AmericInn by Wyndham Hill City Mt Rushmore

We had a good breakfast and found the price reasonable. The place is set back from the road, so it was fairly quiet, and we could walk to Hill City's restaurants. It made a handy base for a few days in the Black Hills.

The room was modern, clean, and very nice, and apart from the breakfast problems our stay was more than satisfactory. We did find a large bug on the window curtain. Breakfast was hit or miss, with empty servers on two occasions. On our last day, food ran out and guests were leaving. When people raised it at the front desk, one staff member seemed put out.

Parking was a hassle. Most spaces are behind the building, and there are only four handicap spots, split between the front and back. If you arrive late and your room is up front, luggage can mean a long walk through the hotel. There’s one elevator near the front, and it’s slow. The breakfast didn’t change from day to day: boil-in-a-bag eggs, potatoes, sausage, and three cereals. The oatmeal packets were expired, with lumpy bits that seemed inedible, possibly from being stored badly. The machine poured plenty of apple and cranberry juice, but the orange juice was expired and had a tang like a Mimosa. Staff at the desk often had to be reminded to clear trash and refill breakfast items. For families, the choices were odd. Kids asked for hot chocolate in the evenings, but staff said it wasn’t offered in summer, even though the hotel only operates in summer and closes in October. There was plenty of coffee. They also only had “Light & Fit” yogurt. What kid wants diet yogurt? The front desk staff were friendly and attentive, and the place was clean, with nice rooms and no noticeable strange smells. Shower pressure was excellent, and the towels were soft and fluffy. Still, I wouldn’t rate it as high as 4.7, and I knocked it down because it didn’t feel very kid-friendly. The bathroom had a cracked sink and leaking faucet, and the lighting was terrible, with no light above the sink, which could make putting on makeup difficult. The rooms could use updates for electronics, too. There were no handy outlets by the bed, just a loose, worn plug on a desk lamp that made it hard to tell if a device was charging.

We’d happily stay here again. Our room was roomy, clean, and comfortable, and the front desk staff were really friendly.