I gotta start with the fact that I kinda hate all hotels, even nice ones. When I stayed at the Ritz in Chicago or the Parker Meridien in NYC, despite the high design and luxurious touches, they still just felt like hotels. Meh. That said, the South Pier Inn was a remarkable surprise. To be fair, we sprung for one of the large rooms that was adjacent to the Aerial Lift Bridge. The room wasn't cheap, but there is nothing like looking at your window and seeing a thousand foot tanker sailing by a stone's throw away. Amazingly, the rooms are so well insulated from noise you could miss the whole thing. Fortunately, the hotel offers ship spotting calls, even in the wee hours of the morning so you don't miss a passing vessel (if that's your thing). The front desk staff was a textbook example of Minnesota nice. Such lovely people! And the simple continental breakfast (which I also usually hate) included wild rice cranberry bread made at an 80 year old institution. We even had the misfortune of booking a room when the small parking lot was being redone. However, the hotel managed that escapade very well, providing off site parking and a shuttle service to our car. It was such a treat to be able to walk over the bridge into the canal district, for a quick dinner without a drive, and to have such a well kept home base for our Minnesota adventure. Thank you for a lovely stay. I sincerely hope we get to return. read more

What a stunning surprise in our cross country trip!!! A wonderful staff provided us with comfort and welcome. The bed had the most amazing sheets!!! So soft and comfortable I didn't want to leave and the jacuzzi tub had a 3D view of the channel. It was an amazing wonderful stay. My husband and I have stayed at 5 star hotels all over this country on the 4 month journey and I can honestly say this is the only one I could come back to. read more

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What a unique place. Just on the other side of the bridge, which I haven't given it much thought when we booked it but if you stay here, you have to remember that you might get stuck on one side or the other, depending on how many ships need to go under the bridge we were across the street for dinner and we're stuck over there for an hour. We had a nice room with a Bayview so we could watch the ships having. We had a large living room with a jetted tub and a nice balcony. Refrigerator and microwave also in the room which made it very convenient for our trip would stay here again. read more

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We happened upon South Pier Inn on a whim on a Sunday Summer evening, when we decided to stay the night in Duluth. We saw it as we crossed the bridge, and decided to book it right then and there, as we had 3 of us and the room was described as having a lakefront view and a queen bed, twin bed and sofa. We check in and head up to our room, which had a parking lot only view, and one queen bed, with a sofa (that pulled out to a twin bed). A little (a lot) different than what was advertised. We only booked this hotel because we wanted a waterfront view. When we checked with the front desk, there were no rooms available as advertised, even though that is what we payed for. There was no negotiation. There is a very basic included breakfast: juice, coffee, donuts, fruit. Basics, but nice to have available to jumpstart your day. Keeping this place at a 4/5 because I would love to love this place, and the location could not be any better. I absolutely love the red chairs out front, and the proximity to the bridge. We had a quiet night stay and were happy even with the cards we were dealt. read more

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South Pier in is fantastic! I had my doubts with a family own small town hotel but was completely surprised by South Pier in that I will always stay here when visiting Duluth. The rooms are large, very bright and clean. The best rooms are the one facing the harbor with the jacuzzi. Best hotel to view the boats. There is breakfast in the lobby that consists of donuts, yogurt, oatmeal, coffee and tea. Oh yes the good bread- Cranberry bread from the local bakery! It's so good I went to the bakery to take some home. I love the hotel is family owned and one of the folks that run the inn gives a free tour about Duluth. It was fun and very informative. Tour is a little over an hour long. read more

We've stayed here a number of times and it's always the same great service and so very comfortable. Price for a room is fair and all of Canal Park is a short walk (or drive) across the historic Aerial Lift Bridge. It gets a big recommendation from me. It's where I choose to stay when stopping in Duluth. read more

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My friend and I enjoyed our stay here. The canal view was amazing and we enjoyed the whirlpool in our room. Service was good and price is reasonable. We will definitely stay here again. read more

Every member of the staff we encountered was friendly and efficient. Wonderful views, wonderful walks nearby, rooms are quiet and thoughtfully designed and filled with what you need to be comfortable. The breakfast is light, varied, and tasty. The coffees and juices are good. read more

Excellent little inn.....VERY clean and well maintained. Very courteous and helpful staff, would stay again in a heartbeat!

Alway had a fascination of large ships. This hotel did not disappoint. We had a room with a whirlpool tub and a view looking over bay. Staff was friendly and helpful. Room was clean and well stocked. We took several day trips visiting area and on return room was always spotless. Loved watching and listening to ships maneuver the channel. Look forward to are next visit. read more

This is a fabulous place with a kind and helpful staff. The rooms are very lovely and the view on the canal side is beyond. You are literally feet from the water. Robes are always a plus. The breakfast is fine, as much as you can expect as it's not full service. My daughter left her very well loved stuffed animal in the room accidentally and the staff was so accommodating shipping it all the way to florida for us. That was really such a wonderful gesture and we are so grateful. Thank you! read more

Very nice little hotel in a great location with friendly and helpful staff. The location directly next to the Aerial Lift Bridge on the harbor/canal is perfect. You are a short walk across the bridge to several businesses, restaurants, and canal park. Just across the street is access to a public beach on Lake Superior and a pier to enjoy the lake and take photos. I think every hotel can have some negatives and I struggled to find one here. The one complaint I had was the shower water didn't get as hot as I like. If you are traveling to Duluth, Minnesota I strongly recommend the South Pier Inn. I plan to go back and will stay here again. read more

South Pier Inn - View of South Pier Inn's location from a ride with Lake Superior Helicopters. - Hotels Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

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I stayed the the South Pier Inn for my minimoon. I loved how small, quaint, and quiet the hotel was!The rooms are extremely roomy and clean. The whirlpool tub, fireplace, and soft bed sheets was an added bonus. The only reason I can't give 5 stars is because the bed was very uncomfortable (but like stated above, the sheets were very soft). For the price of the room, I was thinking every room would have a comfortable king size bed. Although the bed was uncomfortable, I will be staying at this hotel again! (I also forgot to mention how amazing the view of the pier was!) read more

This was our first time staying at the south pier in. I can honestly say that this was an amazing experience. The staff was very friendly and professional. The property was very clean the room was very warm and inviting. Their location was great. Anytime we are going to be in the Duluth area will definitely stay there read more

A spontaneous, solo road trip to Duluth last summer led me to the South Pier Inn-On the Canal. I wanted to stay somewhere near the aerial lift bridge, and this was the perfect location. It was a little spendy but worth every cent. The staff welcomed me with warm smiles and gave me many great recommendations on sites to see and places to eat. -Canal Park -Enger Tower -Canal Park Brewing Company (had the turkey burger :P) -Northern Waters Smokehaus Right before leaving I mentioned to the front desk lady how I never saw a ship come through the aerial lift bridge; what a bummer! She mentioned this to the owner and he gave me a private tour of the lighthouse on his property; such a kind gesture that I'll never forget. This place has left a memorable impact on me and I can't wait to return this summer! read more

South Pier Inn - up in the lighthouse! - Hotels Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

I had been wanting to visit Duluth for years, finally made it. We got a king suite harbor view, it was worth the upgrade. I was there to see boats coming and going, this was perfect. The room had a little patio with chairs, and there were Adirondack chairs on the grass. The hotel had printouts of boat schedules, plus there are web sites with updates, but some were leaving that I would have missed had I not seen them right out the window. The hotel is right at the canal park, you can't get any closer. The room was clean, the staff friendly, and you can't beat the location. Restaurants, shops and an excellent distillery in walking distance. We'll be back. read more

We decided to get the Panoramic Upper room and we couldn't be happier. The room is very spacious! Nice bedroom with an amazing view of the harbor and the living room has an amazing view of both the canal and the harbor. Room comes with a tripod scope and a set of binoculars to really see the view. The jacuzzi is in the living room with a very romantic view with a fire place next to it. Couldn't be happier with the room and will definitely visit again! read more

South Pier Inn - Hotels Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

I really enjoyed my stay here and would definitely consider returning here is my take on the place. -Location, Location, Location. This place is amazing for viewing the big ships coming into or going out of the harbor. Definitely worth the splurge at least once but you will want a canal view for that and it's not cheap. We were staying just one night and so we went for it. I saw one boat during the afternoon coming in (but did go view it from the pedestrian area which you can do without staying at the hotel-but staying at the hotel is great because while you can find out in advance via Duluth Shipping News website (or call the Maritime Visitor Center) staying here just makes it much more likely you will get to see one of these ships travel through the canal and enjoy the bridge going up and down. At night they offer wake-up calls if you want to be woken up for the viewing...I definitely recommend this as it's totally worth any lost sleep. Other things the hotel excels at are: great complimentary continental breakfast, great service, again proximity to canal park/maritime center, great wi/fi. Room for improvement: my bed could of/should have been better for the money. It was very soft...too soft. I hope mgmt will consider working on this. The living room has a couch and a couple of fashionable but less functional chairs. I am a big guy and didn't dare sit in them. Note the tub is in the living room of this 1-bedroom suite. I was traveling with a friend and we were on the first floor. The whole point is keeping the shades open and watching the canal, for obvious reasons this didn't work for us...for a couple this may work better. Overall, I think this place is a great option for people fascinated with maritime transportation and just love bridges and the scenic wonder. Harbor rooms are cheaper and probably better suited for those on a budget or staying a few nights where you would have a few opportunities to walk over to canal to see the boats coming under the bridge. read more

The new favorite place to stay in Duluth. Rooms are clean and elegant in a spare, modern way. Each room has its own private balcony. The "neighborhood side" rooms look out on the parking lot, so do yourself a favor and book a harbor or canal view (the latter lets you watch boats clear the lift bridge as they enter and leave the harbor). Great location: a short walk across the bridge puts you in Canal Park with access to the lakewalk and other Duluth-ly goodness. Staff were friendly. The free breakfast looked a bit sparse, but you really should just walk across the bridge and hit the hippie coffee shop in Canal Park instead anyways. Highly recommended. read more

Location of the South Pier Inn is prime because you are right by the bridge to Canal Park, right on shore of Lake Superior, and great views of Duluth. Our room was wonderful, we had a king bed, tub and fireplace in the living room, and a nice sitting area/kitchenette. The staff that checked us in was friendly, the woman working the desk at breakfast time wasn't the friendliest. Their continental breakfast is rather sad.. fruit, bagels/muffins, yogurt, and oatmeal was about all the choices. It would have been nice to have some hot options like eggs, meat, toast, etc. I would recommend this for a couple looking to have a romantic getaway! read more

This is a lovely little non commercial hotel located right next to the lift bridge. I missed the parking lot at first because it is the very first right after the bridge! However, it has a cute little office and plenty of parking. It is still within walking distance to everything canal park has to offer. It is a little more expensive, but it has great rooms. They are very private to the point that one other room shares the entrance to a shared staircase and you have to go outside to get ice. There is a patio off of every room. Unfortunately even though the description of our room said "lake view," we had a room facing the parking lot. Not very pretty, but the bridge is there and since we went in March, there wasn't much need to step outside anyways. I would definitely make sure that you are facing the lake. The rooms are clean and I guess some of them had fireplaces. They are very environmentally friendly and ask if you would be willing to reuse the towels and keep the temperature at a reasonable level. This is a plus for me, but I know not for everyone! The continental breakfast was small, but decent. There was some fruit, pastries, yogurt, and juice. Overall I'm glad I gave my money to a small company. read more

Great place to stay. Very clean and comfortable. Highly recommend for short or longer stay.

We stayed here one night (our first night) in Duluth a few weeks ago. We were very impressed with the room! We checked in semi-late (around 9pm), settled in and headed straight out to dinner. Afterwards, we came back to the room before a concert we were seeing at Grandma's. When it came time for the concert, we walked a short 2-3 minute walk across the bridge and into Canal Park! The location of this place was amazing. After the concert, we enjoyed the in-room jacuzzi (we were in a queen suite). We were very impressed with the quality of the room for the price -- it definitely felt like more of a boutique spot than a chain hotel. The massive windows gave amazing views of the canal, the fireplace and jacuzzi were both incredible additions to the room, and the price was cheaper than local chain hotels. We'll be back! read more

Great hotel with all the amenities! Amazing views of Lake superior and the lift bridge. We stayed in a "canal view" room and had exceptional views of the canal and bridge as well as the lake and downtown duluth. The service at the desk is excellent and very friendly. They even will give you a ship schedule so you know when the giant ships are expected to arrive and depart. Whether you've never been to duluth or have been there 1000 times, you need to stay at this hotel! The views alone are worth every penny but then they throw in a fireplace and jacuzzi and balcony to go with it! This place is worth the price all the way around. One of the best hotels around.. anywhere. read more

South Pier Inn - This was my view from my side window on our room. We purchased the "canal view" and were not disappointed! - Hotels Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

We scheduled a last minute trip up to Duluth as a belated Valentine's trip and this was one of the few hotels with "spa" rooms (with a jacuzzi tub) left in our price range. It turned out to be exactly what we needed! We booked the Harbor View one room suite - the view was OUTSTANDING over the harbor! The windows were very large, so it is easy for others to see in... But being the middle of winter we weren't too worried about "traffic" on the harbor side or any invasions of our privacy. The tub fit both of us easily - a little slow to fill, but I don't remember the last time I was this relaxed! It was a wonderful QUIET weekend. I can see how it may get noisy in warmer weather, but was a perfect weekend winter retreat. ...and don't forget the fireplace! Great to cozy up to and read or just lay back and relax. Their "hot breakfast" was minimal, but understandably so as there isn't much space in the main lobby area for food. As long as you don't come in with high expectations it is fine - I was happy with a croissant and some yogurt/ granola, but other basic options were also available (juice, coffee, hard boiled eggs, muffins, donuts). Location is great, too - just across the bridge from the hustle and bustle of restaurants, bars, and shops! About 1/4 - 1/2 mile walk to the thick of it, but this was ideal as it definitely made our weekend stay quieter than it would have been at the hotels right next to the canal park area. Can't wait to go back! read more

I loved staying here, right on the water and has a hot tub! Friendly staff and nice rooms, loved the fireplace too.

People I never felt so compelled to warn other people about hotel, so I'm writing this review. I want to start out by saying that I have stayed at many hotels in my years as a Fortune 1000 executive. However, I'm a realistic person and know a good or bad thing when I experience it. I was so excited to be so close to the bridge at South Pier. I wanted to be as close as possible to the boats. The rooms are clean and location is great. All rooms other than the large corner suite will have the terrible situation I will describe. Every room has a main window and a smaller (but still large) window facing either the bridge or harbor. The smaller window allows the guests in the next room to look right into your room. I don't mean a little look, their view faces right in your door and all of your other windows. This was the poorest architecture I have ever seen. They can see your ENTIRE room including a full view of your bed. Two separate neighbors in two separate nights and my wife caught them looking in at her and our room multiple times. They were probably unintentional but you can't even enjoy your stay. Your neighbors come to that window when they see boats, so you will see them multiple times daily/nightly. We had to close the blinds! There was no way to know when your neighbor would be at their window, so you couldn't relax at all. If you choose to stay there after reading this, you were warned. Trust me you will never stay there again due to this terrible window placement. Once you walk in the room and view your neighbor's window facing right at your room. It's a total invasion of privacy. If you choose to pay the very high price to stay your nightmare will begin when you see the window that I'm talking about. Within 1 hour you will see someone looking at a boat but also looking at you and what you're doing. I found 3 other posts describing this situation online. Take my advice on this one. All the best, Mike read more

Perfect location, extremely helpful staff, clean and updated rooms! Definitely will be back for another stay!

I love the location of this hotel. You have a great view of the lift bridge and Lake Superior. The rooms are clean and spacious. There is also coffee and pastries in the morning for breakfast along with juice and yogurt. I would stay here again. read more

This is my husband and I's go-to hotel in Duluth. The view is gorgeous from the room, service is great, and we love the extra features like the fireplace and jacuzzi in the rooms. I wouldn't stay anywhere else! read more

A Great view and the constant sound of rushing water (but not in a good way) Hotel location= A+ View from first floor Harbor suite=A Service by staff=A Continental Breakfast=A This place should be a Yelp 5 star when considering the location and my above listed grades (not to mention the high room rates), but I am sorry to say the South Pier Inn is nowhere near 5 star. When contemplating a Yelp grade for the South Pier Inn, I vacillated between 2 or 3 stars. In the end, I've given it a 2 (but 2.5 is probably more accurate). My biggest complaint from our stay is related to the absolute lack of sound proofing in the walls between rooms and floors in this hotel. My wife and I both mornings of our stay, marveled at how little sleep we got the previous night due to the incessant noise of our neighbors. The issue was not "partying," or arguing, or anything of that nature, it was that every step across the floor in the room above us was like thunder in a storm. Every toilet flush like a flash flood at the head of our bed. In fact, very early one morning, as we tossed and turned in our bed, I actually heard what I would eventually learn to be a man in the bathroom (I know it was a man because we were "treated" quite clearly to the sound of him standing before the toilet and emptying his bladder), at which point I thought to myself, "$201 a night for this?" Additionally, the bathroom floor tile and the tile around the hot tub are very out of date. Our shower had a cheap plastic surround like you'd get at a low priced motel. Windows facing the harbor have really ugly vertical blinds akin to a low-end apartment. And the gift from this room that I am still dealing with four days after checking out, is the incredibly wrenched back I received from the very soft mattress on our bed. What an uncomfortable bed! Wow! I apologize for what sounds like a winy, petty review of this establishment, but with a higher price point comes loftier exceptions (though a comfortable bed and the request that I not hear my neighbor take a leak don't seem too lofty of expectations to me). As I stated earlier, not all was bad here. The location, view, staff, and nice continental breakfast were all a hit. But to me, the South Pier Inn is not worthy of the price required to stay. If not for the view, this would be a $90 a night motel. read more

South Pier Inn merits three stars because it is conveniently located, the room was clean and the staff was friendly. The down sides were the advertised queen sized bed was actually a full sized. The small bed was probable necessary because the room was too small for a queen sized bed. Also, the "continental" breakfast was a collection of muffins and donuts that appeared to be from a local supermarket. If you're looking for a clean place to sleep for a night or two and the price is less than the other hotels in the Canal Park then it is a good choice. read more

Wonderful stay in a perfect location. The room was very clean. Loved having the large tub and fireplace to enjoy the cold evening in. The view of the aerial lift bridge was perfect and so close. We really enjoyed watching the ships come in at night. Breakfast area is small but I thought a nice variety to get the day started. Staff very helpful except for the late night desk attendant. Also the bed is a little hard but I would not let either of these items discourage anyone as we will be back again. read more

Loved the room. We didn't have the view but it didn't matter. Very clean and put together. Great staff and perfect location. I'll be back for sure read more

I would give no stars if I could. Had an awful experience with the owner. We hadn't even got to our room yet and she came out to our car as we were unloading and yelled at us for no reason. She said she could see the decorations in our car and she was going to be watching us. She was nasty and rude, assuming that we were going to be out of control. We were there for a bachelorette party, which I indicated months earlier when making the reservation and confirmed again shortly before our stay. She was extremely disrespectful and when we went to complain she made it apparent it didn't matter because she was the owner. We got a refund and stayed at a much nicer hotel for less money. I'm sure this hotel won't last long with such an unprofessional owner. My advice, spend your money somewhere else. The canal park lodge is beautiful!!! read more

About as good as it gets. Little getaway to Duluth and stumbled on this place for a couple nights. Location could not be better for Duluth. Directly next to the Lift-Bridge and a short walk to all the shops, restaurants and bars in Canal Park. Overall the property is well maintained. The lobby was open, well lit with a friendly staff. Check in was easy and we upgraded from a regular guest room with no view to a harbor view room. They have a schedule available of the incoming/outbound ships to view. We went to our room and were greatly impressed. The view included a large portion of the bay and city. Throughout our stay we were able to see three ships depart and arive. The room was very clean and presented well. The rooms with views get a set of binoculars to look out over the bay. Bathroom was stocked with coffee, cups, ice bucket and the other typical amentities. A mini fridge is included in the room as well. WIFI was strong and worked the whole time. Room had a whirlpool that was very clean and we used it twice. Fireplace worked great and had a control box next to the in room thermostat. Balcony had two chairs and table. Blankets were amazingly soft, pillows a smidge hard for my girlfriends likings but I had no complaints. TV had HBO and a DVD player. Breakfast was really the only thing I would comment on. The breakfast included donuts, pastries, oatmeal, array of fresh fruit, coffee, and a fridge with juices and yogurt. I understand its a contintenal breakfast but some more options or healthir alternatives might be worth looking into. Overall great reasonably priced getaway. read more

Not really sure exactly how we stumbled on this hotel for our most recent visit to Duluth but we will most definitely be back AND be recommending it to friends. While it was slightly more expensive than he accommodations that we would typically choose for ourselves, I think that the added expense is definitely worthwhile. We had a room with a balcony overlooking the lake. I am writing this review looking out at the city and an ore boat moving quietly through the waves with a glass of wine in my hand and I couldn't possibly be happier. Easy walking distance to all that Canal Park had to offer but just far enough off that beaten path to render itself nearly silent...other than the seagulls and lapping waves, of course. Our room had a fireplace and jacuzzi tub as well as a refrigerator, good sized bathroom and comfortable king size bed. Clean, quiet and non-commercial! Oh...and free wireless. Boom! Don't expect much out of the free continental breakfast (coffee, juice, muffins, Whole fruit, yogurt) and you won't be disappointed! We will be back! read more

Our new favorite place. Don't miss this marvelous experience. We'll definitely be back.

Nice clean hotel in a good location. The rooms are very nice with great views unfortunately the wifi sucks and the free cold breakfast is lacking . This place is literally right beside the bridge, a bridge with steel grating for a deck so you'll have to listen to the whine of car tires all day and all night. For $130 you can do better. read more