The Sapphire Motel
310 N 7th Ave
Bozeman, MT
1940 drive-up motor court. Four generations of one family. Bozeman's most decorated retro stay.
About The Sapphire Motel
The Sapphire Motel started as the Glen Motel in 1940, a drive-up tourist court on Bozeman's North 7th Avenue. It went through four name changes over the decades but stayed in the same family lineage since the 1960s, passing through four generations of the Bentz-Klatt family. The motel is now operated by siblings Shiloh and Jacob Klatt, who led a careful 2021 restoration that earned the property a Historic Preservation Award from the Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board for restoring the iconic marquee sign. The renovation approach was deliberate: preserve what is authentic, modernize what guests need, and resist the impulse to make everything look new. Distinctly Montana named it Best Retro Hotel in Montana two consecutive years and Best Urban Hotel in a third. The motel sits in Bozeman's midtown, three blocks off Main Street and 8.3 miles from Bridger Bowl.
What The Sapphire Motel Is Known For
The Sapphire Motel has been in the same family since the 1960s and through four name changes managed to remain a drive-up exterior-access property when most of Bozeman's midcentury lodging stock was converted or demolished. The 2021 restoration preserved the original marquee sign and the motor court format while adding the reliability that modern guests expect. That combination earned recognition from both the City of Bozeman's historic preservation program and Distinctly Montana, the state's travel press. The property holds something that no renovation budget can manufacture: a decades-long commitment to a specific place from one family, maintained across four generations.
Amenities
- WiFi
- Complimentary coffee and tea in lobby lounge
- Central courtyard with gazebo
- Playground
- Coin-operated laundry on-site
- Microwave and mini-fridge in all rooms
What Guests Love
- In the same family since the 1960s across four generations, with a 2021 restoration that earned a Bozeman Historic Preservation Award for restoring the original marquee sign.
- Named Best Retro Hotel in Montana by Distinctly Montana two consecutive years and Best Urban Hotel in a third, an unusual run of press recognition for a drive-up motel.
- Single-story, exterior access, parking in front of every door: the motor court format has never been compromised or converted despite decades of development pressure in Bozeman's midtown.
- Three blocks from downtown Bozeman and 8.3 miles from Bridger Bowl, which makes it equally useful as a city base and a mountain launching pad in any season.
- Stash Hotel Rewards member, so stays earn points redeemable for free nights at more than 150 independent hotels across the country.
Worth Knowing
- The Sapphire Motel has rooms, the largest of the Bozeman properties in this guide, but the single-story drive-up layout keeps it feeling like a motor court rather than a motel complex.
- There is no pool on site. One guest review specifically noted this as the one missing amenity. Bridger Bowl, the Gallatin River, and Hyalite Reservoir are all within easy range for outdoor recreation.
- Pets are not permitted, with the exception of ADA service animals.
- The motel is on North 7th Avenue, a commercial arterial road through Bozeman's midtown. Street-facing rooms have some road noise, though it is not noted as a significant complaint across reviews.
- Complimentary coffee and tea is available each morning in the lobby lounge. No full breakfast is served on site; the motel's area guide points to nearby options including Nova Cafe and Main Street Overeasy.
The Room
Rooms are drive-up, single-story, with private exterior entrances and parking directly in front of the door. Each includes a TV, plus a microwave, mini-fridge, and coffee pot. The Mid-Century Modern lobby lounge offers complimentary local coffee and tea each morning. Coin-operated laundry is available on-site for longer stays. A central grassy courtyard with a covered gazebo and a small playground gives the property a gathering point between the room block and the street.
The Grounds
The property is arranged around a central courtyard, with the single-story room block surrounding a grassy common area that includes a covered gazebo and a playground. Free parking is directly in front of each room. The marquee sign restored in 2021 was the Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board's award-qualifying work: an original feature that most properties would have replaced, preserved instead. North 7th Avenue is a commercial corridor, but the motel's midtown position means Bozeman's independent restaurant and retail district is walkable and Main Street is minutes by car or bike.
The Experience
Bozeman makes the Sapphire Motel more useful than it might appear from the address. The museum, the university, the brewery district, and the trailhead parking for canyon hikes north and south of the city are all within a few miles. In ski season, Bridger Bowl's base is 8.3 miles away; Big Sky Resort is 45 miles south. In summer, the motel sits 90 miles north of Yellowstone's north entrance at Gardiner. The complimentary coffee in the lobby has been noted in multiple reviews as the kind of detail that signals someone is actually paying attention. After a few days in the mountains, a clean mid-century motel with fast wifi and a parking spot directly in front of the door is not a compromise; it is exactly what you need.
Details
Bozeman, MT 59715
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does The Sapphire Motel have EV charging?
No, The Sapphire Motel does not have EV charging.
Does The Sapphire Motel have WiFi?
Yes, The Sapphire Motel has WiFi.
What is there to do near The Sapphire Motel?
Downtown Bozeman: 0.7 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Museum of the Rockies: 1.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there. Bridger Bowl Ski Area: 8.3 miles, about a 15 minute drive.
How far is The Sapphire Motel from Downtown Bozeman?
0.7 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is The Sapphire Motel from Museum of the Rockies?
1.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
How far is The Sapphire Motel from Bridger Bowl Ski Area?
8.3 miles, about a 15 minute drive.
Is The Sapphire Motel pet friendly?
Pets are not permitted at The Sapphire Motel, with the exception of ADA service animals.
How far is The Sapphire Motel from downtown Bozeman?
The motel is about 0.7 miles from downtown Bozeman, a 10-15 minute walk or a very short drive. Main Street's restaurants, breweries, and independent shops are all walkable from the property.
How far is The Sapphire Motel from Bridger Bowl?
Bridger Bowl ski area is 8.3 miles from the motel, about a 15-minute drive. Big Sky Resort is approximately 45 miles south, about a 50-minute drive.
How far is The Sapphire Motel from Yellowstone?
Yellowstone National Park's north entrance at Gardiner is approximately 90 miles south, about a 90-minute drive. The Sapphire Motel is a common base for Yellowstone day trips or gateway stays.
What is the history of The Sapphire Motel?
The property opened in 1940 as the Glen Motel and has remained in the same family lineage since the 1960s, passing through four generations of the Bentz-Klatt family. A 2021 renovation earned the motel a Bozeman Historic Preservation Award for restoring the original marquee sign.
Does The Sapphire Motel have a pool?
The Sapphire Motel does not have a pool. The property has a shared courtyard.
Is parking available at The Sapphire Motel?
Yes. Free on-site parking is available at The Sapphire Motel.
Does The Sapphire Motel include breakfast?
No. Breakfast is not included at The Sapphire Motel.
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Things to Do Near the Gallatin Valley
Downtown Bozeman
0.7 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
0.7 miles, about a 15-minute walk or a 3-minute drive. Main Street's independent restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, and shops are all within easy reach. The Saturday Farmers Market runs summer and fall and is one of the best in Montana.
Museum of the Rockies
1.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
1.5 miles, about a 5-minute drive or a 30-minute walk. One of the top natural history museums in the American West, with the world's largest collection of dinosaur fossils from the Rocky Mountain region, including multiple T. rex specimens. On the Montana State University campus.
Bridger Bowl Ski Area
8.3 miles, about a 15 minute drive.
8.3 miles, about a 15-minute drive. A nonprofit ski area with a local following and an intentionally unpolished character, with 2,000 acres and some of the best powder skiing in Montana. The Ridge at Bridger is a serious backcountry-adjacent zone that draws advanced skiers from across the region.