Must-see hotels in The Great Plains

  • Hotel Alex Johnson

    Black Hills

    The design of this 1927 classic magically blends Germanic Tudor architecture with traditional Lakota Sioux symbols – note the lobby's painted ceiling and…

  • Shakespeare Chateau

    Missouri

    This elegant 1885 mansion houses five spacious guest rooms upstairs and a handful of common parlors from which to soak in the opulence of yesteryear…

  • Black Hawk Hotel

    Iowa

    This is the longest continuously operating hotel west of the Mississippi and a true treasure of downtown Cedar Falls. Open since 1853, it's been kept in…

  • Barn Anew

    Nebraska

    This charming B&B lies within a restored barn on an old sugar-beet farm. The walls are adorned with the owners' museum-quality collection of Native…

  • Millstream Resort Motel

    Kansas

    There is so much to love about this charming motel overlooking Cottonwood River and the falls, not least of which is the bargain price. Stone walls, wood…

  • Hotel Deco

    Nebraska

    This soaring hotel is in a repurposed 1930 commercial building that, as the name implies, was designed in sleek art deco style. Rooms are very comfortable…

  • Jefferson House B&B

    Kansas City

    Jefferson House is funkier than most Missouri mansion-cum-B&Bs, with a mix of modern and classic touches. There are just three rooms and one has sweeping…

  • Cheshire

    St Louis

    This upscale inn near Forest Park oozes character, from its stained-glass windows to the all-encompassing British literary theme. The hodgepodge of…

  • Boone's Colonial Inn

    Missouri

    The four suites in these 1820 stone row houses are posh escapes. If all are booked out, try the sister property, Boone's Lick Trail Inn, five blocks down…

  • Iowa House

    Iowa

    Once a frat house, this stolid brick building from 1924 is now a very comfortable 15-room hotel. Furnishings are high quality and the entire place feels a…

  • Hotel Donaldson

    North Dakota

    A stylish and swank revamp of a flophouse, the 17 well-appointed rooms here are each decorated by a local artist. Fargo's most chic restaurant, HoDo, and…

  • Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven

    Springfield

    Perfectly maintained and right up-to-date where it counts, this 1956 motor court is a Route 66 classic. Lovingly restored by its owners, the motel has…

  • Beiderbecke Bed & Breakfast

    Iowa

    This is the Stick-style Victorian home of jazz legend Bix Beiderbecke's grandparents. Now a four-room B&B, it's got some incredible period wallpaper and…

  • Brown Street Inn

    Iowa

    Four-poster beds and other antiques adorn this six-room 1913 Dutch Colonial place that's an easy walk from downtown. Ask the amiable owner about the house…

  • Colcord Hotel

    Oklahoma

    Oklahoma City's first skyscraper, built in 1911, is now a luxurious 12-story hotel. Many original flourishes, such as the marble-clad lobby, survive while…

  • Town Hall Inn

    Black Hills

    This 12-room inn occupies the 1912 Town Hall and has spacious suites named and themed in honor of their former purpose, from the municipal judges chamber…

  • Branson Hotel

    Missouri

    Dating to 1903, this plush nine-room B&B is right in the old town. It's away from the frenetic commercialism of the Strip, and has a great on-site wine…

  • Hotel Campbell

    Oklahoma

    Restored to its 1927-era Route 66 splendor, this historic hotel east of downtown has 26 luxurious rooms with hardwood floors and plush period furniture…

  • Alpine Inn

    Black Hills

    Right in the center of town, the Alpine Inn dates to 1884 and has comfy rooms in regal red. The restaurant serves filling German-accented fare (mains $8…

  • Parkway Hotel

    St Louis

    Right in the midst of Central West End's upscale fun, this indie eight-story hotel contains 217 remodeled rooms (with refrigerators and microwaves) inside…

  • Des Lux Hotel

    Iowa

    An elegant five-story commercial building downtown has been transformed into a luxurious hotel with only 51 rooms. It's got more character than the chains…

  • Fillenwarth Beach Resort

    Iowa

    A sprawling resort right on West Okoboji Lake, room choices range from simple tree-shaded cabins to large waterfront apartments. A plethora of activities…

  • Southmoreland on the Plaza

    Kansas City

    The 12 rooms at this posh B&B are furnished like the home of your rich country-club friends. It's a big old mansion between the art museums and the Plaza…

  • Landing Current River

    Missouri

    Perched along the banks of the Current River near Van Buren, this scenic hotel is the perfect base for exploring the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. All…

  • Graduate Lincoln

    Nebraska

    Part of a small chain of hotels with locations only near major college campuses, the Graduate Lincoln caters to the permanent student in every grad. There…

  • Noble Inn

    North Dakota

    This highly recommended and locally owned hotel has spacious rooms with kitchenettes and comfy living quarters. Perks include a warm breakfast, free…

  • Higher Ground Hotel

    Missouri

    Across the street from the Truman Home, this 30-room hotel looks basic from the outside. Enter its cheery halls, however, and you'll find well-appointed …

  • Heavenly Habitat Bed & Breakfast

    Iowa

    This is where actress Maureen O'Hara stayed when she came to Winterset in 2013 for a John Wayne birthday celebration. The three rooms are in a former…

  • Pollard Inn

    Oklahoma

    Look up at the tin ceilings to check out the bullet holes at this bank-cum-inn, the site of many a frontier times robbery. The 12 rooms are spacious and…

  • Amble Inn

    North Dakota

    Staying at this comfortable five-room inn is like arriving at your friend's Western-themed vacation home. The owners live on site and can tell you…

  • Tiger Hotel

    Missouri

    This centrally located boutique hotel is a welcome alternative to the chains that encircle Columbia. Opened in 1928, it's had a thorough refurbishment,…

  • Hitching Horse Inn

    South Dakota

    This welcoming four-room inn has an understated charm and is free of the suffocating twee doodads common in other B&Bs. Two of the rooms have Jacuzzi tubs…

  • Sandbar Beach Resort

    Iowa

    A traditional lake resort with 16 simple wooden cabins on a quiet corner of Big Spirit Lake. The units range in size, all have basic cooking facilities. A…

  • Abilene's Victorian Inn

    Kansas

    This grand lavender-tinted building dates to 1882 and was the home of Eisenhower's boyhood friend Swede Hazlett. It's been restored to its Victorian…

  • Inn at Price Tower

    Oklahoma

    Step back in time to the late 1950s at this period-inspired hotel within the top floors of Frank Lloyd Wright's 19-story 'Prairie Skyscraper.' The 21…

  • Grand Central Hotel & Grill

    Kansas

    This hotel is located in historic brick buildings on Cottonwood Falls' main drag. The 10 rooms are large and well appointed. The restaurant (mains $20 to …

  • Grandison Inn at Maney Park

    Oklahoma

    In a genteel quarter of the city just northwest of downtown, this gracious 1904-vintage B&B welcomes guests to eight rooms with period charm, plenty of…

  • Graham-Carroll House

    Oklahoma

    This grand four-room B&B lies within a genteel English Tudor manor house in the Founder's Place Historic District. Some rooms have jet tubs and all stays…

  • Hotel Ambassador

    Oklahoma

    Look in the hallway for the photos of this 1929 10-story hotel before its opulent renovation. Public spaces are suitably grand; the 55 rooms are newly…

  • Aladdin

    Kansas City

    Affiliated with Holiday Inn, this 16-story hotel dates from 1925. It has been restored to its Italian Romanesque splendor and has 193 compact yet stylish…