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Just as diverse as the area’s landscape, which fades from small Western cities into vast lengths of open prairie and forested mountains, are its accommodations. In the population centers lodgings range from new chain hotels with wireless Internet access to elegant and historic stone inns decorated with buffalo skins and Victorian furniture. Move beyond these cities, however, and everything changes. Campgrounds abound in the open countryside. On the prairie, expect sprawling guest ranches alongside cold mountain-fed creeks. In the higher elevations, look for charming bed-and-breakfasts on mountain slopes with broad alpine vistas. But whatever the type of accommodation, all kinds of amenities are available, from the ordinary to the unconventional, including saunas, hot tubs, horseback riding, fly-fishing lessons, and square dancing. Perhaps the greatest benefit of all, however, is the isolation. In what some might call a welcome change in this era of information overload, many rural lodgings don’t have in-room televisions or telephones, and vast stretches don’t have cell-phone service.
Located in Hot Springs State Park on the banks of the Big Horn River and by far the best hotel in town, this handsomely restored 1918 hotel has spacious rooms with attractive Western log-cabin-style furnishings, and suites have fireplaces. Guests can take a dip in the seasonal courtyard pool or soak in the private hot tub, fed directly from geothermal mineral springs. The hotel is a short walk from several other hot springs pools inside the park.
Named for Agnes Chamberlin, who opened a boardinghouse on this spot in 1904, this artfully restored redbrick inn a block off Cody's main street counts Ernest Hemingway and Marshall Field among its many past guests. Some rooms have exposed brick, claw-foot tubs, antique furnishings, and hardwood floors. Cody's original courthouse is now a stand-alone suite that sleeps six. A glass conservatory adjoins the courtyard and is ideal for sharing a cocktail or a glass of wine. There is also a peaceful outdoor garden. The uniformly gracious staff members help make a stay here memorable.
Here you have the chance to stay at an authentic, upscale 33-acre Western ranch, just a 15-minute drive from downtown Cody, without spending a mint or having to contend with a minimum-stay requirement. In one of the seven guest rooms a wooden fence stands before a wall-to-wall picture of the Tetons, and in another you can bed down in quilted comfort in an old chuck wagon. More options? Sleep in a genuine sheepherder's wagon, circa 1897. Guests don cowboy hats for breakfast, which is cooked over an open campfire, while an Australian sheepdog and two horses show off their repertoire of tricks. Ask head wrangler Jerry about his autographed guest soap collection.
This enchanting, fully restored grand hotel, founded in 1880, served emigrants on the Bozeman Trail, two U.S. presidents, and some of Wyoming's most colorful characters, and it remains in top form. Owen Wister immortalized the Occidental in his 1902 novel The Virginian, about the Johnson County Cattle War. After winning a high-stakes poker game in 1918, one family held on to the hotel for 58 years, keeping intact all of its original furnishings and architectural accents. A lavish $1 million–plus restoration under current owners John and Dawn Wexo spruced up the Victorian-style rooms and tin-ceiling lobby, saloon, and restaurant, sparing this living treasure from the wrecking ball. Most spectacular among the many nostalgic suites are the Clear Creek, with its six-post cherrywood bed, adjoining sitting room, and spacious bathroom, and the elegant Teddy Roosevelt Suite, furnished with a high-back walnut bed, an antique hardwood desk, and a claw-foot tub. Down in the saloon, the 25-foot bar, stained-glass shade, and tin ceiling look brand new—except for 23 bullet holes, revealing origins in the cutthroat, quick-draw era. On Thursday nights nowadays there's a bluegrass hootenanny jam-packed with friendlies.
Not only does this dude ranch have a stunning location at the base of some of the tallest mountains in the range, but it's also one of the oldest (circa 1907) and most progressive, as evidenced by its adults-only month (September) and two ladies' weeks. The rest of the summer has extensive children's programs, with everything from overnight pack trips to a kids' rodeo. Adult programs involve sing-alongs and fancy barbecues. The wranglers are very careful about matching riders to appropriate horses; multiday trips venture into the Bighorn National Forest and Cloud Peak Wilderness Area. Three full-time guides on staff take guests on fly-fishing excursions. Cabins are simple. Some have fireplaces; all have full baths and kitchenettes. There's a one-week minimum stay; ask about 30% discounts in June.
One of the oldest ranches on the North Fork of the Shoshone River, Rimrock offers horseback-riding adventures into Shoshone National Forest's surrounding mountains, excursions to Cody Nite Rodeo and nearby Yellowstone National Park, fishing in a trout-stocked pond, rafting trips, and more—all for one set weekly price. Accommodations are in rustic but attractive cabins that sleep 2 to 10 guests and have knotty-pine walls, porches, and grand views of the North Fork Valley. Weekly all-inclusive rates include delicious meals and free airport pickups on request.
A cozy lobby, a stone fireplace, and wildlife mounts on the walls distinguish this downtown motel. Hardwood furniture and patterned bedspreads add a slightly Western touch to the spacious, simple bedrooms. There's nothing fancy here: just clean, affordable lodging.
Although the exterior of this motel near downtown and the Stagecoach Museum is unremarkable, the lobby is attractive, with a ceramic-tile floor, hardwood trim, and wrought-iron tables and lamps. There are some extra-large rooms that can accommodate up to eight people.
The rooms at this hotel are popular with tour groups to the region and are typical of chain motels, but some have lodgepole-pine furniture and earth and green tones. The motel consists of four buildings connected by a sky bridge over Main Street.
A range of earth tones decorates the comfortable rooms of this hotel on the west side of town. Among the public spaces are an outdoor courtyard and a lobby with leather couches and chairs grouped around the fireplace.
The simple but attractive single and duplex log cabins here are pure Western, right down to the pitched-roof beam ceilings, iron bedsteads with horseshoe designs, and bathroom wallpaper printed with boots and cowboy hats. High-thread-count sheets and soft duvets ensure a restful sleep.
With a covered wagon on the front portico, an indoor pool, and an outdoor playground, this U-shape motel is an inviting place for families with kids.
This spread is credited with inventing the dude ranch, back in the late 19th century, and it's still going strong, as well as being a working cattle ranch. The location, west of Sheridan on the edge of the Bighorn National Forest, makes it ideal for horseback riding, fishing, cookouts, and pack trips. The ranch can accommodate 125 guests, and reservations for the summer should be made by March. The facilities are a collection of one-, two-, and three-bedroom cabins and the main lodge. There's a one-week minimum stay from mid-June through August and a three-day minimum stay the rest of the season.
The rooms in this clean and very quiet lodging have coffeemakers, large cable TVs, white fluffy comforters, and easy chairs with ottomans. The location is right by the mountains and down the street from the Casper Events Center. You can also make use of the business center, fitness center, and included continental breakfast.
The soaring atrium of this five-story hotel, which is five minutes from downtown by car, has a waterfall and is filled with overstuffed chairs and couches, as well as Scooter's Sports Bar. With white-and-blue accents and tan walls, the rooms are typical of chain hotels, but most have some Western-style touches, and some look out on the Big Horn Mountains. Three restaurants ($–$$$$), including the Brew Garden, The Greenery, and Sugarland Mining Company, serve burgers, steak, chicken, and pasta. The Sunday brunch buffet is popular and a good deal.
Built in 1902 by Buffalo Bill and named for his daughter, this striking downtown property retains both its frontier charm and rough edges, with period furniture and pull-chain commodes in many rooms, a large restaurant open all day, and an elaborate cherrywood bar said to have been a gift from Queen Victoria to Buffalo Bill. For those looking for modern amenities and trappings, this probably isn't it. But if you want true history, and the chance to bump into a ghost or two, choose one of the 15 rooms in the original hotel (named after local legends) rather than in the annex, which has standard contemporary rooms. On summer evenings the Cody Gunslingers Shootout takes place in front of the Irma Hotel.
A former flour mill near a bridge has been converted into this inviting small hotel, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The lobby is decorated in wood accents with Native American art throughout, while furniture from an old dude ranch fills public spaces, giving it a definite Western style. The rooms are more contemporary in style and lack historic character, and some face a busy street; all have doors opening directly onto an outdoor walkway. The building has six stories, but the top four floors are business offices.
This full-service hotel, off I–25, has everything under one roof, from dining options to business services. Muted blues, greens, and mauves decorate the large, contemporary rooms, some of which have whirlpool tubs.
If you're looking to get in touch with yourself—or your traveling companion—this Old West–style ranch on the banks of Piney Creek in the foothills of the Big Horns may well be the place. The four bedrooms in the restored 1912 house, as well as modern rooms and cabins around the property, are given a warm Western feel by gnarled wood lamps, quilt-covered beds, and comfy throws for cool nights. Most accommodations open onto spacious decks where you can read, watch the sun set, or just gaze at the Canada geese, grazing horses, and towering cottonwoods. Do some mountain-stream fishing or take a pack trip to mountain lakes. Good for family reunions and retreats.
The standard-size rooms are rustic but warm, and service is friendly at this affordable, locally owned motel in downtown Lusk. It's within walking distance of area restaurants.
Brown carpeting and red drapes decorate the spacious rooms of this hotel. With its inlaid cedar accents and comfortable deck chairs, the room housing the indoor pool is surprisingly stylish for a small-town hotel.
Several blocks from downtown, this motel is close to Clear Creek Trail, the city's bike and walking path. Rooms have generic motel furnishings, including desks and coffeemakers.
About 15 miles west of Cody and 30 miles east of Yellowstone National Park's east entrance, this sprawling property offers basic accommodations in a mountain setting on the Shoshone River. Most rooms are in a motel or duplex cabins, but there are two larger suites in the main lodge. There's also an RV and tent camping park.
This all-suites hotel incorporates Western themes into a thoroughly modern and eco-friendly property. Exposed timber, tile accents, and a sunset-and-ochre color scheme connect you to the land. Meanwhile, flat-screen TVs, iPod docking stations, and Wi-Fi keep you in touch with the rest of the world. Green features include reclaimed wood trim from old structures inside Yellowstone National Park, natural bamboo-fiber fabrics, and organic soaps and shampoos. Some rooms have hot tubs and fireplaces.
