Home2 Suites by Hilton Rapid City — Hotel in Box Elder

Our family of four spent three nights at this property during Memorial Day weekend as part of our road trip. While this property definitely meets Hilton's brand standards and offers good value for its tier level, our experience was significantly influenced by its connection to WaTiki Indoor Waterpark. The hotel primarily serves as part of a waterpark destination, attracting mostly the locals, especially during holidays and weekends. This creates a distinctly different atmosphere from what one might typically expect at a Home2 Suites. Had we better understood this dynamic before booking, we likely would have made different accommodation choices for our family's needs.||||Waterpark Specialty||While we knew the hotel was near the WaTiki Indoor Waterpark, we were surprised to discover they were physically connected. We looked at the waterpark's website before came here and it had simply listed this property as one of several partner hotels, leading us to view it as a potential amenity rather than the hotel's primary draw. However, it quickly became apparent that for most guests, the waterpark was the only reason they are there in this property. The property serves as a popular destination for the locals, particularly during holidays and weekends. This makes sense given Rapid City's small population of 80K and limited entertainment options in the region. While we had initially planned to possibly visit the waterpark if time permitted, we found ourselves in what essentially felt like a waterpark h/motel rather than a traditional Home2 Suites property. ||||The waterpark itself proved underwhelming in terms of size and crowd management. For reference, WaTiki is roughly half the size of a typical Great Wolf Lodge waterpark, yet appears to operate without clear capacity limits. The facility remained consistently crowded throughout operating hours, from morning until night, creating a rather intense atmosphere. During our brief visit one evening, we found the congestion levels uncomfortable enough to make us step out in a short time period. For those familiar with Great Wolf Lodge properties, imagine similar crowd volumes but in a significantly more compact space.||||The hotel's atmosphere was significantly impacted by guests' behavior and dress code. Throughout the day, hallways and common areas were crowded with people in wet swimwear and sleepwear, many walking barefoot. The physical connection to the water park seemed to create a casual environment where children ran unsupervised through the corridors and throughout the whole hotel at all hours. While family-friendly environments are expected at properties connected to water parks like this, better enforcement of basic etiquette and safety guidelines would greatly enhance the overall guest experience and maintain professional standards in common areas.||||Location and Parking||Enough about its “specialty”. Regarding location and accessibility, the property sits right off I-90 and Highway 16 Bypass, among a cluster of hotels. While the location offers convenient access to major roadways, entering and exiting via the I-90 Service Road can be challenging due to the absence of traffic signals at the intersection. The area's commercial development is a definite plus, with number of shopping options and restaurants within a two-mile radius.||||The hotel offers ample front parking, though spaces can fill up during peak evening hours. The shared parking arrangement with neighboring hotels and the adjacent event center creates significant vehicle traffic throughout the connected lots. First-time visitors should note this can impact navigation, especially during busy periods.||||Facility and Room||Having opened in 2017, this relatively new property shows good maintenance standards in both common areas and our room.||||The suite-style accommodations offer a welcome advantage for families, with a layout that separates the sleeping and living areas. The additional space and seating area provided our kids with a space to play beyond the beds, which is a plus. While the room layout is great, the bathroom configuration is somewhat compact, with the toilet positioned directly opposite the vanity, which can feel cramped. One note, the room utilizes a traditional window-style air conditioning unit. Light sleepers or those accustomed to central air conditioning systems might find the noise disruptive. ||||Hot Breakfast||The simple hot breakfast, standard for Hilton properties at this tier level, is definitely a plus for families with young children. While the offerings were basic, they adequately met our needs, and we appreciated the dedicated staff members who worked hard to keep items replenished during entire breakfast hours.||||However, the breakfast experience was impacted by consistently heavy crowds for the three mornings we were there. The serving area had long lines all the time, and the dining areas had food dropped in many places and creamer spilled at the coffee station. The crowds combined with the previously mentioned casual dress code of all the waterpark guests, created a chaotic environment that might surprise travelers expecting a typical Home2 Suites breakfast experience.||||||Staff||All staff members we encountered were good. The front desk staffs would greet you when you pass by although normally there would be just one person there. For the breakfast service staffs, they worked hard as mentioned earlier. Housekeeping and other staffs we encountered in the hallway and common areas would give you appropriate acknowledgment. ||||Overall||In terms of Hilton brand standards and typical Home2 Suites amenities, this property successfully delivers on its core offerings. The accommodations, breakfast service, and staff performance align well with what one would expect from this tier level. However, the property's integral connection to WaTiki Indoor Waterpark fundamentally transforms the hotel experience from a traditional business/family-friendly Home2 Suites into something more akin to a waterpark h/motel. While this might be ideal for families specifically planning a waterpark stay, travelers seeking a conventional Home2 Suites experience should carefully consider whether these unique dynamic suits their needs. Next time we would likely choose somewhere else better aligned with our family's...

Overall, the hotel and rooms were nice. We enjoyed the breakfasts that were included. Everyone I talked to on the phone was really nice... but the things we talked about were not communicated to the people who needed to do the work, so there was a lot of frustration on our end. Even when I complained to the front desk staff, the most they did was say sorry, but no "I'll get someone on that."

1. I booked 3 rooms. Initially, I only booked 2 King suites, then I called to get a 3rd room with 2 Queen beds for my 90-year-old mother-in-law. At booking (at least 2 weeks in advance) I specifically asked to have the 2-Queen room I booked for her to be next to one of the King suite rooms I had already booked, as my mother in law would be in that one and we needed to be near her. When we arrived, they had the 2-Queen room by itself at the end of the 3rd floor hall, and the other two rooms on the 4th floor and at the opposite end. So we had to have them move one of the King suite rooms near that one, since there were no 2-Queen rooms available closer to the elevator. They said they didn't have notes on their computer about my having asked to keep the rooms near each other from when I booked.

2. They said at check-in on the first night that "sprucing up" the room would only be done if we asked the night before, so I asked right away for them to add all 3 of our rooms to the list to be done both days of our stay (we stayed over 3 nights). The next day, one of the rooms had been serviced, but the one we were staying in was not. I called the front desk and they apologized and said they would make sure we were on for the second day. They weren't willing to send someone up to make up for the missed job, but said to feel free to come to the front desk to pick up anything we needed. On the second day, they still didn't service our room. I asked the lady who was in the hall with her housekeeping cart if we were on the list, since she was already past our room, and she looked at it and said we were not on the list. I glanced at it, and saw ours and my mother-in-law's both hand written in at the bottom. We told her to skip the one room, as it had been done the day before, but I took her into our room and showed her a pile of towels in our room, an empty toilet paper roll, an empty tissue box, and full trash bags that I would like her to take away and to replace. I told her she didn't need to make the beds, or anything -- just take care of those things. So she said, "So you would like me to stock the room?" I said yes, thinking that would get me the towels, TP, tissues, and trash bags. When I came back later, the towels and things were gone, but no clean towels, TP, tissues, or trash bags were replaced. When I called the front desk, the lady said that the housekeeper had been told to "stock the kitchenette." That was not at all what I had said, or what I had shown her needed to be done.

I don't know what's going on at this hotel. I know things are busy and understaffed everywhere, but it would be nice if people would communicate more clearly and take notes. If someone calls and is trying to get special accomodations for an elderly guest, that should be written down, and if we say she has trouble walking, they should not put her all the way at the end of the hall, when the nearest elevator is at the...

Let me start by saying I expected this room to be expensive due to Sturgis. That’s not the issue. I knew rates would be high — but $500 per night is extreme, and at that price, I expected much better conditions.

The Room

The layout is spacious — two queen beds and a pull-out sofa. That part was fine. But the floor had stains, there was a strange smell, and the pull-down curtain was broken. It didn’t feel like a freshly cleaned or well-maintained space.

Bathroom Issues

When I went to wash my hands, I noticed two folded towels near the sink. On closer inspection, both had what appeared to be dried blood stains — one on the top towel and another on the bottom of the second. That’s disgusting and completely unacceptable. How does this get missed by housekeeping?

Mold in the Air Conditioner

While setting up my work clothes for the next day, I used my phone flashlight and happened to glance into the air conditioning unit — and I wish I hadn’t. Chunks of mold were visibly growing inside the vent. This thing was actively running, blowing mold spores into the room. It’s not just gross — it’s a serious health concern. At $500 a night, you shouldn’t be inhaling mold.

Noise at Night

If you’re assigned a room at the front of the hotel above the main entrance, prepare for a long, noisy night. There’s a patio area directly below where guests hang out — and I mean all night. Around 11:00 p.m., a group of loud, possibly drunk guests were still out there, talking loudly with no regard for people trying to sleep. The windows are not soundproof, so I could hear every word of their conversation. I get it — people want to enjoy themselves — but some of us have work the next day and need sleep. There should be some kind of quiet hours enforcement or better window insulation.

Unused Amenities

They advertise access to a nearby water park — which might be great if you're on vacation with your kids. But I was here for work and just needed a decent place to sleep. So I’m left wondering why I’m paying a premium rate that seems to include features I don’t use or need.

Final Thoughts

This hotel looks polished on the outside, but the room conditions and guest experience inside fall far short of what you'd expect at $500 per night. I stayed here because there were no other options — I had just driven 12 hours and worked another 7. But I still expect basic cleanliness, a quiet environment, and mold-free air.

If this room had been priced around $350, maybe I’d have let things slide. But at this price point, I feel taken advantage of. Check the AC, inspect your towels, and pack earplugs if...