I felt compelled to write this after hearing about yesterday's fatality from the fire in one of the rooms at the Budget Host. I stayed there many times when the Greyhound had a route from Duluth to Winnipeg, and I would spend the night at the Budget Host during the overnight layover. The owner, who (at the time) lived on premises with his family, was incredibly accommodating...if I needed extra towels, no problem; it was a New Years weekend the last time I was there, he insisted I take a few extra blankets...just a very friendly man with a hardworking family. I haven't stayed there in a couple years, so I can't really speak on whether or not the Budget Host has 'permanent guests' but my guess is, as with any other city where fewer people can afford a home, and motels aren't filling up, they're going to have to open a limited number of rooms for long term guests. This might have been the case when I was there, but I didn't really notice.
For me, because I don't drive, the location was ideal: large grocery store (Super One) right across the Highway, as well as a couple of restaurants, if you're into working out the North Site Health Club is about 5 blocks away and they have day passes available. The bridge to Fort Frances, Ontario is about a mile away, as is downtown. While I didn't see a city bus, City Cab is reasonable, and can bring you anywhere in either International Falls or across the border in Fort Frances.
- Budget Host Hotel
