Just a short drive north from Great Falls, Montana, and east from Glacier National Park, sitting on the Missouri River, this historic hotel has grand style that can befit a wedding party or a group of river rafters.

The owners have not over modernized the building to take the ambiance away, but updated every aspect to attend to a guest's comfort. The dining room serves a breakfast included in your stay, but it is the dinners or lunches that are prepared and presented with the utmost care for your continental style. But you will also get a Montana flair and, certainly, good Montana beef, as well as vegetarian dishes that are scrumptious!.

I have stayed here numerable times and in nearly all the types of rooms. The suites are especially nice with a sitting area, but each room offers you a feeling of subtle elegance: it is as you are stepping back into the late 1800's when the hotel was built, but in today's convenience. If you enjoy the small things, like paint color or the way a shelf is included in a bathroom, you are going to love this hotel.Their website is great: www.grandunionhotel.com.

Visit the museums, experience a real Montana bar, run the river, walk the river edge trail and visit the interpretive center. But always stay at The Grand Union Hotel, we Montanans do!.

The hotel was a little quirky (at the check-in desk there was a sign saying to see the hostess in the restaurant for help), but very friendly, beautifully restored, and nicely furnished. It exceeded my expectations given we were in the middle of nowhere Montana. Since we reserved this hotel fairly late, the only available rooms left were junior suites. This actually worked out well. Since we were staying 2 nights, it enabled us to spread out a little bit. The room itself was newly decorated and was on the caliber of a higher end hotel in a large city. Very clean.

We were pretty much ignored during our recent stay and our room filled with the smell of chicken barbequeing somewhere below. I would stay in a B&B in town on my next trip. The front desk clerk didn't get off the phone to talk to us, when we tried to share our disappointment.

The restaurant was closed for dinner for a private event, but the menu looked interesting.

Breakfast was included, but inedible, except for the toast and coffee.

I live in Montana, so decided to hop in the car and check out historic Fort Benton for the first time. The Grand Union in not the only game in town for lodging and dining, but it may as well be. It is hands down the only place I would consider staying after looking at the other options, and it boasts a fascinating history. Gorgeously renovated rooms, and the restaurant is top-notch. Sits right on the banks of the Missouri and there's a wonderful interpretive walking path right out the front door. Friendly people too, which is always the icing on the cake. Oh, and there's a simple but nice complimentary breakfast in the morning. I suggested that they keep some soy milk on hand for us lactose-intolerant folks so I'll see if they have that the next time I go.