I live in North Dakota now. Hence the user name, but I grew up in South Dakota. My family vacations in the Black Hills every year. It is so beautiful there. We are members of a camping resort and stay there. Where I would stay would depend on who is going. If it is adult only, you might find Deadwood more fun. If it is family with children then there are several options. Rapid City is a good place to stay. It is the largest city and would have the most options. Keystone and Hill City are small tourist towns and can be fun. There is also Custer. As for specific hotels, I am not sure. I would say you would be pretty safe staying with name ones like Best Western, Holiday Inn, Super 8, etc. There is always the option of renting a cabin or staying at a bed and breakfast as well. There are a lot of fun B&B's in the hills. Sorry I can't give you anything more specific. I just wanted to tell you to have fun. Enjoy the beautiful mountain views and the fresh air. If you have an idea of what town you are interested in staying in I could talk with a fellow teacher of mine. She is single and works in the Black Hills every summer at a resort on Sylvan Lake. She might have some good ideas.