The Helena Great Northern Hotel features an indoor pool and hot tub. An excellent steak restaurant is on site. All rooms include free Wi-Fi. Carroll College is a 12-minute walk away and the State Capitol building is less than 5 minutes walk.

If you’re planning on spending a night or two in Helena, Montana, you’re going to need a place to bunk down. And why not stay at the best hotel in Helena while you’re at it – The Best Western Premier Helena Great Northern Hotel.

I know what you’re thinking – a Best Western is the best hotel Helena has to offer? Yes, believe it. Best Western awards the “Premier” tag to its hotels that offer a more refined and elegant travel experience.

Best Western Premier Helena Great Northern Hotel lobby.

This elegance and fineness was underscored the minute I walked into the hotel lobby to check in. Though I do not remember the gentleman’s name who greeted me at the hotel desk, I do remember his smile, his professionalism and even his suit. I had to take a moment to glance around the hotel lobby to be sure I was in fact in a Best Western and not some five-star luxury hotel by mistake. In short order, I was welcomed, checked in, and given a complete rundown of all the Helena Great Northern Hotel’s amenities – which were numerous.

Best Western Premier Helena Great Northern Hotel room

My room was spacious, clean, bright and well-appointed. Two USB ports were beside the bed on each side – a nice touch – in addition to a USB charging station on the desk. A coffee maker, small fridge and a microwave along with a sink ensured I could host a small party in my room … if desired. Even the bed firmness and mattress comfort as well as the sheets felt a grade above what I would have normally expected. Wi-Fi is free and both strong and relatively fast, which made me smile as I had to upload photos from my assignment in Helena each night.

The hotel offers an indoor swimming pool and hot tub, although I unfortunately did not take time to enjoy them during my two-night stay. There is also a small, clean, but nicely appointed fitness room, but unless you have to complete a workout indoors to save time, there is simply too much fabulous Montana outdoors just few minutes from the hotel to stay inside.

Breakfast is nothing fancy, but it was plentiful and extremely good with fresh fruit, bacon or sausage, oatmeal, cold cereal, waffles, yogurt, juice, coffee, bagels, and toast. What was over the top was the service. Can’t say I have ever been in too many hotels before where staff was constantly checking on everyone in the breakfast room, clearing tables and asking if they can bring you anything else or top off your coffee. Perhaps the only quibble is that the size of the breakfast room certainly isn’t big enough to accommodate every hotel guest, which led to guests choosing to eat in the lobby and the hotel opening up an auxiliary room nearby for overflow on my second morning – seems this is not an irregular occurrence.

What also makes the Best Western Premier Helena Great Northern Hotel so great a place to stay is its location. If you are inclined to want to leave your car parked and walk to many of the incredible sights in Helena, you will find you are but a few minutes from the old downtown and Last Chance Gulch. Other sights are easily reached in 30 minutes or less by car. And the hotel is located in the Great Northern Town Center which houses a brew pub, an ice cream parlor and the Great Northern Carousel. Right next door to the hotel is the Silver Star Steak Company which is a must-eat dining destination if you favor amazing steaks. And, if you desire room service, the food comes to you direct from that same Silver Star Steak Company. Yummy leftovers? So that is why the room has a fridge!

On my last night in Helena, as I was watching the sun set from Mount Helena, I was joined by several locals. In the course of our chit chat, they asked where I was staying, and I told them the Great Northern Hotel. “Lucky you, that’s the best hotel in Helena,” they commented. Indeed, it is.