Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Tioga

This was our sixth night on the road of a 21-day road expedition across the Dakotas to Montana and back. We got to Tioga after birding the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge (where we got life looks at a half dozen Sharp-tailed Grouse), the very cool Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge (where they allow access to the washrooms even when the admin office is closed!), a look across the international border, and a long afternoon drive across the amazing Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge (where they also allow access to the washrooms even when the admin office is closed!). The hotel parking lot and indoor common areas were fairly tidy, but there were flies everywhere. The check-in clerk was polite and helpful. Our room was clean, quiet, and comfortable. The shower water pressure was adequate but not stellar. Luckily, not many flies followed us onto the elevator and into our room. Our room looked out over multifamily projects that appear to have been built to accommodate the large oil industry working population. But I guess it had to overlook something, yeah? (Iindeed.com currently lists 464 oil jobs available in the Tioga area if you're interested in that kind of work, but the work doesn't seem to pay all that much.) At this point in our trip we were still eating our own breakfast food in an attempt to ease into a three-week trip, so we didn't try the breakfast provided in the crowded little combination eating area. The breakfast room coffee was the standard weak brew. At these prices, you'd think they could at least give you decent start to the day with some actual caffeine. At $99 all-in, this wasn't the worst hotel value we experienced on this trip. Oh, it still seemed steep compared with what we used to pay in non-destination towns for this kind of basic room pre-pandemic. But this is the brave new world we now live and travel in, right? If you're here to work, the town of Tioga doesn't have a lot to recommend it. The main grocery store was okay but crazy expensive. Restaurant choices aren't great. Everyone we saw looked tired and oily. Basically, we were very happy to move on in the morning.