I know of 6 rooms that just opened up at the Holiday Inn in Rapid City, we booked 6 rooms through the company I work for and were told 84.00 a night per room for 5 nights, I was sitting right there when the person was booking the rooms, she said "are you sure that is the rate for the week of Sturgis?" the lady on the other end says " oh yes your are getting our best corporate rate" yesterday we get a call from the manager stating there has been and error and the clerk did not realize it was Sturgis week (BS), and the rate is actually 374.00 per room per night with tax..... that is 1870.00 per couple or 11220.00!!!!!! for 5 nights, we did not want to buy the damn place!!!!!

 

What a crappy thing for them to do. Back in September, my wife and I booked a room at Quality Inn in Rapid City for $89 per night (Military Rate) for the 2010 Bike Week. Same as you we specificaly asked about such a low rate during Bike Week and were told "no problem". Hopefully the same thing does not happen to us. A few days after we made the reservation, a friend (also a Soldier) tried to make reservations at the same hotel and was told the military rate was no longer available. We have not recieved any message saying our rate was changed and the Choice Hotels web site still shows our booking for $89 per night, so I'm hoping for the best.

 

I don't go to Sturgis just to park my *** in town and get drunk. I'm going to be riding every day anyway and that place is located right in the middle of the Black Hills. The rally started as the Black Hills Motor Classic, remember? There's way cooler places to drink and eat out in the Hills, anyway.

 

I have reservations about going to Sturgis.....too freakin' crowded, too overpriced,etc. etc. etc.

 

we went this year the week before. alot of the vendors are already there. the half naked girls are too. haha. but it wasn't crowded. we were able to ride the mountain roads without alot of other bikes out there. and when you're doin' those hairpin turns that's a very good thing and you have to take a trip to Devil's Tower in Wyoming. Just have to watch the tar snakes on the curves...yeeeowza...wyoming roads have alot of 'em.

We didn't eat out, so we saved money there.

We left the day before the rally officially started and it was beginning to get quite busy in Sturgis.

Hope you decide to make the trip sometime. I'm looking forward to heading back in 2011.

 

I made a reservation at the Iron Horse Inn:

http://www.ironhorseinnsturgis.com/

They advertise as being 5 1/2 miles from downtown and the rooms looked to be fairly nice. They also offer a shuttle service to downtown and a few other places. No sense taking a chance on a DUI...or worse!

I just made the reservation right before Thanksgiving and at that time they had 200 rooms available. The rate was $1400/per for 7 days and we're sharing with another couple so the cost was reasonable, IMO.

I spoke with John who said he was the manager. He was very, very helpful and answered all of my questions before I made the reservation. I've spoken with him since and he has been just as helpful. I'm hoping this doesn't turn out to be 'too good to be true'.

Ken

 

Yeah I have been several times but not in the last couple of years. The hotels really do jack up the price because people pay it and since I don't really camp anymore it is probably worth it when I do go, and the wife is much more comfortable. It not usually a problem getting reservations. A couple of times I actually had better luck closer to the rally dates, it seems people make plans the something changes them at the last minute. The real thing that bothers me is in the last few years it seems like I have seen more and more real idiot motorsickle riders. Lots of show offs, too much speed in corners, etc. and they usually take out someone else with them.
The riding around there is really spectacular, I am thinking about going again but before or after the rally.

 

We locked in for next year last year in Deadwood but we had friend that came out with no reservations and had no trouble finding a room in Deadwood ,14 miles from Stugis.We locked in because we loved the location and had the time of our lifes.We road our own bikes out so I cant tell you about the rentals

 

When I do go to sturgis, I deliberately go a week before the raly. I stay at Custer State Park and use that as a home-base. From there you can take day-rides all over the area, see all the sights, and have a great time. I am an old fart and do not need to rub elbows with all the roudy kids that come for the party. The day the raly starts, I am out -of - there. I never make reservations along the way and have never had a problem finding a nice place to stay. To each his own. If you want to be there the week of the raly, be prepared to wait in a long line for a while every morning to get gas so you can take a ride. Not my cup of tea.

 

there is always room at the buffalo chip