Bison Plains Lodge — Hotel in Moorhead

So, I do a lot of reviews on the places I visit, so please take this review for an exact idea of this location. There are 2 hotels with "ALMOST" the same name, one in Fargo, and this one in Moorehead. Trust me, I got the 2 places mixed up as well, when looking on "booking sites", like Priceline, so pick the right one. I traveled as a single female, staying 4 nights for a family furnal. I always fear traveling alone, I felt perfectly safe and comfortable here. The doors do have new card entries, and metal framed so the door lock latch from the inside, does not need to be used, and can't be used, see photo. About this Moorehead location. The price was perfect, for a more out dated hotel, with breakfast served daily. Breakfast, build your own hot waffles with a large variety of toppings, cold cereal and hot oatmeal. Variety of breads, muffins, beagles, and a variety of hand held breakfast items like yogurts, fruits, breakfast bars, boiled eggs and stick cheese. Of course coffee, juices, milk. The room, truly out dated decor, but it's just decor, I don't base my stays on if it from 1950 or 2023, nothing smelled and it was all functional.. I don't need a desk/dresser from 2023, if you do, go to the Hilton. The bed was comfortable, slightly firm, with a soft feel, the pillows were very sturdy, as I hate flat pillows when I put my head on it and it sinks with no neck support, so this made me happy, And I got 4 pillows on one bed... most hotels give 2 or 3 flat lifeless pillows. I did get the last room, which ended up being the 1st floor handicap room, so the bathroom was set up differently. I will say there was a bar of soap left in the dish, a simple over site, but tossing it in the trash, didn't make or break my stay. It did bug me that the shower curtain was constantly clinging to me, as the shower curtain should be set back more to allow room to move around in the shower, but if I had the handicap chair in there, it could've held the curtain back. The shower had beyond excellent water pressure and was always as hot as I wanted, also note the hotel was sold out every night of my stay. The bathroom had all the need hygiene items as well, see Picture of items. More than enough towels, and they were soft, most hotels have over washed, sandpaper like towels, I was happy these were fluffy and soft, and I didn't have to ask for more, because I had 4 towels for 4 nights with extra face cloths and hand towels.. I hate tracking down more towels from housekeeping, so GOOD JOB there. The halls, walls, ceilings. Remember, the hotel was full and I was on 1st floor. I could here upstairs walking, thankfully, not at hours I was asleep and I could see, if they had kids, it could've been loud if bouncing around up there. I could hear people talking in the halls as they walked by, very clearly, but only if I had my TV and AC off, so no big deal. I didn't hear people on either side of my room through the walls, and as I walked the halls, I could hear clear conversations people were having in their rooms.. so doors are thin.. I always use sound breakers like a bathroom fan, A/C or TV. Nothing that bothered me. The room temp, controlled by a wall unit AC/Heater kept the room perfectly comfortable. Considering I was there on 90 degree days, I needed the AC. The staff, everyone was in good moods and always greater with a smile. It does look as one person is on any givin shift and if they are not at the desk, they do have a pager on them, so when you press the button at the desk, it pages them so they know to return to the desk to help you. So all in all, I absolutely enjoyed my stay, it is a dated hotel, but that's realy it's only issue, not pretty but safe and accommodating. Grocery store, gas, and restaurants across the street, and highway 1 min up the road. One exit (5min)from Fargo, ND, which is were my family was staying for the funeral, so it was perfect access without getting lost. With all this said, I...

The business on the outside looked exactly like it does in the picture online. No surprises.

Check in was straight-forward. I checked in at 10:30pm; staff was very friendly and professional. I was assigned room 101. When I went to unlock the door I noticed that there was no card reader on door to get in; there was a regular lock with a keyhole. I went back to front desk, explained my finding, and he simply issued me another non-smoking room. He apologized abundantly, but there was no significant inconvenience to me so I didn’t mind.

The walk to the new room reveal a funky odor in the corridor. It was nothing terrible. The room itself was looking a little tired at first glance. The carpets suggested I wear my shoes for whole stay. While the room could use an update, it was clean for the most part. The bed was clean and surprising comfortable. A/C worked as it should and quietly. No weird noises or drippy faucets anywhere. The bathroom looked tired too, but it was clean. No remnants of previous occupants. Toilet sat a little crooked, but it worked just fine. Shower worked well - water was hot, no weird odors - perfect pressure. Shower head was for someone 5’, not 6’1”, but no big deal. I didn’t use tv, can’t comment on it. Didn’t use WiFi either.

Breakfast was simple, continental style due to Covid. Checkout was perfect.

To frame my point of reference, I have travelled extensively for business and pleasure. A Hampton Inn is usually my minimum level hotel I will stay at. Was this a Hampton Inn? Absolutely not, but my sleep was sound, uninterrupted, and I felt safe. I was just driving through town, with long drives before and after, and that is all I would do is sleep at this establishment - I didn’t need to spend $150 at a Hampton Inn.

For $60 all in, this hotel was perfect for my needs. If I had to stay there for multiple days, maybe not, but this was cheap, practical, and delivered what I hoped it would wi. No surprises.

Given same circumstances, I would stay here again. If you are a budget or just being judicious with your...

I'm very disappointed and frustrated with this hotel. I booked this hotel a day ahead and reserved it for my husband and son for 1 night, October 20th, 2023 and check out the next day October 21st, 2023. Right at 8pm I get a phone call from my husband saying they had sold his room already and there were no more rooms for tonight, they sold out. I'm baffled because they sold a room that was already reserved. I called the hotel, I'm 4 hours away from the hotel, which my husband and my son drove from, to find out their hotel was already sold. Anyways, I called and spoke to front desk , asking to speak to a manager, unfortunately the manager was gone already and was just front desk person, told them it was wrong of them to sell the room that i had reserved prior, then the front desk proceeded to tell me the manager had called and reach my husband which he did not receive any phone calls nor emails , said manager waited 1 hours and half before cancelling the room, because they proceeded to try and charge my husband card before arrival. I was more frustrated knowing they were already trying to charge his card before checking in, and also said they wanted to make sure to proceed forward in charging my husbands card to see if they were coming or not. I've worked in a hotel for a couple of years and never have to charge a person before arrival. That is wrong and upsetting of them to sell off a room that was already reserved, my husband and son arrive at 8pm, so why cancel the reservation and sell it off ? I'm so furious and letting future customers know , I do not recommend coming here and they're highly unprofessional to charge a card before arrival of check in and cancelling a reservation assuming my husband and son were not coming to check in . No phone calls or emails were received at all and...