5 Best Hotels in Glacier National Park, Montana

On Swiftcurrent Lake in the park's northeastern section, this is the most isolated of the grand hotels, and—especially if you are able to book a lake-view balcony room—among the most scenic. The rooms, partially renovated in recent years, are small and sparsely decorated, but the location and views are unbeatable. On chilly mornings, guests gather around the lobby's large fireplace. There are several wonderful hikes in this area, including ranger-guided ones to Grinnell Glacier and Iceberg Lake. You can combine the hikes with a scenic boat tour to substantially decrease the hiking distance.

Early tourists used to ride horses 7 to 9 miles through the park each day and stay at a different chalet each night; today, the only way to reach the Granite Park, one of two such chalets that's still standing (Sperry is the other), is via hiking trails. You must bring your own food and water (or you can pre-purchase it and have it available on-site), and you need a reservation. There is an optional linen and bedding service for $40 per person. A rustic kitchen, limited refrigeration, and pit toilets are near the chalet. You can park at Logan Pass Visitor Center and hike 7.6 miles, or park at the Loop Trailhead and hike uphill 4 miles.

On the shores of Lake McDonald, near Apgar and West Glacier, this historic lodge—where public spaces feature massive timbers, stone fireplaces, and animal trophies—is an ideal base for exploring the park's western side. Scenic cruises depart from docks behind the lodge, or you can rent a boat and tour the lake on your own. Lodge rooms are on the second and third floors (there is no elevator); cabins sleep up to four but don't have kitchens; and there are also motel-style rooms separate from the lodge, four deluxe suites, and eight inexpensive hostel-style rooms with shared bathrooms. Some suites have TVs, but other accommodations do not. Very limited Wi-Fi is available for overnight guests in the front desk and lobby area. Four rooms are wheelchair-accessible.

Having reopened after a major renovation, this rustic backcountry lodge, built in 1913 by the Great Northern Railway, is accessible only by a steep, 6.7-mile trail with a 3,300-foot vertical rise; either hike in or arrive on horseback, but meals are included; it's extremely popular and well-loved among park guests. Guest rooms have no electricity, heat, or running water, but who cares when the view includes Glacier's Gunsite Mountain, Mt. Edwards, Lake McDonald, and mountain goats amid wildflowers? Informal meals, such as turkey with the trimmings, are simple yet filling and included in the rates, and à la carte lunch service is available (11:30–5 daily) for non-guests. The reservations office is closed in September and October. Your best chance of getting a reservation for the peak summer months is to submit a reservation request in early January. 

Listen to waves gently lap the shores of beautiful Lake McDonald at this motel, which is on the National Register of Historic Places and was fully renovated in recent years, so all its rooms have Wi-Fi, new beds, and furnishings that fit with the historic style. Some rooms, including one ADA family room, have kitchenettes, and there are family units that sleep up to six people. A restaurant, bar, and coffee shop are nearby.