Historic Calumet Inn, Pipestone

My significant other and I have stayed here 3 times already in the past year, and plan on going back in Oct. 2011. Our very first stay there was beautiful. It was snowing unexpectedly and everything just looked that much more charming. Callys lounge is really neat...lots of beautiful woodwork, romantic setting and rustic kind of feel. Feels like staying in a bed and breakfast because you can roam around among the 3 floors looking at antiques, etc. The bar in the basement can draw a rough crowd, but, it is open late if you get restless. The prices in this town are very reasonable, including room prices. Every tour or museum we went to was $2.00 or under, except the theater on the next block which was featuring a dance troupe from Minneapolis...It was excellent and around $10/ticket if I recall correctly. They have a little boutique in the restaurant and free breakfast. The people at the front desk were wonderful, except they changed people between the time we checked in and left, and we believe we may have been overcharged, and didn't know the new person at the desk. We overlooked it and it didn't happen again... minor in the scheme of things. But, we did have a complicated bill as we had ordered a package including whirlpool room, dinner for 2, and bottle of champagne for a great price. So, due to ringing up our package, along with separate meals and bar tab, it was just hard to tell, so we just keep the room and food separate now. Other than that, we have been thrilled with everything else. The 2 ladies we had gotten to know brought up our meals and champagne personally to us. So sweet!! The staff was courteous, friendly and accomodating. The food in Cally's was ok. Only tried a couple of things so far...typical bar food. Didn't try the restaurant yet for dinner, although their weekend menus looked appetizing and drew outsiders in, we noticed. Make sure to look through the historic picture books and news articles detailing the Calumet's history in the lobby. The Calumet Inn is truly different than any other hotel stay we've had (and we travel a lot). This place is unique and has been a wonderful experience for us every time. Other hotels just seem generic to us now. I would highly recommend staying in one of the antique rooms, otherwise, you might as well go to a modern hotel if that is what you're looking for. Looking forward to our trip there next weekend!! Finally, we didn't see or hear any ghosts....not yet anyway. :)

Seriously I was scared to death staying alone at this hotel. I had NO idea what I was getting into!! I was to Pipestone on a business trip and was set up to stay at the Inn. Little did I know I should have had someone with me!!! First impressions is came from the back parking lot and entered in the rear that leads you down a long dongon like tunnel. Then you turn corner that leads you to an elevator you only pray will take you to the next level. But before you get on the elevator you pass a place call the pub that I was informed to stay away from because of the rough crowd. The staff at the front desk seemed a bit bitter that I dare bother her to check in. After checking in I went up to my room only to find 1/4 of the ceiling on my bed! I couldn't belive it! I went back down to the front desk and was given a second room. This room did not have the ceiling on it but it was 100degrees. I tried to turn the heat down but was unable. I opened the windows but it was storming out (which just added to the spookiness..you can imagin!). In the bathroom the bathtub was sinking into the floor. I then find a door that I thought was a closet. Turns out it was a door to an adjoining room. I did not have a lock on my door to the adjoining room but there was a lock on the other door. All I could think of was that someone would be comming into my room in the middle of the night! So once again I went to the desk and asked to be moved into the room on the other side of the door. They honored my request to be moved into that room which was a handicapp accessable room. This room was much bigger yet just as freaky! The doors deadbolt did not work. I only had a chain to lock the door and the bottom of the door was missing a huge chunk out of it that I ended up blocking with my clothes during the night because I keep seeing shadows of people walk by. I also found on the wall a set of keys that later I learned opened the adjoining rooms door..(the one I was GOING to stay in!!!) Honestly, I was freaking out!!! The hotel has old blood red carpet that is worn and stinky and the furninishing are definitly antique! I grew up in a home with antiques and I always thought they were neat. But in this eery hotel they just added to the ambience of haunting! If the owner would do some up keep in this Inn and add a cheerier staff I do believe this could be a magnificant Inn to stay at and people would be lots of money to do so. However, with the experience I have had there I believe the only people who would come pack to this Inn would be someone looking for unsettled spirits or a good story to tell!

I live in Pipestone but some friends and I wanted to stay somewhere but couldn't decide whose house to stay at so...we pitched together and got a hotel room. The room was beautiful, the workers were friendly, the Trees set up in December at the Festival of Trees were purrty, and the food in the hotel restaurant was delicious. The location was great. Pretty much centrally located to everything you can do in Pipestone. Overall a great experience.

The carpet in the entrance and lobby is filthy. The room was adequately clean, but in dire need of various repairs from water damage, tiles with mold in the bath, etc. There were numberous cords around the TV with a note that warned you not to unplug the tv cord as it provided power to all the tvs on that floor!! You had to sit two feet from the TV to hear it. Audio must have been going bad. At 1:30 AM could hear people in hallway arguing and slamming doors. Also the complimentary continental breakfast was a joke. The building's exterior is rather nice, too bad the owner is not doing any updating to the interior. Needless to say, I wouldn't stay there again for FREE!