The Historic Hotel Greybull & The Speakeasy — Hotel in Greybull

OK.  My preamble to several lodging reviews from our latest (2025) trip: if your tastes and expectations run to, and you insist upon, the likes of Ritz-Carlton, Hyatt--or even 'moderate' hostleries, for that matter: if you expect concierge service, spa, 24-hour room service, business center and fitness facility, etc. ... this is not the place for you.

ON THE OTHER HAND, if you're up for something a bit different, and you don't expect someone to baby-sit you, The Historic Hotel Greybull may be right up your alley (actually, it's on the main corner in town).

This place began in the early 20th century as a bank, which failed in the run-up to the Great Depression. Then it became, at one point or another, a hotel (with some rooms at the back where ladies provided very personal services to customers), as well as a speakeasy, and later a legal drinking establishment.

It's back to being a hotel, a quirky laid-back establishment for those, as noted previously, who who don't need a baby-sitter. The lobby is open morning and afternoon/early evening. Breakfast in the lobby is an assortment of breakfast cereals in family-style boxes or plastic containers, milk and juice in the fridge, maybe some home-made banana bread and even lumpia the morning we were there, and some fresh fruits. Tables are scattered around the former bank, with newspapers and brochures here and there.

We were told we could go downstairs to the speakeasy (now a weekend restaurant with live music) and see--and step through--the broken-through basement walls that lead to a warren of further rooms, part of a network of tunnels under the town to serve a very active bootlegging operation during prohibition. Since many (most?) town officials were regular customers, the operators would get warned of coming raids.

So, if the lobby is open only at times during the day, how do you get in and out of your rooms? You enter from the sidewalk. One door accesses the stairs that lead to the upstairs rooms. The other two open into the two street-level rooms. With knees that would rebel at having to climb stairs, we reserved one of these, so I can't comment on the upstairs rooms.

Our room, with two beds, was quite evidently intended as an office, being maybe 25 or 30 feet long and 10 or 12 feet wide. One can easily imagine it as an insurance or similar office. It has a reproduction pressed-tin ceiling and wooden floors that creak to fit the building's age--and the fact that it's likely above the tunnels and underground rooms attached to the speakeasy under the old bank. The room was furnished with appropriately old lamps and other pieces.

A bathroom with a walk-in / roll-in shower occupied the end of the room.

All in all, a most interesting and pleasant--and...

Greybull is certainly off the beaten path - but if you find yourself between Yellowstone and the Bighorn's this place is worth the stay. I travel for work and stay in hotels about 80-120 nights per year. I travel to the Cody/Greybull area as my company is based here, and having stayed at 8 different hotels in the area the Historic Hotel Greybull truly stands out above the rest...including the hotels in Cody that charge 4 times the price.

The Historic Hotel - and more importantly, the owners Myles and Lori treat this place very similar to a Bed & Breakfast. This is what the feel is when you walk upstairs to your bedroom with the key in the door and the door open. The hotel is full of vintage products and antiques. My first night here, there was a desk from the late 1800's. I knew this because my mom has the same desk, which belonged to my great grandmother. The cafe on the main floor is great, but the Speakeasy restaurant in the basement was truly a stunning sight. From the silverware that I am sure was found at an antique store, to the glassware, everything is old - but first class. The food was excellent...from the Prime Rib Chicken Fried Steak, the twice baked potato, and even the honey butter for the bread.

For those who feel it is 'too old', HD TVs, free WIFI still occupy the rooms. And let me say - the beds - the best beds in a hotel I have slept in possibly ever.

Thank you Myles & Lori for a great time and I look forward to my next trip up to the...

This is a great hotel for a reasonable price. The rooms are quaint in a good way and the beds are very comfortable. It is historic and that is notable in the structure of the rooms and building. It’s also notable the aroma detected when first going upstairs but disappears before reaching the rooms. This even a good location to stay when visiting Yellowstone: although about an hour farther away from the park than other locations, the price was about one third what we would have paid staying in Cody. I recommend booking directly with the hotel, not through a booking service as the rates were notably lower booking directly with the hotel. Each room has its own shower and some rooms have their own toilet, others share a restroom. We stayed in a room that shared a restroom and were pleasantly surprised by the impeccable restrooms. The staff is fantastic, very friendly, and informative. Even when due to poor scheduling on our part, we needed assistance, an employee immediately dropped what she was doing and helped us with a positive demeanor. The included breakfast is good and other reviews praising the banana bread are right on. I highly recommend this hotel to any traveler in...