Best Western Desert Inn

The Desert Inn is a three-story budget hotel that gets tourists from around the world, along with plenty of tour bus groups staying here, especially during high season. Fitting for its rugged location, the lobby is decorated in a rustic Western theme, with wildlife art, Navajo rugs, and leather furniture with animal prints. Despite the low ceilings, the modest space is cheerful, as it gets lots of natural light from numerous windows. Amber wood frames the registration desk, the windows, and a partial wall that separates the lobby from the breakfast room. An elevator leads up to the rooms. The hotel is frequently full, and the breakfast room can get crowded beyond capacity in the morning. This property quiets down considerably in the off season.

The Best Western is located in the heart of West Yellowstone, just a two-minute drive or eight-minute walk from the western entrance of Yellowstone National Park. There are plenty of restaurants in the immediate area and a grocery store a five-minute walk away. The Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center and the Yellowstone IMAX Theater are about eight minutes from the hotel on foot or two minutes by car. Yellowstone's famed Old Faithful Geyser and other in-park attractions are under an hour's drive away. The Jackson Hole Airport is about two hours and 45 minutes south of the hotel, while Salt Lake City International Airport is about four hours and 45 minutes away.

Rooms at the Desert Inn are quiet and dark, with smallish windows, and generic and easily forgotten chain decor that's spruced up with the addition of rust-and-beige patterned bolster pillows and bed runners. Rooms come in King, Double King, and Double Queen options, and some add sleeper sofas, making them a good choice for families with kids. Standard amenities include coffeemakers, microwaves, mini-fridges, and 40-inch flat screen TVs. Bathrooms are cramped, with shower/tub combos, and vanities are located in the hallways, which frees up a bit of space. 

The Desert Inn doesn't have a ton of amenities, but it does offer a free breakfast buffet with eggs and breakfast meats. Unfortunately, tables can be hard to find at peak times in the dining room, as most guests get up early before heading out to the park. Other features include a heated indoor pool and whirlpool and a business corner in the lobby with a computer and printer. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, but connections can be spotty. There's also a guest laundry room and the hotel offers laundry services for those who don't want to wash clothes themselves. Pets are welcome, and parking is free.