8 Top Rated Hotels In Keystone SD

8 best hotels in Keystone SD by Best Hotels Anywhere

Keystone, South Dakota has a fairly good range of affordable and family friendly hotels near Mount Rushmore. You can choose between popular chain hotels, wooden lodges and luxurious glamping options. We think Keystone is one of the most convenient places to stay in South Dakota’s Black Hills because it’s so close to Mt Rushmore and it’s not far from Rapid City.

In this guide we show you the best hotels in Keystone SD for all budgets, based on our experiences.

Our Experience In Keystone

Couple standing together for a photo in front of Mount Rushmore with snow on the ground
Mark and Kristen at Mount Rushmore near Keystone in April

We’ve stayed in Keystone during two separate road trips through South Dakota; in fall 2019 and spring 2022. We think Keystone a great choice for families and couples who want to visit Mount Rushmore and drive Iron Mountain Road. But Custer could be a better choice if you’ll spending more time exploring the Black Hills because it’s closer to more attractions. Read more about us.

In Keystone, we stayed at Comfort Inn and K Bar S Lodge. They’re both excellent options in the mid to upper budget categories. We’ve eaten at Ruby House and Cruizzers. It’s just our opinion, but the restaurant selection isn’t great in Keystone. We prefer Custer and Hill City for food.

Our guides to places you can stay near Keystone:

Keystone Hotels Map

Click or touch the map below to activate. Zoom in and out, move around the area to see exactly where each hotel is located.

Map key:

  • Green stars – Low budget
  • Red stars – Mid range budget
  • Blue stars – High budget

READ: Guide to visiting Mount Rushmore

How We Order Hotels

Signs for shops and exhibits on a wooden boardwalk in South Dakota
Signs you will see when walking through the boardwalk in Keystone SD

We’ve hand picked 8 Keystone South Dakota hotels for you to consider booking by taking into account previous guest ratings, location, value for money and our own experiences in the area. Read more about our editorial process.

Hotels in this guide are listed in order of average nightly cost. We analyzed nightly prices on three future dates in different seasons so we could order with a degree of accuracy.

You’ll find 3 x cheap hotels, 3 x mid range budget hotels and 2 x luxury hotels. We periodically update our guides to ensure the previous guest ratings from Booking and Google reviews are accurate.

1. Rockerville Lodge And Cabins

Guest ratings:

  • Booking.com – 8.7 / 10
  • Google – 4.6 / 5
Inside a guest bedroom at a hotel in Keystone SD with wooden walls and a bed covered in a colorful blanket
Photo courtesy of Rockerville Lodge & Cabins
  • Price: Cheap $
  • Amenities: Free WiFi, fire pits, BBQ, breakfast included, on site restaurant
  • Location: 8 miles northeast of Keystone

Rockerville Lodge and Cabins is the best cheap hotel in Keystone SD. It has excellent guest ratings, several room types (including kitchens for longer stays) and most importantly affordable prices. It’s by far your cheapest high quality hotel option in the area.

Reviewers rate staff, cleanliness, value for money and location the highest at Rockerville Lodge and Cabins. It has a particularly high score for staff. It’s located around 8 miles from downtown Keystone and 11 miles from Mount Rushmore, which is great if you want an escape but it’s less convenient if you want to be closer to restaurants.

BOOK: Rockerville Lodge And Cabins Keystone

2. Roosevelt Inn

Guest ratings:

  • Booking.com – 8.3 / 10
  • Google – 4.4 / 5
Exterior photo of a Keystone SD hotel painted white and burgundy with cars parked out front
Photo courtesy of Roosevelt Inn Keystone
  • Price: Cheap $
  • Amenities: Free WiFi, laundry, breakfast included, pet friendly, indoor swimming pool, games room
  • Location: South side of Keystone

Roosevelt Inn is a popular cheap hotel in Keystone SD with a central location and low nightly rates. The hotel is a little dated but it’s just 2 miles from Mount Rushmore, pets are welcome and it has plenty of games to keep the kids entertained.

Reviewers rate staff and location the highest at Roosevelt Inn Mount Rushmore. It’s the cheapest hotel you’ll find with the central Keystone location and higher guest ratings. There’s a breakfast included and comments are very positive about the staff.

BOOK: Roosevelt Inn Keystone

3. Powder House Lodge

Guest ratings:

  • Booking.com – 8.4 / 10
  • Google – 4.6 / 5
Exterior photo of a wooden lodge and lush green grass
Photo courtesy of Powder House Lodge
  • Price: Cheap $
  • Amenities: Free WiFi, pet friendly, laundry, on site restaurant and bar, fire pits, outdoor pool
  • Location: 1.5 miles northwest of Keystone

Powder House Lodge is the most upscale cheap Keystone SD hotel. You can choose to stay in motel rooms or lodges which can easily accommodate couples, groups and families. The location is just over a mile from Keystone in a picturesque forest setting.

Reviewers rate staff and location the highest at Powder House Lodge. Its on site restaurant has hundreds of positive comments and its seasonal outdoor pool is a great place to relax for a few hours in the afternoon. We think it’s definitely one for you to consider at the cheaper end of budget.

BOOK: Powder House Lodge Keystone

4. Comfort Inn And Suites Mt Rushmore

Guest ratings:

  • Booking.com – 8.7 / 10
  • Google – 4.6 / 5
Exterior photo of a Comfort Inn hotel in Keystone SD on a clear day
Photo courtesy of Choice Hotels
  • Price: Mid Range $$
  • Amenities: Free WiFi, indoor swimming pool, hot tub, terrace, laundry, breakfast included
  • Location: Center of Keystone

Comfort Inn is the top rated mid-range budget hotel in Keystone SD. It has clean and comfortable rooms, excellent guest comments and a great breakfast. We spent a night at Comfort Inn in 2022 and it was excellent value for money.

Reviewers rate staff, comfort, cleanliness and location the highest at Comfort Inn. It has a fantastic location just a few steps from the boardwalk running through Winter Street in the center of town. And we think it has to considered as one of your best overall hotel options.

BOOK: Comfort Inn And Suites Mt Rushmore

5. Rushmore Express Inn

Guest ratings:

  • Booking.com – 8.1 / 10
  • Google – 4.4 / 5
Inside a guest bedroom with earthy colored furnishings and a fire place
Photo courtesy of Rushmore Express
  • Price: Mid Range $$
  • Amenities: Free WiFi, fitness center, indoor pool, hot tub, breakfast included, laundry
  • Location: South side of Keystone

Rushmore Express Inn is a solid mid range hotel in Keystone SD. Its pool area, location and larger rooms have excellent guest comments. However, the ratings aren’t quite as high as your alternatives and it appears as though there could be issues with parking during busier periods.

Reviewers rate staff and location the highest at Rushmore Express Inn. From what we can see, this hotel has the same price for each night of the month so you might be able to pick up a bargain rate if you time it right. It’s also just 5 minutes drive to Mount Rushmore from the hotel.

BOOK: Rushmore Express Inn Keystone

6. Battle Creek Lodge

Guest ratings:

  • Hotels.com – 8.8 / 10
  • Google – 4.7 / 5
Outdoor seating area with chairs at a lodge in South Dakota
Photo courtesy of Battle Creek Vacations
  • Price: Mid Range $$
  • Amenities: Free WiFi, fire pits, BBQ, laundry, breakfast available
  • Location: Center of Keystone

Battle Creek Lodge is an independent and locally owned Keystone SD hotel with a superb central location just steps to the main boardwalks in town. It has fewer reviews online, but so far so good and we think it could become a very popular place to stay in Keystone.

Reviewers rate staff and location the highest at Battle Creek Lodge. The score for staff in particular is very high. It’s a great place to stay if you want to avoid the typical chain hotels and instead support a local business.

BOOK: Battle Creek Lodge Keystone

7. K Bar S Lodge

Guest ratings:

  • Booking.com – 8.8 / 10
  • Google – 4.6 / 5
Exterior photo of an upscale hotel in Keystone SD with parking lot out front
Photo courtesy of Choice Hotels
  • Price: Luxury $$$
  • Amenities: Free WiFi, breakfast included, gym
  • Location: 0.5 miles west of Keystone

K Bar S Lodge is the highest quality Keystone hotel with excellent guest ratings and a superb secluded location near the town center. There are very few amenities on site, but the views are great and the overall quality scores are much higher than other hotels in the area.

Reviewers rate staff, comfort, cleanliness, facilities and location the highest at K Bar S Lodge. It’s perfect for solo travelers and couples who want a quieter experience in the Black Hills, but it might not suit families who are looking for more amenities to keep the kids busy. We had a lovely quiet experience at K Bar S Lodge, and we’d probably stay here again next time we visit Keystone.

BOOK: K Bar S Lodge Keystone

8. Under Canvas Mount Rushmore

Guest ratings:

  • Booking.com – 9.0 / 10
  • Google – 4.7 / 5
Inside a luxury glamping tent with bed and seating areas
Photo courtesy of Under Canvas
  • Price: Luxury $$$
  • Amenities: Free WiFi, pet friendly, on site restaurant, breakfast available,
  • Location: 2 miles south of Keystone

Under Canvas is the most unique place to stay in Keystone SD. Have you ever wanted to try glamping? Why not stay in a luxury tent under the stars near Mt Rushmore, immerse yourself into nature and enjoy a completely different experience! Previous guest comments are incredibly positive about this particular Under Canvas location.

Reviewers rate staff, comfort, cleanliness, facilities and location the highest at Under Canvas. It has by far the highest scores overall of any Keystone lodging option and it will undoubtably be a memorable experience. However, it’s also quite a lot more expensive, especially if you want a private bathroom.

BOOK: Under Canvas Mount Rushmore

Best Hotels In Keystone SD By Reviews

Mount Rushmore sculpture glowing orange at sunrise with a deep blue sky behind
Photo we took of Mount Rushmore glowing orange at sunrise in October

We always look at guest reviews when booking our hotels in new travel destinations. Previous guest reviews are a fantastic resource to use because you can see genuine unbiased pros and cons from a wide range of real people.

But it’s important to use reviews as a guide only because you might not necessarily agree with others. Let’s take a look at the best hotels in Keystone SD as per genuine user generated reviews from popular online resources.

1. Booking.com

According to previous guest reviews on Booking.com, your top three hotel options are:

2. Hotels.com

According to previous guest reviews on Hotels.com, your top three hotel options are:

3. Google

According to previous guest reviews on Google, your top three hotel options are:

4. Tripadvisor

According to previous guest reviews on Tripadvisor, your top three hotel options are:

Affordability

View of Mt Rushmore from t he Lincoln Borglum Amphitheater on a cloudy day with snow on the ground
Photo we took of Mt Rushmore in the snow during our trip to Keystone in April

Hotels in Keystone SD are surprisingly affordable considering it’s so close to Mount Rushmore and other popular Black Hills tourist spots.

Expect the prices to be inflated if you book during a weekend in summer or on a holiday weekend. But we can tell you from years of experience traveling around America that midweek prices and shoulder season prices at are extremely affordable when compared to other popular tourist hotspots.

One important thing to remember about booking hotels in Keystone is seasonality. Many hotels around the Black Hills are only open in peak season from April through October.

READ: The best hotels in towns near Mount Rushmore

Added Tax

Bear in mind when booking your hotel in Keystone that you’ll pay tax on top of your base rate. Usually we notice a city wide or area wide hotel tax, but Keystone hotels seem to have differing tax rates between 6-10%.

So, let’s say the basic nightly room cost is $130.00 for one night. Your actual total cost could be as much as $143.00.

  • When booking your hotel using Booking.com look under the price for includes taxes and fees. This means the price you see is final and won’t be subject to further add ons.
  • Conversely, if you see text reading something like +$10 for taxes and fees, that means you’ll pay the hotel room cost + the additional taxes.

Our Verdict

Keystone, South Dakota has a good selection of quality hotels near Mount Rushmore and other Black Hills attractions. It’s a small town with few high quality restaurants, so we recommend you spend one or two nights in Keystone before moving on to Custer, Deadwood, Rapid City or beyond.

Rockerville Lodge and Cabins provides you with a highly rated low budget accommodation, and Under Canvas is the best luxury lodging option available to you. But overall, we think K Bar S Lodge is the best place to stay in Keystone because it’s a better all-round package.

We’ve stayed at Comfort Inn and K Bar S Lodge. We chose them because we had the budget available, we wanted a central Keystone location and they had excellent ratings. Both turned out to be great, but we would stay at K Bar S Lodge next time we’re in town.

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We hope this guide to the best hotels in Keystone helps with your visit to South Dakota!

Please let us know if you have any questions about any of the hotels in our list of best places to stay in Keystone SD by commenting below.

Happy Booking,

Mark and Kristen
Best Hotels Anywhere

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