KR
Keith Rasmus
Aug 13, 2026
To Whom It May Concern:
I would like to provide a review of our recent stay at the Best Western Golden Spike/Black Hills Luxury Suites, specifically Room 274, and express my concerns regarding the condition of the property and the value provided for the price charged.
We paid nearly $300 per night for what is advertised as a “luxury suite.” Unfortunately, based on our experience, I do not believe the room meets that description. Given the price being charged, I would expect a significantly higher standard of cleanliness, maintenance, furnishings, and overall condition.
The room appears to have been furnished and maintained much as it might have been when it was originally built, possibly in the 1970s. While I understand that maintaining a property can be expensive, the current condition of this room indicates that it is in significant need of updating and investment.
For your consideration, I have included photographs documenting several of the issues we encountered. Among them are:
● The ceiling fans have no lights, requiring guests to enter a completely dark room and locate lamps before having adequate lighting.
● The lamps are difficult to operate, and one lamp had a lightbulb hanging by its electrical wire.
● Another lamp had a non-functioning lightbulb.
● One of the coat hangers was broken.
● The carpeting is dated, stained, and worn.
● The stove appears to be original to the room and is extremely outdated.
● The couch and chairs are worn, stained, and very uncomfortable.
● At least one overhead light fixture appeared to contain dirt or bugs.
● The transition strip between the carpeting and kitchen area is badly scuffed and worn.
● The mirror above the vanity, particularly the area surrounding the buffalo design, was not properly cleaned.
● One of the vanity sinks was broken.
● The hairdryer was barely attached to the wall by a single screw.
● The curtains appear extremely old, worn, and outdated. Several are shredded around the windows.
● The window seals and surrounding felt are deteriorated, with portions of the felt falling down and the window areas not properly cleaned.
● There are no nightstands beside either side of the bed in either bedroom, leaving no convenient place for guests to set phone chargers, a portable fan, or a CPAP machine.
● The bench by the front door is stained and dirty.
I also noticed while walking past other rooms that the curtains appear to be in similarly poor condition. In some cases, the damage is clearly visible from outside the building. This creates a very poor impression of the property, particularly for a hotel charging nearly $300 per night for accommodations advertised as luxury suites.
At this price point, guests should reasonably expect a well-maintained, updated, and comfortable room. What we experienced was more consistent with a dated 1970s-era accommodation that has received very little meaningful updating.
To put the value into perspective, for approximately the same amount of money, I can take a cruise and receive significantly better accommodations, substantially better food than the breakfast currently offered in the Best Western lobby, and a modern, well-maintained room. That makes it difficult for me to understand the value of what is being advertised and priced as a luxury suite.
I believe the owners and management need to make a significant investment in updating these rooms and bringing them up to the standard that the term “luxury suite” implies. The current condition does not justify the price being charged.
I have attached several photographs to this email for your review and documentation of the conditions described above. I hope management will take these concerns seriously and use them as an opportunity to improve the property and the guest experience.
Our stay was August 7–10, 2026.
Thank you for taking the time to review my concerns.
I was not able to attach every photo i took, but most are there