Unlike most Travel Adsisor reviews, which I have found to be very helpful, my wife and I felt recent reviews for this property are very misleading. We made a reservation based on its relatively high ranking in December, but learned upon our arrival that the hot tub does not function in the winter and no breakfast is served. Room was clean, but very dated. The TV was the oldest I have ever seen and only had about 4 channels that worked. The rooms are not expensive, so I am sure many looking for an inexpensive place to sleep for a night would find it to offer value. For my taste however, there are other hotels in the area offering a much higher level of service and amenities for $20 more a night.

Now that our kids are older, we planned our first major family trip -- a 12-day tour of the "wild west" that started with Big Sky Lodge and surrounding attractions. What a gem -- easy to find, comfy rooms, mini fridge and great complimentary breakfasts. The hot tub was fun for adults & kids and the Lodge is centrally located for Mt Rushmore, Reptile Gardens, etc. Rooms were spacious enough and we collapsed each night without difficulty. We did some laundry (free and easy) to set us up for our Yellowstone trip. Staff was exceptionally patient and kind to all guests, including the kids. My older son is an early riser (plus we're on Eastern time) so at 6 a.m. he was in the breakfast area, making friends with the kitchen staff and Front Desk. They helped him get on the computer in common area each morning where he actually saved us money by finding admission coupons for Reptile Gardens. He also got recommendations for good restaurants in Rapid City. Book early -- I called in January and got the last room for our July timeframe. When you leave, you'll feel grateful for the good deal and confident you made the best choice. Don't hesitate.

We stayed here several nights. The rooms were quaint and clean but dated. It's an excellent location if you're planning on visiting Mt. Rushmore or Custer State Park. Our favorite aspect of this motel was the view. Get a room on the east side (which costs extra) and be greeted each morning by a spectacular sunrise and an outstanding view of Rapid City. In the evening, sit on a bench and count the stars. What a wonderful way to end the day.

I was in Rapid City for the Lakota Nation Invitational. I was staying at another brand name motel and got a bit of a shock when their nightly rate went up 3X. I thought for a minute I was in Las Vegas.) I checked my usual 3rd party sites and most of the motels were booked out. I also checked several motel websites.
I was frustrated as I just didn't have the budget to pay premium room rates. Then I checked Trip Advisor and noticed that the #2 rated motel is the Big Sky Lodge.
I contacted the motel and happened to reach the Manager. He gave me a Great Deal. While everyone else was greatly raising their prices, he did not and even gave me a deal.
Absolutely loved this place. It is just a regular motel, nothing fancy, but very clean and well kept up. The view of Rapid City is really nice, the staff were great and the manager was simply the type of person I appreciate, very straight and upfront and super friendly.
Absolutely recommend the Blue Sky Lodge if you are planning to travel to Rapid City.
I understand now why they get such good reviews. This is my first choice for a motel in Rapid.