Tag: hiking

Missoula, Montana, USA ~ The Wren

October 2025

We introduced hotelling.org in 2018 and have written nearly 50 posts. Starting with this one, we decided to mix it up a little, structuring the post as a Q&A with one of us posing the questions and the other answering them. Enjoy!

Why Missoula?

You lived in Missoula 30 years ago, but I’ve never been to Missoula or to Montana. We’ve always talked about visiting, and this seemed like the right time to do it. Fall in Montana can be beautiful. When we made our plans, we didn’t know that our stay would coincide with homecoming weekend at the University of Montana where you were a graduate student (we only realized it was homecoming when we woke on our first morning to a very vibrant downtown Missoula as people headed to the parade) . That event made the timing even better.

Why The Wren?

The hotel choices in Missoula have grown quite a lot since you lived there, but most of them are national chains, and the properties are pretty cookie-cutter. The Wren, which opened in 2022 on the site of what was a 1960s motor inn, stood out as a property with a personality – something distinctly “Missoula.”

If you were to describe The Wren in a phrase, what would it be?

Pared down with an artsy, outdoorsy vibe.

How would you describe your room?

We stayed in three rooms during two separate visits to The Wren (three rooms rather than two because we moved once during our first stay). All three rooms were, first and foremost, functional – not fancy by any means but with some nice touches. We had appreciated wall infographics installed above each bed. These custom pieces by local artists reflect iconic symbols of Missoula and Montana; rooms featured the lifespan of the Western red cedar tree, traditional forestry tools, and classic trout flies.

The rooms also include ample pegs for hanging coats, hats, and other outdoor gear; Pendleton wool blankets, sliding barn doors between the bedroom and bathroom, spacious showers; and – a welcome surprise – fluffy cotton robes. We also liked the clever “do not disturb” magnets for the metal doors, which harkened back to the motor inn that originally stood at the site, and, on our first stay, we enjoyed the views of Mount Sentinel and the “M” that peeked out above our east-facing courtyard window.

How about hotel amenities?

The Wren sees itself as a launchpad to Missoula and its surroundings, so it doesn’t work hard to keep you on site. With that said, the welcoming common areas deserve a linger. The lobby “map room” has lots of information on local sites, along with rotating art from the Missoula Art Museum and a mini-exhibit on the famed Missoula smokejumpers. As cycling fans, we loved getting an up-close look at the bike Tyler Hamilton rode in the 2003 Tour de France. And the front desk staffers are ready to share advice. We had an extended conversation about the likelihood of encountering a bear on different hikes around the area (the bears hadn’t yet settled in for their long winter’s nap), and the staffer offered us a can of bear spray should we want it. Finally, the Northwest takes its coffee seriously, and the Basecamp coffee shop right off the lobby is popular with hotel guests and Missoulians alike. If the coffee shop is full – and on a nice day – the courtyard tables and chairs offer a peaceful spot to sip an excellent coffee and catch up on the news by picking up one of the actual newspapers (old-school paper version) scattered around.

Any final thoughts?

Should we return to Missoula, we would definitely stay at The Wren again. Missoula is a place all its own – its official nickname is the “Garden City,” but locals prefer “Zootown” – and The Wren captures Missoula well. The Wren is a great example of a hotel that does exactly what it sets out to do, and it provides a distinctive experience for its guests.

Stay details:

  • The Wren, Missoula
  • 4-night stay: October 10-12 and October 17, 2025
  • Wren King (1st stay) and King (2nd stay)

What we did, where we ate:

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