Walk to Dtwn: Historic Gem w/ Deck in Rapid City

Reviews

• 5/5

• Awesome / Unique Home!

  5/5

  This place is awesome! Very cozy, clean & eclectic home. I enjoyed my trip to Rapid City as well. Lots of good food!

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

• The Facts

  3/5

  The home has several beds but was not accommodating to our family due to it being very dis-jointed and inefficient in the layout, if you plan on renting here are the facts:

  - There are 2 upstairs portions that are completely separated from each other, guests in the bedroom above the dining area through the spiral stair case will not be able to engage others easily with others staying in the other bedrooms

  - The bedroom up the spiral staircase has a very tight, small bathroom, no shower

  - The other upstairs bathroom shower is a tub shower, not ergonomically efficient to get in and out of, and there is very little room to shower given the tub is narrow, so expect a mess dealing with a shower curtain

  - Given the bathroom situation, this means guests have to go up and down stairs to use the downstairs bathroom to use a shower and ample space to

  - The basement is unfinished, dirty floor, but does provide a convenient washer and dryer, have to wear shoes

  - The kitchen outlets tripped when using the Keurig which make the can lights not operate, had to reset the outlets

  - Outside areas were also dis-jointed making them less usable

  - The house is in good walking distance to Black Hills Bagels and less than a mile downtown, a good plus

  - Summary - you're staying in an older home with clearly rental company band-aid fixes, could use a serious remodel; okay, but has challenges

  Manager's Response:

  Brandon, thank you for your feedback and for staying with us. We appreciate you taking the time to highlight both the positive aspects of your stay, like the convenient location near Black Hills Bagels and downtown, as well as the areas where we can improve.
  
  Regarding the kitchen outlet issue, we’re sorry for the inconvenience. After testing the GFI outlet following your stay, we didn’t encounter any problems, but we suspect moisture may have caused it to trip as a safety feature. We’ll keep an eye on this to ensure everything works smoothly for future guests.
  
  We understand that the layout of the home, with its lofted areas and separate spaces, may not work for all groups. The unique layout is reflected in the listing photos to give guests a clear picture of the space before booking. As this is a historic property, some of the design elements, such as the bathroom configurations, reflect the charm and character of the original build.
  
  While the basement is unfinished, we make sure it’s accessible and functional for laundry needs, and we encourage guests to wear shoes for comfort.
  
  We appreciate your comments about the outdoor spaces, and we will explore ways to improve their usability. Your feedback on the shower and bathroom access is noted as well, and we’ll continue to think about ways to enhance the guest experience.
  
  Thank you again for your review. We hope that the character and location of the home still contributed to an enjoyable visit, and we wish you all the best in your future travels.

• A house with a porch swing for your morning coffee or afternoon wine put your feet- who needs more!

  5/5

  Loved the house - neighbor hood

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

• Great home base to explore The Badlands, Black Hills, etc.

  5/5

  We stayed here for a week in the spring, and it was a great home base to venture out daily to explore Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, The Badlands, Devil's Tower, etc. In the evening, we often walked to downtown RC restaurants and bars.

  The middle class suburban neighborhood felt safe for walking. It was about a .7 mile (flat) walk to the center of downtown, which was fine for us, but some may want to drive or take Uber/Lyft; rideshare cars appeared to be available in RC when I checked.

  We used the well stocked kitchen to cook breakfast daily plus a couple of dinners with groceries from the nearby Safeway. The washer and dryer in the basement allowed us to do laundry, so we were able to pack less. Wifi worked great. There is plenty of outdoor deck and porch space on three sides of the house, so you can always find a shady or sunny spot to relax. The mattresses, often a concern for us when traveling, were all comfortable and seemed pretty new. It was convenient to stop for a minute on the street out front or in the alley beside the house to unload groceries or luggage, then park under the covered (but not enclosed) area behind the house. The bedrooms are all upstairs, and the stairs are a bit tighter than some may be used to, so consider that if anyone has mobility issues.

  We considered staying at one of the two main hotels in downtown RC, bit I'm glad we chose to stay here instead. The only advantage of the hotels is proximity to nightlife, but that was outweighed by all the extra indoor and outdoor room, full kitchen, laundry, easy and free parking, etc. I would be happy to stay in this house again if we made a return visit to the area. The home is clean and well stocked, and you can tell the owner put a lot of care and thought into making it guest friendly.