Hiawatha Lodge

For the eclipse, this was about the only place that didn’t charge outrageous rates. We paid $57 for a basic but clean and perfectly acceptable room. Staff were kind, friendly, and extra helpful. Places across the street and downtown that were no better were asking over $400, even $600 or more, for one night from eclipse visitors. Their fair pricing alone earns five stars from me, and I’d recommend them all around.

The room and bed were clean and comfortable, with fresh bedding and towels. The new management were polite and made sure I had what I needed. The restaurant wasn’t open, but they had coffee and donuts, which made my kids happy. I was unsure about staying after reading reviews, but the website pictures looked nice and the price wasn’t high. Given how recently they took over, I think they’re doing a good job.

The owners are too involved in guests’ business and try to control whether people talk to each other. They’re rude, call the police on people for no reason, and dislike homeless people. BEST WESTERN IS THE ONLY MOTEL IN HIAWATHA WORTH STAYING IN!!

I took the refund and left. The room had dust everywhere, food splashed inside the microwave, no toilet paper, and opened candy on the table between the beds. There was wire insulation in one bed, and I couldn’t see any way to lock the door connecting to the room next door. At the office, they said they didn’t have a housekeeper and things were slow to get done. I went across the street to Best Western and paid $40 more, but at least I knew the sheets were clean and the place was safe. I’d give this one zero stars if I could. I tried it at the beginning of April because we’d stayed here before and it was nice, and I hadn’t checked reviews. The empty parking lot, staff in sweats, and no Wi-Fi were already disappointing, but we’d booked, so I stayed. Our room was upstairs because I wouldn’t pay extra for a first-floor room. They’d also wanted to put me and my two kids in a room with one full-size bed.