A 304-room riverfront property along 14 acres of the Boise River and Greenbelt, two heated pools, three on-site dining venues, two miles from downtown, the city's resort-format booking.
"The closest thing to a resort that Boise runs. Fourteen acres on the river, two heated pools, the patio bar that owns Friday afternoons, and a Greenbelt path that takes you to the downtown core in twenty minutes by bike."
The Riverside Hotel operates as a Best Western Premier Collection member but it functions more as a small American resort than a branded box: 304 rooms across two low-rise wings on 14 acres of riverfront on the south bank of the Boise River, two miles west of downtown Boise in the city of Garden City. The property opened in 1973 as the Rodeway Inn Riverside, ran for two decades under various flags, and has been independently owned and operated since 2014 under the same Idaho-based group that completed a complete top-to-bottom renovation in 2018. The vocabulary is straightforward contemporary lodge in brown timber, cream stucco, and stone, with a long riverfront promenade that connects to the public Boise Greenbelt and runs uninterrupted to the downtown core.
The 304 rooms are distributed across the East and West wings at standard 380 to 450 square feet, with a small set of one-bedroom suites at 750 square feet in the riverfront-facing East Wing. The renovation introduced soft down bedding, 55-inch HDTVs, deep soaker tubs, charging stations at the bedside, plush bathrobes, and large workspaces. River-view rooms in the East Wing on the second floor and above carry the best line of sight, with the Boise River and the cottonwood gallery in the foreground and Eagle Island State Park in the distance. Bedding and bathroom product runs notably above the price point as a result of the 2018 reset.
Three dining venues anchor the food offer. The Riverside Grill is the daytime restaurant on the lobby level with American comfort cuisine, breakfast through dinner. Bar365 is the long lobby bar that runs nightly live music four to five nights a week and the city's better whisky list at this price band. The Sandbar Patio Bar and Grill is the seasonal pool-deck operation on the river, the city's most consistently crowded summer Friday afternoon and one of the best riverside cocktail rooms in the Mountain West. The 20,000 square feet of convention and event space lets the property host most of the city's mid-size weddings and conferences; the Crystal Ballroom seats 600 for a sit-down dinner.
The wellness package is the Riverside's quietly strongest offer for a Boise stay. The indoor saltwater pool runs year-round, the outdoor pool runs heated through October, the hot tub, sauna, and the splash pad together cover three of the four seasons and most of the family-trip checklist. The Greenbelt path begins at the property's eastern fence and runs 25 miles of mostly flat riverside biking and running into and through Boise. Bicycle hire is available on the property; the front desk runs a complimentary downtown shuttle on a regular schedule for guests who would rather not drive. Free self-parking and a free airport shuttle remove the two most common Boise stay friction points. The Riverside is the right Boise booking when the rest of the city's stock feels too urban.
For a family weekend in Boise that wants the pool and the Greenbelt rather than the downtown grid, the Riverside is the booking. Two heated pools, a splash pad, the indoor saltwater pool running year-round, and a riverfront promenade that absorbs an afternoon of kid energy with no driving required. Connecting rooms in the East Wing handle the standard two-children layout; the front desk loans bicycles in three sizes for the Greenbelt ride into downtown.
For a wellness stretch in Boise that wants to anchor on the Greenbelt rather than a downtown gym, the Riverside is the friendliest answer. Twenty-five miles of mostly flat riverside path run from the property's gate, the year-round indoor pool covers winter mornings, and the Sandbar Patio Bar's seasonal hours mean the afternoon recovery cocktail is by the water. Pair with a Bogus Basin ski day, an Eagle Island hike, or a Treasure Valley wine-tour Saturday for the full week.
For a corporate group or conference that wants the meeting product without the downtown parking problem, the Riverside is the obvious booking. The 20,000-square-foot convention space holds the city's mid-size galas and corporate events; the Crystal Ballroom seats 600 for dinner. The complimentary downtown shuttle solves the city-business problem and the property's free self-parking solves the per-night expense. The Sandbar absorbs the late-afternoon reception cleanly.
2900 West Chinden Boulevard
Garden City, ID 83714
2 miles to downtown Boise; 7 miles to BOI airport; on the Boise River Greenbelt
304 rooms and suites
Standard Kings/Queens from $147/night
River View Rooms from $199/night
One-Bedroom Suites from $310/night
Peak holiday weekends from $199/night
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Opened 1973; fully renovated 2018; BW Premier Collection
Two heated pools, hot tub, sauna, splash pad
Riverside Grill, Bar365, Sandbar Patio (seasonal)
20,000 sq ft of meeting space (Crystal Ballroom)
Free self-parking, airport shuttle, downtown shuttle
Boise Greenbelt access
Complimentary WiFi throughout
From $147/night. River-view rooms and Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day weekends book three to four months ahead; midweek leisure rates are usually available within a fortnight.
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