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Looking for a hotel in Rapid City, South Dakota?

After looking at many (I mean MANY) hotels in Rapid City and the surrounding area, we chose the Howard Johnson Inn and Suites in Rapid City for our first Black Hills vacation. There are many comparable chain hotels in Rapid City, but ultimately, we chose this one for its indoor pool, complimentary breakfast, in-room fridge and competitive price. It's one of the top rated Rapid City hotels on TripAdvisor.com.

Here's why we liked this hotel.

Location

When we first checked in, we thought the hotel's location was odd because it didn't seem to be near the usual restaurants and attractions. However, once we got the lay of the land, we found that Howard Johnson Inn and Suites was centrally located in Rapid City, which put us a short drive from everything. It was near the Civic Center and only about a mile from downtown.

Family Friendly

I saw guests of all ages at the hotel, including many young children – two were ours – and a high school baseball team, and noise was never a problem. Our room was typical of hotels of this class, and it was comfortable and clean. The staff was friendly and helpful.  Whenever I called or stopped by the front desk with a request, it was taken care of quickly.

Indoor Pool

The weather was chilly for much of our June vacation, so we were glad for the indoor pool because our kids wanted to be in it as often as possible. I thought that the pool was a little cold, but our kids didn't care. One of their favorite memories of the trip was when our van had some mechanical problems and they were able to spend a couple of extra hours in the pool with Dad while I took it to the local dealer for repairs. The pool and pool area were large and clean.

Complimentary Breakfast

We have stayed at many hotels with complimentary breakfasts, and this one was better than most. Offerings included coffee, juice, hot and cold cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit (apples and oranges), toast, bagels, muffins, danishes, hard-boiled eggs, breakfast burritos, and waffles. There was only one morning when everything was not well stocked and that was right after a tour bus group had eaten. The breakfast room was large and we never had a problem getting a seat.

We stayed at Howard Johnson Inn and Suites for seven nights and we do recommend this hotel. I would still shop around if we return the the Black Hills, but it's not always easy to find all my preferred family amenities for the right price. Howard Johnson Inn and Suites has them all, and I would be happy to return.

Click the red button to check rates and availability for Howard Johnson in Rapid City, plus see new reviews at TripAdvisor.com.

Planning a trip to the Black Hills?

It's one of my favorite family destinations. Click the arrow below to read my recommended Black Hills Itinerary for Families, or visit my South Dakota page to see all my articles about this area.

Allison

Hi there! I am the founder of Tips for Family Trips. I am a married mom of two children, ages 11 and 14, living near Salt Lake City, Utah. We took our first child on a two-week road trip when she was four weeks old and we have been traveling as a family ever since. We love to get out of the house to see and do fun things, both far away and in our own neighborhood.