Bavarian Inn, Black Hills — Hotel in Custer

First off when we arrived we were greeted by a deer and her fawn.

Upon arrival Nick was manning the check in and he was most friendly efficient and knowledgeable. I don't think that I ever saw him during our seven nights stay without a smile. 😎

The primary reasons for booking our couple's week were the following reasons. Centrally located to all that is to see within and around Custer State park. Outdoor pool. The complimentary shuttle service to and from Custer. They had a for pay laundry area.

This venue is not a franchise as it's a family owned and operated motel.

Melissa, the housekeeping manager, was most engaging, friendly and pleasant. I had an opportunity to speak to one of the housekeeping staff, who was most thankful to work here, as she said she gets thanked every time she works unlike if she were to work at one of the franchised hotels in the area.

Erik worked as a groundskeeper and when the shuttle was available (4:00 - 10:00 pm) he was the face of the motel. On the occasions that we utilized the shuttle he was most efficient, friendly and was insightful with his take on all things Custer.

Most mornings Henri(ette) was manning the front desk and charged with keeping the pancake breakfast stocked. She was most engaging, friendly and was full of valuable information about the area.

The indoor pool was a good spot (a bit noisy), when the weather cooperated, and the hot tub was enjoyable.

Now I should say we haven't stayed in a motel in quite sometime. So, we were a bit taken aback with the noise in the rooms from adjacent rooms and being on the second floor, the transfer of sound when the kids were running along the balcony.

Our toom was a part of the original motel although it had been recently updated.

Our king-sized bed was a bit sinky which prevented my wife from getting a good night's sleep.

There was no closet, just a rack, with which to hang up a couple items. So we were living out of our suitcases for the week.

In the end, the staff were the best thing about this motel. They were dedicated to making this an...

This inn is fantastic … we were pleasantly surprised by every little detail. It is an older place, but wonderfully updated and taken care of, and impeccably clean. They have thought of every detail to make a stay here more pleasant. It has indoor and outdoor pools, both heated to a perfect temperature, so the kids and I were all comfortable to swim for hours in the outdoor pool, even when the air temperature would have normally been a little too cold to swim outside. There is also a pickle ball court and small basketball court, along with balls and racquets. There are games in the lobby and a cart outside the lobby with games, balls, chalk, and other fun items to borrow. Most, if not all, of the rooms each have their own little table and two chairs outside the door to sit and enjoy being outside. There are also two nice patio areas outside the lobby building with larger tables and chairs, which are a perfect area to sit and relax and have a drink, enjoy takeout food from a local restaurant, or hang out and okay a game. There are restaurants, shops, etc. just a few minute drive away, but it is just far enough from all the commotion to feel peaceful and relaxed. Pizza Mill has great pizza. The inn is conveniently located close to Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse, and more. We also enjoyed driving through “Bear Country.” We were very glad we chose to stay here, rather than the more commercial towns of Keystone, Rapid City, or Hill City. The Bavarian Inn doesn’t have free breakfast, but their “Feel Good Cafe” has good breakfast options, and we liked that we could order breakfast items to pick up and then eat outside or take with us. Most breakfasts were $4-6 and included generously sized breakfast sandwiches, fruit and yogurt parfaits, oatmeal bowls, and fresh fruit cups. We stayed for three nights, but wished we had even more time, so that we would have had time to make use of more of the fun things available right on...

This place has it figured out. What an adorable and unique concept tucked away in a quiet spot extremely close to the main drag in Custer, South Dakota. We ended up there by accident and the only thing we regret was that we didn’t find it sooner. The staff are genuinely some of the nicest folks you’ll ever meet, and they go the extra steps to make your stay perfect. The design, decor, and overall concept is quaint and adorable, right down to the colorful umbrellas they set out for guests during a rain shower. Super clean (which I’m a clean freak and this is a deal breaker for me!!!) and love the easy access from the parking lot to your door. Rooms are spacious and there are lots of attention to details in both decor and items available to you. Amenities…all free and plentiful! Pickleball courts, basketball court, cornhole, indoor and outdoor swimming pools with hot tub, adorable outdoor seating areas with games (we enjoyed the chess game that reminded us of wizards chess from Harry Potter), full laundry room access with multiple machines and they provide the gain products, and they even have a cookie and milk happy hour! Very family friendly, so if you don’t like kiddos you may want to consider this. Also, likely not a place you are going to sleep in if you aren’t on an upper floor, maybe on an end, because of the set up. We do not have young kiddos anymore but none of this would deter us. Our group ranged from 48 to 17, and all had a blast. Kids or not, this is a must visit inn. Try the cafe next door for breakfast…equally adorable and very good! We will be back on our future travels to the...