This was the.worst.hotsprings. on earth! We loved Montana, the people the beauty. We were dissapointed in this place. It was filthy and sketchy. There were locals drinking and spitting in the pools. The facility was unclean, rundown and unkept. Don't bother making the drive. Save the gas.
Don't expect too many mod cons; do expect an invigorating soak in a range of pools of different temperatures. Choose from private tubs or the public baths. We went for a day trip, so didn't try the hotel, and it was a great day out. The resort is old but is quite well kept and has a good atmosphere. The staff were all very friendly and helpful.
I had the hot springs fed outdoor swimming pool to myself and then enjoyed the hot pool and the cascading hot water that came from the hottest pool above. While there were only a few people in the hot pools while I was there, they were very chatty and rather loud so it wasn't as relaxing as I would have preferred but the waters were great and the swimming pool was extra clean. The staff wasn't all that friendly and especially about where to go change, etc, since I wasn't staying there.
My husband & I were born & raised in Montana, have lived in big cities during our careers, but prefer smallish Montana towns now that we're retired. Hot Springs is a very small town with a lot of personality if you keep your eyes & ears open. The historic Symes Hotel and Hot Springs (don't confuse this with Wild Horse hot springs, also in the area) are in the process of being renovated. . . keep in mind a "hang loose" attitude (check out their website). We've stayed there several times over the past 20 years and always have a relaxed, good time. The natural hot springs pools draw more people than the hotel apparently because people expect "modern" accommodations (their loss). Put on your walking shoes or broken-in cowboy boots, a pair of worn-out jeans, and come prepared to let time stand still for a while. You'll meet lots of friendly folks at the hotel, the bars & cafe, the Wall Street Art Gallery (yes!), and have a great time if you leave your cushy expectations and 21st century attitude at home. I've also stayed at the hotel while on business (to give a presentation at the Wall Street Art Gallery) and caught a great evening of musical entertainment (think Old West) at the hotel.
Mom and I on a whim decided to go to Hotsprings for a night. After driving around trying to find someplace open and with pools we found this piece of history. Service is friendly though the place is terribly understaffed. The last remodel was clearly done sometime in the 1950's. Which is kind of charming, kind of not. The rooms are sparse with very worn furniture. The place has such potential. I wish I had millions of dollars and could take it over. The pools are lovely and they even have stalls inside the hotel with big claw foot tubs for private soaks. The sulfur smell of the hot springs is everywhere (like bad eggs) so that takes getting used to but it's a hot springs so to expect differently would be silly. There are no televisions, or cell phone service on the property and only wifi in the downstairs lobby and upstairs sitting area. Bring a book. All in all I kind of love it. It's a funky friendly time capsule. I can't believe people are complaining about a room for $70. That is very affordable for lodging and access to Hot springs. I'm a travel agent. I know. The restaurant has uncomfortable seating and indifferent (on the verge of bad) overpriced food. However there are other options within walking distance. In general the town is on the verge of ghost town. It's very laid back. Go to soak but don't expect much else.
I've now developed a swimmers rash... Making my assessment of the place less favorable. Such a shame but that means the pools are not kept at a good ph level. The place has potential if only they would put some care and attention to detail.
A friend dragged me to this place out in the middle of nowhere.We crowded in a worn out pool with little privacy and having to overhear 'colorful' locals yelling at each other.I noticed law enforcement doing a regular lap around the perimeter and got the impression they were looking for some criminals.Bathrooms were scary.Locals had a wary drug dealer look about them, and borderline homeless hippie ambiance. Bad ju-ju here. No charm, just lame. Glad I had my hepatitis shots. You want a great hotsprings, goto Quinns!
I really did like the water, I've been to a lot of hot springs and Symes has some of the hottest pools. That's the best thing I can say about the place. The soaking pools are pretty disgusting, especially the lower pool. It was covered in a greenish slimy film. The changing room was covered with grime, the single toilet had large flecks of fecal matter in a stained and ringed bowl that looked as if it hadn't been cleaned in a month. I like eclectic and Symes qualifies, unfortunately it would also have to be clean to make me happy.
We didn't stay at the hotel, but we did use the outdoor soaking pools. The diversity of people was the first thing that struck me. Clearly the springs attract people from all corners of the earth. The water is wonderful, the mineral content is very high. It was rather busy the weekend we were there, but there were open fairly late. The only thing that bothered me was that there were young children who weren't being supervised by anyone. The kids were fine, it just made me anxious that no one was there watching them and it was dark. That isn't the fault of the Syme's Hotel, but the children's parents.
I've gone here many times and always enjoyed it. The cabins are better to stay in than the hotel, in my opinion. Yes it's rustic and your phones won't work. If no tv in your room is a huge deal, don't stay here. I've read many reviews of ppl who think television is the most important part of a trip...