The LARK in Bozeman, Montana
For Your Next Carefree Adventure, Choose The LARK in Bozeman, Montana.
This little gem is perfectly named. A lark is a songbird, often seen with a bright yellow head and throat, but the word also means a carefree adventure, as in, “I went to Bozeman on a lark!” The cheerful yellow bird is their logo, and the signature color provides a cheery backdrop for all the creative touches throughout the hotel.
The LARK website says it’s the “basecamp for your Montana adventure,” which sounds about right. We were just passing through, but this would be an ideal place to stash your suitcase before heading out on the slopes, the trails, the river, or whatever big sky excursion you’ve dreamed up. It is perfectly and centrally located in the heart of Bozeman, MT, a college town in the Rocky Mountains, about 80 miles north of Yellowstone National Park.
Looking out the window of our room at historical Bozeman, we could see the iconic Hotel Baxter and Downtowner buildings across the street, red brick, mountains, and a big sky on the horizon. The layout of the hotel is like a retro motor lodge, but done Montana-style, with horizontal aluminum corrugated panels against rustic wood and a classic Airstream food truck in front. The check-in area is designed like a true base camp/map room, with vintage collections of cameras, 8-tracks, an old thermos or two, and an actual Geiger counter. The floor is cement, the couches comfy leather, the walls and plastic chairs bright orange, and the live-edge tables are covered in maps. Outside is a huge wood-burning fireplace and open-air patio overlooking Main Street. It's delightful!
Our room was in a building across the parking lot from check-in and had a more modern feel. This building has a great hangout room on the ground floor, with a huge Sputnik chandelier, spots for reading or charging, avant-garde magazines, and a vintage-style painting of a bellowing elk covering one whole wall. Just off this room is the Treeline Coffee Roasters, a cheery spot to get coffee and snacks for daily adventures. There’s a mod little elevator that takes you up to the rooms, and the hallways are a wash with brightly colored artwork. In fact, the halls and rooms are thoughtfully decorated with local artwork that looks as though someone drew on the wall with a Sharpie. For example, in our room, a huge map, decal-style, covered one whole wall showing a trail map of nearby Bridger Bowl Ski Area, and in our bathroom, hundreds of non-descript figures huddle, black on white, above the toilet. Quirky, but fresh, fun, and fantastic.
There are many thoughtful touches throughout the charming hotel rooms. My favorites were the all-wool blankets at the foot of the bed and the Swiss box lamps with toggle switches, reminiscent of travels in Germany. They also go out of their way to make sure you have everything you need and even provide a Montana-made Lone Mountain cooler in the room for keeping your brews chill, and in case you need a cooler for your day trip adventures. In general, the rooms are uncluttered and have a European feel. The bathrooms provide simple, but sustainable amenities, and the repurposed wood sliding door and fun drawing on the wall, make the bathroom imaginative and unique.
Downtown Bozeman is a blast, full of great shops, restaurants, and bars, and The LARK is right in the heart of it. No more than a few steps out the door will take you to just about anything you want, and all around you shines Gallatin Valley, known as the “Valley of the Flowers” to the indigenous people. Bozeman has an elevation of almost 5,000 feet with the Bridger Mountains to the northeast and Yellowstone National Park to the southeast. Surrounded by mountains and breathtaking vistas in every direction, it makes a perfect place to camp while you explore.
They have a variety of room sizes, including the Rialto Suite with views of the Rialto Theater in downtown Bozeman (owned by the LARK) available for functions and events, and rooms with queen and twin bunk beds for small families. And if you’re traveling through the area, check out their sister properties, The Wren in Missoula, or The FINCH in Walla Walla, Washington.
The LARK is minimalist but thoughtful, bright, and joyful. A great place to take a hiatus while you gear up for your next adventure. (Cover photo courtesy of The LARK, Bozeman, MT)
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