Econo Lodge Gaylord

For the price, it’s a pretty good hotel. My single room seemed designed for two beds, but one had been replaced with a couch, leaving plenty of space. It’d be a good spot for VR. The desk and big office chair were in good shape and fairly comfortable. The carpet was worn, but that didn’t bother me much. The bathroom felt cramped, with the toilet too close to the wall and a narrow shower and tub. The Wi-Fi speed was quite reasonable, which helped because phone service out here is awful. Breakfast was extremely basic: cereal, instant oatmeal, juice, milk, and bagels you can toast. I’d have liked hot options like waffles, scrambled eggs, or sausage, but the food they did have was available 24 hours, so it wasn’t too bad. There are vending machines and a washer and dryer. I didn’t inspect the laundry machines closely, but the vending options were disappointing. There were very few choices, most sold out, and no electronic payments. One machine clearly used to take cards, but that option had been removed and blanked out. I hadn’t seen a machine without card payment in at least four years. My one main service complaint is that nobody seemed to be at the front desk or watching a monitor from their living quarters. You have to dial 0 on the desk phone and wait for someone in a T-shirt and jeans to come out and book your room. Would I stay again? Absolutely, if I’m stuck at the shop again. But it’s so remote that I can’t see myself coming here for a vacation.

We only needed a night away while staying close to home in Winthrop, and this worked out so well. The room was beautiful and spotless, with a king bed, jacuzzi tub, fireplace, and couch. The woman at the front desk was so kind and took great care of us. We’ll definitely be back.

The staff at the desk were really friendly, and the hotel was quiet. It’s a good spot and I’d stay again if I just needed somewhere decent to sleep. The room was basic and clean, though the plaid couch looked dated. The bed was very soft, which is nice if that’s what you like, but the pillows were flat.

We only booked this as a quick overnight stop, but I ended up wishing we had more time there. The breakfast area had a cute little seating nook by a fireplace. The place was well cared for and really charming, and our room was clean and comfortable, even if some of the decor felt a little dated. I’d come back when I need a place near Minneapolis.