Stayed at the Budget Host Inn in Ely, Minnesota (formerly known as the Ely Motel). We didn't stay in the hotel itself - we stayed in a house next door, which the hotel rents out as a cabin. We paid $129 for one night for the whole cabin.

The cabin was, for the most part, ideal for a large-ish group of campers about to go in to Quetico or the BWCA. It had 6 beds, split over two levels, a kitchen, a porch, but only one bathroom. It wasn't in great shape - lots of things needed maintenance or replacement. It was mostly pretty clean.

Two warnings about this cabin. First, it has no air conditioning. If you stay there on a hot summer day, it's hard to get the place cool at night. Second, as stated earlier, it has only one bathroom, which is a bit tight for a large group.

The staff was wonderful. They were very friendly, and they had everything ready for us on arrival. There was free breakfast (continental) outside in the morning.

For a group of... more