Best Western Versus Super 8: Which Yellowstone Motel is Right for You?

Recently, I took the kids to Yellowstone National Park. During this trip, we had the chance to stay at two different motels in the same general area. There was a Super 8 in Gardiner, Montana, just north of the Yellowstone National Park, and there was a Best Western just down the road, still in Gardiner but located within the park. I stayed for three nights in the Super 8, and then two nights in the Best Western. During my stay in the Super 8, I had thought that (with my limited experience with motels) it seemed like a good place.

But, my opinion changed greatly after I had a stay in the Best Western. The Best Western was an all around better place to stay, making the Super 8 pale in comparison. The Best Western was a bit more expensive, than the Super 8, however. The Super 8 room I got cost 64 dollars (midweek rate), and the Best Western was 81 dollars a night.

One big difference between the Super 8 and the Best Western was the quality of rooms. Best Western had larger rooms, with a larger bathroom and shower, compared to Super 8. The beds were more comfortable, and there was more room for your bags. The beds at the Super 8 were just fair, too soft and a little worn out. The style of decoration was much more pleasant in the Best Western, with a brighter color scheme, compared to the Super 8, which had a very utilitarian, almost industrial look to their rooms. The Best Western rooms were generally of a better quality all around. Not only that, but the Best Western had a bigger pool! The Super 8 pool went to about five feet deep, while the Best Western went to about six feet.

Also, if you want to take advantage of the free continental breakfast that both places offer, you would be better off going to the Best Western. At the Super 8, the continental breakfast contained coffee, cereal, and various pastries, such as muffins, and bagels, The Best Western, on the other hand, had a much wider variety of things to offer. In addition to the coffee and muffins, there were cinnamon rolls, donuts, and more pastries. The kids loved it! There were eggs and bacon, biscuits, gravy, various sandwich makings, yogurt, fruit salad, boiled eggs, and fresh fruit (apples and oranges). It was nice to see real food in addition to the standard coffee and pastry fare. There was also a television in the breakfast area for watching the news in the morning.

The Super 8 in Gardiner had a good view, but it was also at least a half an hour away from any sites in Yellowstone National Park. The Best Western we stayed in was closer to Mammoth, which is in Yellowstone itself. So, if you stay in the Best Western, there is much less travel time to get to the sites in Yellowstone. The Super 8 is right by several cheaper food places, including a Chinese restaurant, a burger place, and a pizza place, but the Best Western in Mammoth is right by a nice restaurant, if you prefer a real restaurant to fast food.

So, if you are strapped for cash, the Super 8 is clean and cheap, but if your budget is not so strict, then the Best Western of Mammoth is a better place to stay for the night. With better quality rooms, beds, and showers, and a far better continental breakfast, the Best Western is an all around much better motel for you and your family to stay in. Although they both have Gardiner, Montana addresses, the Best Western is set in Yellowstone itself, involving less daily travel to the attractions of Yellowstone, and there is good food to enjoy right nearby the hotel. All in all, I enjoyed my stay in the Best Western much more than my stay in the Super 8, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a budget motel in northern Yellowstone National Park.