East Glacier Lodging Reviews

[llholmes1948]

There seems to be a lot of places to stay in East Glacier but I haven't seen comments about many of them on the Chat and have wondered what some of them are like.

I haven't stayed overnight at East Glacier since the night of August 24, 1972 when I stayed with friends there before heading east on the train at 8:35 A.M. the next morning so I am a bit out of touch with the current realities of lodging in East Glacier. (The only reason that I know the date and time is because I found the train ticket receipt recently). I think my friends were staying at the forerunner of the Whistling Swan or the Dancing Bear or near there just off the main highway. I recall there was a weak spot in the floor so you had to walk carefully.

This summer we will be staying at the Mountain Pine Motel based on Ear Mountain's recommendation.

Here is a list of East Glacier lodging places and if anyone has stayed at these places perhaps they could post a comment about them as I am sure it would be helpful to people on the Chat:

1. Backpacker's Inn
2. Brownie's Hostel
3. Sears Motel
4. Glacier Park Lodge (many of us have seen the lobby but not stayed there)
5. Brown House Pottery and Lodging
6. Dancing Bears Inn
7. East Glacier Motel and Cabins
8. Circle R Motel
9. Jacobson's Cottages
10. Mountain Pine Motel
11. Travelers Rest Lodge
12. Whistling Swan Motel

And four places west of East Glacier:
13. Bear Creek Guest Ranch (17 miles west)
14. Bison Creek Ranch (a few miles west)
15. Summit Station Lodge (at Summit)
16. Rising Wolf Ranch (a few miles west)

Have I missed any?

Thanks,
Lyman

[Stevo]

I've always stayed at East Glacier Motel & Cabins. The cabins are nice and clean, well kept for their years. The kitchenettes are pretty basic, you have a 2 burner hotplate, a mini-fridge and a compact microwave oven. I never once had a soft bed, I'd rate the cabins a 4 outa 5 grizzly bears. They're basic, but then what do you really need when you plan on spending most of the days in the park.

[calicotraveler]

We've stayed at the Glacier Park Lodge. A little pricey but room was clean and large. Our room looked out the back of the hotel on a very nice mountain view. This is one of the grand old lodges that the National Park System is famous for. Beautiful lobby.

[daveparker]

Well,

I have never stayed in East, but I can tell you about the Whistling Swan, as Deb has been the webmaster for them for over 6 years now and we have visited Mark, every time, we are east, it is a basic place to stay, but very clean, easy to work with and reasonable prices considering the area and the adjacent nature of Glacier..I recommend it to anyone who asks..If I ever stay in east, this will be where I stay.

Dave

[ptguard]

my wife & i stayed at mountain pine motel last july & it was clean & quiet. most of the hotels in this area don't look like much but we found this one to be all we needed. if we head back to the east glacier area again i wouldn't hesitate to stay there again. after a day of hiking & a stomach full of "serranos", it doesn't take much to please us at night.

[llholmes1948]

Thanks for all the comments so far and I hope they will be very helpful to people looking for accomodations at East Glacier.

Basically, are the places clean, do they offer good value, are they affected by train noise/highway noise (and if they are affected by such do they have air conditioners or room fans which can be used to muffle the noise)?

I assume that the two hostels have shared bathrooms and maybe some can clarify that or not. I have no problem with this but it is nice to know beforehand.

And I hope others will post comments on these places at East Glacier as well so we can solve the mysteries of East Glacier lodging.

Thanks,
Lyman

[slowhiker]

I have stayed at the Sears Motel. It is rustic, but all I was looking for was a clean room with a bed at a reasonable price. The Whistle Stop across the street was great for breakfast.

[Stevo]

I have stayed at the Sears Motel. It is rustic, but all I was looking for was a clean room with a bed at a reasonable price. The Whistle Stop across the street was great for breakfast.

I second the motion on great breakfasts. Their french toast is unlike anything I've ever had anywhere. As for East Glacier Cabins, there is no A/C or fans, very little noise if any can be heard from the street. This is such a perfectly quiet little town, about all you'll hear is an occasional dog barking. As for the trains, depending on where one stays, you'll either see and hear them or just hear a rumble for a few minutes. Personally I love this little town, it's perfect for a week's vacation in Montana.

[Jen]

Well,

I have never stayed in East, but I can tell you about the Whistling Swan, as Deb has been the webmaster for them for over 6 years now and we have visited Mark, every time, we are east, it is a basic place to stay, but very clean, easy to work with and reasonable prices considering the area and the adjacent nature of Glacier..I recommend it to anyone who asks..If I ever stay in east, this will be where I stay.

Dave

I Stayed at Whistling Swan in 1998 and will be staying again in 2008. It is clean and comfortable and convenient to the train stop. Mark is good peeps and helped us out with a rental car both visits.

[llholmes1948]

Personally I love this little town, it's perfect for a week's vacation in Montana.

It was very interesting for me to return to Montana in 2001, twenty-four years after my last visit in 1977. Whitefish and Kalispell had changed substantially. Parts of West Glacier had changed substantially. Browning had sadly deteriorated. And East Glacier - aside from the loss of the water tower, it looked like it hadn't changed at all during that time. It felt as though I had never left.

Lyman

[Stevo]

Browning had sadly deteriorated. And East Glacier - aside from the loss of the water tower, it looked like it hadn't changed at all during that time. It felt as though I had never left.

Browning is a sad sight, I do hope they get that town back together again. On a side note, wasn't there supposed to be a water filtration plant installed near Two Medicine lake to supply the needs of Browning and East Glacier this year?

[lcrans]

Browning had sadly deteriorated. And East Glacier - aside from the loss of the water tower, it looked like it hadn't changed at all during that time. It felt as though I had never left.

Browning is a sad sight, I do hope they get that town back together again. On a side note, wasn't there supposed to be a water filtration plant installed near Two Medicine lake to supply the needs of Browning and East Glacier this year?

Check this link for a hint about the problem. Things haven't changed regarding attitudes for over a century.......

http://democrats.senate.gov/dpc/dpc-new ... s-108-2-44

[Dusty in CT]

I can add that Jacobosen's was very, very clean and reasonably priced. I do not recall "noise." Our reservation was off a bit and we were offered a home on the property for two nights that was exceptionally comfortable. We then moved over to a small cottage and still felt quite comfortable.

Have plans to stay there a few night as well as Travelers Lodge on this year's trip in July. Would be interested in hearing more....

[Jen]

Well,

I have never stayed in East, but I can tell you about the Whistling Swan, as Deb has been the webmaster for them for over 6 years now and we have visited Mark, every time, we are east, it is a basic place to stay, but very clean, easy to work with and reasonable prices considering the area and the adjacent nature of Glacier..I recommend it to anyone who asks..If I ever stay in east, this will be where I stay.

Dave

Hey Dave,
If you run into Mark, can you put in a good word for me? Have a car rental reservation starting July 18. Can you tell Mark to save me his best convertible?
Thanks Pal.

[Pete]

I would recommend The Brown House in East Glacier.

I stayed there in the summer of '06 and booked reservations for this summer. The rate will be $65 dollars per night.

The Brown House is located directly east of the Amtrak station.

They have three rooms with private entrances, private baths, electric heat and air conditioning. Two of the rooms are cottage style and the other tradional. The rooms are exceptionally clean.

Pete