If you're an eavesdropper, you'll be in heaven; if you're a light sleeper, bring earplugs. Although all the lodges are comfortable, their greatest attribute, aside from the architecture, may be their stunning setting.
Reserve well in advance; July and August dates may fill before the spring thaw. For more information on the GPI-operated properties and to make reservations, contact Glacier Park Inc., P.O. Box 2025 Columbia Falls, MT 59912 (www.glacierparkinc.com; tel. 406/892-2525; fax 406/892-1375).
Near the Park
If the convenience of staying on Glacier's back porch is important to you, these are the towns to stay in. For greater variety in lodging, dining, and nightlife, head for Whitefish.
Bookstore
Available as paperback
and as e-book.
13 Results
- Hotel
Apgar Village Lodge
A basic budget alternative to the park’s Xanterra-managed properties, the complex features both motel rooms and log cabins. The motel units are small and can accommodate up to three people; the cabins can sleep as many as six, and most have kitchens but few other amenities. The Apgar…$$ - Hotel
Belton Chalets and Lodge
This has been the slickest place to hang your hat in West Glacier since it opened in 1910. Restored in 2000, the lodge happily feels more off the beaten path than it is. Guestrooms and cottages are clad in antiques and subtle earth tones, with comfy beds and chairs and some have…$$Near The Park
- Hotel
Garden Wall Inn
The Garden Wall Inn is the best B&B in the Glacier National Park area, bar none. Just a short walk south of downtown Whitefish and a 30-mile drive to the park, it strikes the perfect balance between comfort and style, featuring Art Deco touches, ornate woodwork, and memorable…$$Near The Park - Hotel
Glacier Park Lodge
Built in 1912–13 by the Great Northern Railway in East Glacier, this grand lodge has all sorts of unexpected amenities for a park lodge—including a nine-hole golf course, a pool, and a spa—probably because it is not in the park, but rather, just outside of it. It is a good pick for…$$Near The Park - Hotel
Hidden Moose Lodge
Tucked in the woods north of Whitefish, Hidden Moose Lodge has the best of both worlds—it manages to balance the privacy and style of a boutique hotel with the perks of a B&B. The former is evidenced by the comfortable guestrooms located in the main house and an adjacent newer…$$Near The Park - Hotel
Izaak Walton Inn
Originally temporary housing for railroad workers in the 1930s, the Izaak Walton Inn—named for the British author of The Compleat Angler—highlights its legacy in the form of cabooses and other railcars that have been converted into posh guestrooms. The lodge rooms and cabins are…$$Near The Park - Hotel
Lake McDonald Lodge, Cabins & Motor Inn
One of the classic railroad hotels built to entice passengers to hop onboard and visit some of the most scenic areas of the U.S., the Lodge opened in 1914 and except for a flash flood in the 1960s it hasn’t changed all that much since. Lanterns still dangle in the soaring lobby,…$$ - Hotel
Many Glacier Hotel
Another railway hotel (this one in 1915 by the Great Northern Railway), this palatial hostelry is a Montana icon. It is also my favorite place to hang my hat while “roughing it” in Glacier by day. What makes it so good? The secluded location on Swiftcurrent Lake, for one, and the…$$$ - Hotel
North Fork Hostel and Square Peg Ranch
Located just across the North Fork of the Flathead River from the park, this is one of my favorite value-priced lodgings in Montana. That may have to do with the hospitality as much as the digs: Proprietor Oliver Meister is a Glacier ranger and a great source of advice and…$Near The Park - Hotel
Rising Sun Motor Inn & Cabins
Rising Sun is a good value, but the complex lacks the character of some of the statelier lodges in the vicinity. The view of St. Mary Lake is its most remarkable feature, and, to be fair, the lodge offers many conveniences, with a store, gas station, and restaurant on the premises.…$$ - Hotel
St. Mary Lodge, Cabins & Motel
At the St. Mary end of Going-to-the-Sun Road, this longstanding lodge is owned and managed by Glacier Park, Inc., and a good bet for visitors coming to the park from the east. The lodge is at the center of a tidy little village with a store, gas station, and other facilities. There’s…$$Near The Park - Hotel
Swiftcurrent Motor Inn & Cabins
Like Rising Sun Motor Inn, this property is a fairly typical motel-and-cabin complex, with relatively low rates by Glacier National Park standards. The motel units are spartan but a good fit for visitors who aren't planning on spending a lot of time in their room. (And why would you…$$ - Hotel
Village Inn at Apgar
A favorite among hikers—trails radiate from the property into the Glacier wilderness—this is also the smallest property Xanterra operates in Glacier, so it feels like you're really staying in a national park rather than a Disneyland hotel (as can be the case at some of the larger…$$
