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Where to stay in Yellowstone

The 1904 log inn beside Old Faithful, or a family-run lodge with free breakfast at the West Yellowstone entrance.

  1. Old Faithful InnBoutique · Old Faithful, Upper Geyser Basin$$$$
  2. Three Bear LodgeFamily · West Yellowstone, a few blocks from the park’s west entrance$$$$
Standout pick
Old Faithful Inn · $$$
Easy choice
Three Bear Lodge · $$
Best time
Late May–Sep
Ideal stay
3–4 days

In Yellowstone, where you sleep decides how much of your day you spend driving. Our exclusive pick is the 1904 Old Faithful Inn, right by the geyser; our accessible pick is a family-run lodge in West Yellowstone, a few blocks from the west entrance. Prices are shown as a level, from $ to $$$$: rates move with the season and the room, so check the live price before you plan.

Old Faithful Inn

$$$$
Pick no. 1 · The standoutBoutiqueOld Faithful, Upper Geyser Basin

Historic log hotel inside the park (1903–1904), a National Historic Landmark

Photos: Old Faithful Inn, official website. Shown courtesy of the property.

The 1904 log inn beside Old Faithful, with a towering log lobby and the geyser basin at the door.

  • National Historic Landmark
  • Lobby fireplace
  • Geyser basin on the doorstep
  • Geyser basin views
See prices (official website)Opens the hotel’s official website.

Why we picked it

We would book it for the evenings: when the day visitors leave, the inn is yours, with the towering log lobby, the stone fireplace and Old Faithful erupting a few steps from the door. It puts the Upper Geyser Basin on your doorstep at dawn and dusk, which no gateway town can do, and it is the most requested lodging in the park for good reason.

Best for

  • First-time visitors
  • History and architecture lovers
  • Geyser watchers
  • Built in 1903–1904 with local logs and stone: one of the largest log-style structures in the world, with a towering lobby and a massive stone fireplace
  • Steps from Old Faithful geyser, with suites and deluxe rooms on the geyser basin side
  • Dining Room, Bear Pit Lounge and Bear Paw Deli under the same roof, with dinner bookable 60 days ahead for inn guests

What the hotel offers

As listed on the hotel’s own website.

  • National Historic LandmarkBuilt in 1903–1904 with local logs and stone
  • Lobby fireplaceA massive stone fireplace and a hand-crafted clock in the towering lobby
  • Geyser basin on the doorstepSteps away from Old Faithful geyser
  • Geyser basin viewsPartial views from the suites and deluxe rooms on the geyser basin side of the East Wing
  • Old Faithful Inn Dining RoomDinner by reservation, bookable up to 60 days ahead by inn guests
  • Breakfast and lunchIn the Dining Room, first come, first served; sandwiches and ice cream at the Bear Paw Deli
  • Bear Pit LoungeClassic and signature cocktails, with etched glass panels
  • Mini-fridgeStocked with soft drinks and snacks in the suites and junior suites
  • Private or shared bathsFull bathrooms in suites and deluxe rooms; Old House rooms come with or without a private bath
  • Kids stay freeChildren 11 and under stay free when accompanied by an adult

Three Bear Lodge

$$$$
Pick no. 2 · The easy choiceFamilyWest Yellowstone, a few blocks from the park’s west entrance

Family-run lodge and motel in West Yellowstone, open since 1932

Photos: Three Bear Lodge, official website. Shown courtesy of the property.

A family-run West Yellowstone lodge with free breakfast, a pool and hot tubs, a few blocks from the west entrance.

  • Complimentary breakfast
  • Three Bear Restaurant
  • Grizzly Lounge
  • Outdoor pool
See prices (partner link, Trip.com)Official website Opens Trip.com, one of our booking partners.

Why we picked it

We would book it for the practical side of a Yellowstone trip done well: breakfast on the house before an early start through the west entrance, a hot tub after a long day on the Grand Loop, and a restaurant across the lot for dinner. The Seely family has run it since 1970, and the reclaimed-wood lodge and historic exhibits give it more character than the average gateway motel.

Best for

  • Families
  • Value seekers
  • Winter snowmobile trips
  • Complimentary breakfast buffet (or $10 off a menu item) at the Three Bear Restaurant when it is open
  • Seasonal outdoor pool, indoor hot tubs and a fitness room open year-round
  • A lodge rebuilt in 2009 with wood reclaimed from the 1932 original, and Goldilocks-themed family rooms with three to four beds

What the hotel offers

As listed on the hotel’s own website.

  • Complimentary breakfastBuffet, or $10 off a menu item, May 1–Oct 18 and Dec 15–Mar 15
  • Three Bear RestaurantWestern-style breakfast and dinner, with a kids menu
  • Grizzly LoungeDrinks, cocktails and desserts after dinner
  • Outdoor poolOpen mid-June to late September, weather permitting
  • Indoor hot tubsOpen year-round, 8 am to 9 pm
  • Fitness roomTreadmill, elliptical and stationary bike, open 365 days a year
  • Wi-FiFree in every room
  • Fridge and microwaveIn every room
  • Family roomsGoldilocks rooms with 3–4 beds; two-room suites sleeping up to six in the motel
  • Historic exhibitsThe lodge’s story since 1932, told in displays on site
  • Tours and snowmobilesSummer and winter park tours and snowmobile rentals booked through the lodge

Old Faithful Inn or Three Bear Lodge: how to choose

One sleeps inside the park by the geysers, the other at the gateway town 30 minutes away.

Old Faithful: inside the park

The Old Faithful Inn is a 1904 log landmark steps from the geyser, with its own dining room and lounge. Choose it if you plan ahead (13 months), want the geyser basin at dawn and dusk, and can live without Wi-Fi and TV.

West Yellowstone: the gateway town

Three Bear Lodge is a family-run lodge a few blocks from the west entrance, with free breakfast in season, a pool and hot tubs. Choose it for families, for value, for restaurants on foot, or for a winter snowmobile trip.

Planning the rest of the trip? Our Yellowstone travel guide covers the three-day itinerary, the entrances, the fees and when to go.

Our Yellowstone travel guide

Hotels in Yellowstone: your questions

Where should I stay in Yellowstone for a first visit?

Split your nights if you can. Old Faithful puts you next to the geysers, and the Old Faithful Inn is the classic address there. West Yellowstone, 30 minutes from Old Faithful, has the widest choice and easier availability: Three Bear Lodge sits a few blocks from the west entrance. Add a night at Canyon or Gardiner for Lamar Valley. Read our Yellowstone travel guide

How far ahead should I book a hotel in Yellowstone?

For in-park lodges, as early as possible: Yellowstone National Park Lodges opens reservations 13 months ahead, on the 5th of each month, and the Old Faithful Inn is its most requested hotel. In West Yellowstone, book a few months ahead for July and August.

When is the best time to visit Yellowstone?

Late May to September, when most roads are open. June has baby animals and full waterfalls, July and August are the busiest, and September is excellent, with elk bugling and fewer people. The Old Faithful Inn is open in summer only. When to visit Yellowstone

How do I get to these hotels from the airport?

Rent a car. From Bozeman (BZN), drive south to West Yellowstone, where Three Bear Lodge is a few blocks from the entrance, then continue about 30 minutes into the park to Old Faithful. From Jackson Hole (JAC), enter through the south entrance via Grand Teton.

Which of the two hotels suits families?

Three Bear Lodge is the easier choice: Goldilocks-themed rooms with three to four beds, two-room suites, a seasonal pool, hot tubs, free breakfast in season and a kids menu. At the Old Faithful Inn, children 11 and under stay free with an adult, and the junior suites have two queen beds.

Do I still pay the park entrance fee if I stay inside Yellowstone?

Yes. Staying at the Old Faithful Inn does not include park entry: the fee is $35 per vehicle for seven days, plus $100 per non-US resident aged 16 and over since 2026, unless you hold an America the Beautiful pass.

Can I book these hotels directly?

Yes. The See prices button under the Old Faithful Inn opens the official Yellowstone National Park Lodges website. For Three Bear Lodge it opens Trip.com, one of our booking partners. Both open in a new tab.

Exit 10And now?Our Yellowstone guideWhat to do, where to eat, getting there
Exit 17When to visit YellowstoneMonth by month · best: SeptemberExit 243 days in Yellowstone3-day itineraryExit 31Yellowstone or Acadia?Compare them side by sideExit 38Trip budgetRooms, food, car, gas, passes

Hotel picks for other destinations

Picked by Kylian Dev. These are editorial picks: no hotel paid to be here, and we never describe a stay we did not make. Facts come from each hotel’s own website; the Trip.com buttons are partner links (how we make money).