Sioux Falls hotels

As one of the best hotels in Sioux Falls, Hotel on Phillips is also one of the coolest. Set inside the old headquarters of the Sioux Falls National Bank, this place is dripping in history. The lobby has been refurbished to look like a bank lobby from the 1920s, and you’ll find old mail slots next to the lift shafts on many floors.

I think the rooms here are the best designed and most fashionable in all of Sioux Falls – that’s a big part of what makes this the best boutique hotel in Sioux Falls too.

My favourite part, though, has to be The Treasury, the hotel’s craft cocktail bar inside the old vault. I’ll end most of my nights here chatting with the bartenders and sampling the creative drinks. Ask nicely and they might even make something special for you.

This central Sioux Falls hotel isn’t your average Garden Inn. Like many of the hotels set along the Big Sioux River, it gives you a great sense of place, and I love to grab a drink at the lobby bar and enjoy my first sunset in town at an outdoor table by the water.

One of the best hotels in Sioux Falls, the lobby has giant floor-to-ceiling windows so the Big Sioux is always in sight. And on Friday and Saturday nights, the bar is always packed with locals out for a good time.

There’s an on-site gym, but when you’re this close to the Downtown River Greenway riverfront trail loop you’d be remiss not to go for a run. I’ll typically run in the evenings when the weather cools off, and with access right outside the hotel, it’s an ideal route.

This Hyatt Place is one of the best hotels in Sioux Falls near popular Lake Lorraine. About 15 minutes from Sioux Falls city centre, Lake Lorraine bills itself as a “lifestyle centre,” which might sound like a fancy name for a shopping centre with better restaurants.

But it’s actually one of the more unsung parts of Sioux Falls, where you can hire a paddleboat and spend an afternoon on the water, then hit up the shopping outlets for a spot of retail therapy.

The hotel offers large, two-room suites, perfect for families. You’re also just across the lake from Dave and Buster’s sports bar and arcade and within walking distance of the city’s biggest collection of restaurants outside the centre.

You won’t find many boutique hotels in Sioux Falls, and even fewer that have the cosy, homey character of a bed and breakfast. But if that’s what you’re after, book the Twin Tudors Inn.

This five-room hotel is set inside a Tudor home in the McKennan Park neighbourhood, a quiet, upscale area about five minutes south of the city centre. I always feel like a local when I stay here, because there’s nothing remotely touristy about the surroundings.

The Twin Tudors is a mother-and-father operation, and what the comfortable rooms may lack in high-tech amenities they more than make up for in warm and welcoming hospitality. All of the staff are beyond friendly and accommodating, and coming here feels more like staying with friends than being in a hotel.

I love this hotel for its location, a prime spot right on Phillips Avenue within walking distance of Falls Park and the city centre’s bars and restaurants. It’s also one of the best hotels in Sioux Falls in terms of value, offering a nice price point for such a fabulous location.

It has the clean, spacious guestrooms you’d expect from a Holiday Inn, with plenty of room for me to spread out and unwind. This is also a great spot for business travellers, as the hotel has a huge rooftop meeting space. The view from there is fantastic, making it a particularly attractive place to host events.

The on-site restaurant, Grille 100, is the place to come for breakfast, where you can pick up everything from avocado toast to tailor-made omelettes. Meanwhile, the Verde Lounge bar in the lobby serves cocktails and a full menu of all-American classics.

Falls Park is one of the best urban parks in America, but it rarely gets the recognition since Sioux Falls is a little off the beaten path. The 123-acre green space surrounds the Big Sioux River and the waterfalls around which the city was founded. This Country Inn and Suites sits almost literally right inside the park.

It’s one of a trio of hotels along the Big Sioux near the city centre, and its location alone makes it one of the best hotels in Sioux Falls. I always tell people to stay here if they’re looking to save money on their hotel but still want to be somewhere walkable.

It’s not a fancy property, but if you’ve ever stayed in a Country Inn you’ll know they’re always reliably decent. In terms of amenities, there’s a small on-site gym.

Architecture aficionados, take note: while this hotel calls itself the Victorian Inn, the 1888 home is actually designed in Queen Anne style. I learned this little titbit during my stay, as the staff here are incredibly knowledgeable about the home’s history and the surrounding neighbourhood.

The Victorian Inn is nestled in a block of historic homes just outside the centre, where the Sioux Falls gentry lived during the city’s early days. It’s also right next door to the Pettigrew Home, another historic spot that’s now a museum.

The rooms are all different, decked out with antiques that will transport you to another era. Some of the loft rooms have either twin beds or bunk beds, making this one of the best hotels in Sioux Falls for families. I’d recommend calling in advance to work out which of the nine unique rooms will suit you best.

Admittedly, I haven’t been to Sioux Falls for a medical procedure. But I know a lot of people come to the city for the Sanford Medical Center, and the Home2 Suites is one of the best hotels for those doing just that. If you’re not familiar with the brand, its rooms are larger than most, offering kitchens and refrigerators that make it ideal for extended stays.

But the coolest thing about the hotel is its skywalk, which lets you walk over to Sanford without ever having to step outside. That might not seem like a big deal in the summer, but during winter you’ll be glad it’s there. I also enjoy cooking in the larger Home2 Suites rooms, especially when you’re away from home and don’t know where to eat.

You’ll find most of the best hotels in Sioux Falls in and around the city centre, but this Holiday Inn is a great option if you’re looking to stay near the airport. When I’m flying into Sioux Falls on my way to explore the rest of South Dakota, but get in too late to start my drive, this is where I stay.

It’s got a quick and easy airport shuttle and still feels lively even if you arrive late. That’s largely thanks to the Crooked Pint Ale House, which has fire pits on its outside patio.

The Holiday Inn also abuts a golf course, so the atmosphere is far more serene than your average airport hotel. The Denny Sanford Premier Center is just across the road if you want to catch a minor league ice hockey game.

The big advantage of this Aerostay over the rest of the best hotels in Sioux Falls is its convenience. It’s connected to Sioux Falls International Airport (FSD), so you don’t even have to venture out into the South Dakota cold to reach your hotel room.

I like to request a room that looks out onto the tarmac because as a kid I loved watching planes take off and land. Even better when it’s right outside your window! It can get a little noisy sometimes, but most of the planes at FSD are regional jets, so it’s not like listening to an Airbus.

The Eco-ficient rooms are another cool offering unique to the Aerostay. They basically just have a bed and a desk with a bathroom and are far cheaper than the hotel’s other rooms – ideal for nights where you just need a place to crash before your flight.