Bison Inn and Suites

The pictures on the third-party booking site bore no resemblance to the property or rooms. There were homeless people outside when I arrived, but I gave it a chance. Inside, the smell of marijuana was everywhere. I went ahead and checked in, hoping it wouldn't be too bad, then walked into room 205 and saw dirt and stains on the bed linens without even turning on all the lights. I went straight to the desk to ask for a refund. The employee said I had to request it through the third party, and they would then refund the company so it could pay me back. He promised to honor a full refund, but honored nothing. This place are lying thieves.

The tub wouldn't drain properly because the chain and lever mechanism was broken. I had to hold the lever down myself, or it would spring back and stop the water from draining. I also had to ask for a microwave to be brought from another room, since mine didn't have the microwave and refrigerator I expected. The front entrance door squeaked so loudly I could hear it from my room, especially at night. I told the manager after the first night and suggested lubricant might fix it. He said he'd handle it before my second night, but it was still squeaking. Each problem might sound small by itself, but together they made the stay less comfortable.

Randy’s University Diner right next door was a bright spot, the food and service were great. The hotel itself looked old, though it was clean-ish. In the lobby, the ice machine and one of the two vending machines were broken. In my room, the clothes rail's left bracket was hanging by a single screw. The fridge and microwave worked, but there was no coffee maker. The broken hinges on the aircon/heater flap meant it was just sitting on top of the unit. The TV was small but adequate, though there were no instructions and it took some fiddling to get it working. The previous guest had changed the settings, so I had to reset them. There was old soap on the shower floor, and the tissue box looked ripped open and tossed beside the sink. The door's security lock was broken too, and there wasn't a fire escape information sheet on the back of the door. I'm not sure if that's required by the state.

I booked in November 2025 for the weekend of the Fargo Marathon, with check-in set for May 29. They canceled my reservation on May 27, saying a pipe had burst, while still advertising available rooms on Expedia. Don't trust a booking here. It feels like they'll give your room away to make more money. Expedia customer service was a joke, and now I have to book somewhere else for double the price. I'll never stay here.