Hotel Donaldson
Built in 1893 and redesigned starting in 2000 as a 17-room boutique hotel, the Hotel Donaldson in downtown Fargo is an excellent option for travelers who aren't on a tight budget. In addition to its designer rooms, the Donaldson has a fitness room and a rooftop lounge outfitted with a hot tub and gardens filled with native plants. Its HoDo Restaurant and Lounge feature locally and organically produced ingredients, and there are a number of vegetarian options.
The hotel is 5 miles from the airport, and better yet, it's only five blocks from a complex of trail-filled parks running along the Red River. Trailpath Bike Rentals, near the entrance to the parks, can provide wheels if you need them. Adventure outfitter Outdoor Bunker is only a mile away at 420 Center Ave., across the river in Moorhead, Minnesota.
Hotel Donaldson
101 Broadway
Fargo, North Dakota 58102
Tel: (888) 478-8768
www.hoteldonaldson.com
Days Inn
About 2 miles from the airport, the Days Inn-19th Ave./Airport Dome is a good alternative for travelers on a tighter budget. This pet-friendly hotel has an indoor heated pool and spa, as well as free high-speed Internet, continental breakfast and an airport shuttle. But its biggest asset is its location, across the street from the 258-acre campus of North Dakota State University, which makes a great place for a stroll. Or if you're in town in the winter, head 2 miles northeast to the Edgewood Golf Course Trail, which offers a 4.7-mile cross-country ski route. Didn't bring your skis? No problem: A chalet at the trailhead provides rentals.
Days Inn-19th Ave./Airport Dome
1507 19th Ave. N.
Fargo, North Dakota 58102
Tel: (701) 232-0000
www.daysinn.com
Travelodge
The Travelodge at the east end of Moorhead is a good option between the airport (7 miles west) and Buffalo River State Park (13 miles east). It offers free Wi-Fi and a continental breakfast ("including waffles," its website boasts), plus an indoor pool and a pass to a 24-hour fitness center next door. Pets are allowed, but only in smoking rooms. If you'd like to pedal out to the park, home to 12 miles of hiking trails and 6 miles of cross-country ski trails, stop at Scheels, 2 miles west at 505 Center Ave. in Moorhead to rent a bike.
Travelodge and Suites
3027 S. Frontage Road
Moorhead, Minnesota 56560
Tel: (218) 233-5333
www.travelodge.com
