Whether you’re anchoring your Yellowstone stay in Bozeman or just soaking up the local vibe, The Lark is a cool retro hotel central to the Main Street buzz. Formerly a derelict motel, it was totally gutted a couple of years ago and packed with loads of extras.

Hotel staffers call themselves “guides,” and they want you to have an authentic Bozeman experience. At check-in, you are handed a passport-sized notebook called a Field Journal. On the first page is written the front desk telephone number and the wi-fi password.

“If you’d like us to bring a cup of coffee or tea to your room in the morning, just text me,” said Lark guide Michelle. “I’ll be here at 6:30 a.m.”

The lobby decor combines leather sofas with vintage bric-a-brac. Hang out in the Map Room to plan your next outing or just to grab a cup of trail mix. Just outside is a canopied patio with wood-burning fireplace.

Each of the 38 one-of-a-kind guest rooms at this two-story boutique hotel displays the works of local artists. The walls of Room 8, where I stayed, bore super-sized graphics depicting the area’s two main ski areas. In case you need to know, Big Sky is 11,166 feet high, and the annual snowfall is 400 inches. Bridger Bowl, just outside of town, is 8,700 feet high and has an average snowfall of 350 inches.

The room had a king-size bed with a pillow menu and cozy buffalo blanket. The sheets were so amazing. They were crisp and smooth, and I loved their feel on my skin. I even dreamed about them. In my dream, the sheets bore a tag that read “butter sheets.” Really.

The room also had a work station, flat-screen television, two fluffy gray bathrobes, safe, white-noise machine.

A sliding barn door separates the bath from the sleeping area. The bath is plenty big, with an oversized shower at one end and a wood-topped vanity with apron-front sink at the other. Choose your lighting: the warm glow of vintage sconces or bright wattage of contemporary recessed ceiling cans. The bath is stocked with pump-style Malin + Geotz toiletries.

The Lark has been so successful since its opening, a 29-room addition is under construction.

The Lark, 122 W. Main St., Bozeman

Many thanks to Yellowstone Country Montana for hosting my media visit to The Lark and places beyond!