Moab Motel Guide · Reviewed by Locals
Moab Rustic Inn: A Kitchen in Every Room, One Block Off Main
The quiet independent that budget travelers keep coming back to — a full size refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, and sink in every single room, a pool that earns its keep in August, dogs and cats for $15, and a location one block off Main Street where you can actually sleep.
Why We Recommend It
The Cheapest Way to Stop Eating Out in Moab
Here's the thing most listings get wrong about the Rustic Inn, including our own motels guide until recently: the kitchen isn't an upgrade you book into. Every room has one. A full size refrigerator — not a mini fridge — plus a microwave, coffee maker, and a kitchen sink. City Market is about three blocks away.
Do the arithmetic on a four night trip for a family of four. Moab restaurant entrees run $15 to $35. Cooking breakfast and packing trail lunches instead of buying them can save a family several hundred dollars over a week, which is more than the room rate difference between this place and a mid range hotel. Guests bring it up constantly in reviews, unprompted, because it's the rare amenity that pays you back in cash.
The second thing this property has going for it is quiet. It sits at 120 East 100 South, one block east of Main Street, which puts it out of the highway noise while keeping every restaurant and gear shop in easy walking distance. Reviewers describe it as a "quiet oasis" and mention hearing nothing at night — a real distinction in a town where most budget rooms face Highway 191.
It's also the friendliest property in town for animals. Dogs and cats, any size, $15 for the whole stay rather than per night, with treats at the desk and a grassy relief area with a waste station. Add an outdoor pool with towels provided, a grill guests can use, and staff who reliably make room for trailers and Jeeps, and the value math gets hard to argue with.
What you're not getting: this is a modest, older independent motel. No breakfast, no hot tub, no fitness room, no elevator to the second floor as far as we can tell. If you want amenities, look at the comparisons below.
Local tip: Stop at City Market on your way in, before you check in — it's a few blocks away and you'll have a full size fridge waiting. Buy breakfast food, sandwich fixings, and a case of water. There are no concessions inside Arches or Canyonlands, so packed lunches aren't just cheaper, they're the only lunch you're getting.
Rooms
Simple Rooms, Real Kitchens, Blackout Curtains
Thirty five rooms across two floors. Every one includes a kitchen area with a full size refrigerator and freezer, microwave, coffee maker, and sink, plus air conditioning and heating, cable TV, free WiFi, and a private bathroom. Reviewers single out the blackout curtains and the comfortable beds — both matter more than they sound after a 12 mile day.
One Bed Rooms
Queen or king, layouts vary
The value pick, and the room type where the savings math hits hardest for a long stay. Same kitchen setup as every other room here.
Two Bed Rooms
Two queens
The family and friends-splitting-the-bill option. Guests consistently describe the rooms here as larger than expected for the price.
Larger Units
Suite and apartment style
The property also lists roomier suite and apartment style units. If you're staying a week or traveling with a bigger group, ask what's available when you book.
Confirm Your Kitchen Setup
Setting expectations honestly
Every room has a fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and sink. Some listings also mention ovens and dishwashers in certain units, and cookware availability varies. If you plan to cook full meals rather than reheat, call (435) 259-6177 and confirm what's in your specific room.
Amenities
The Six That Justify the Price
This isn't an amenity arms race. It's a short list of things that either save you money or let you sleep — which, on a trip built around 5 AM trailhead starts, is the list that matters.
Full Size Fridge in Every Room
Not a mini fridge, and not a paid upgrade. A full size refrigerator and freezer, plus microwave, coffee maker, and sink, in every room on the property.
One Block Off Main, and Quiet
Far enough east of Highway 191 that guests report hearing nothing at night, close enough that dinner, gear shops, and groceries are all a walk.
Seasonal Outdoor Pool
Open through the warm months with towels provided, and repeatedly called out as clean and well kept. It is the whole reward system for an August afternoon.
Dogs and Cats for $15 Per Stay
Any size, both species, and the fee is for the stay rather than per night — the best pet rate we've found in Moab. Treats at the desk, plus a grassy relief area with a waste station. Pets can't be left alone in rooms.
Room for Trailers and Jeeps
Free parking, and guests hauling trailers and off road rigs report the staff actively helping them find space — not something every downtown property manages.
Guest Grill & Free WiFi
A grill guests can cook on, complimentary WiFi throughout, and a small front desk staffed by people who actually know the trails. They hand out free postcards, which tells you something.
The Value Case
What the Kitchen Is Actually Worth
Rates move with the season, so instead of quoting a number that goes stale, here's the part that doesn't change: what you save by not eating every meal out. Estimates below assume Moab menu prices of $15 to $35 per entree and a party of four.
Estimated Food Savings by Trip Length
Cooking breakfast and packing trail lunches instead of buying both · party of four
On a five night trip that's roughly the cost of a guided rafting day or a half day off road tour — funded entirely by having a refrigerator. That is the argument for this property in one sentence.
Location
120 East 100 South: Walk to Dinner, Sleep Through the Night
One block east of Main Street in downtown Moab. That single block is the difference between highway noise and quiet, and it costs you nothing in walkability — restaurants, outfitters, galleries, and the grocery store are all on foot from here.
How Far Is Everything From the Rustic Inn?
Walking times on foot · driving times from the parking lot, light traffic
Being downtown and east of Main also sets up the day well: a short hop to the Arches entrance for a pre-crowd start, a quick run up Sand Flats Road to the Slickrock Trail, and reasonable day trip range to Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point.
The Honest Rundown
Who Should Book It — and Who Shouldn't
Book it if you're…
Watching the budget and planning to cook. Staying five nights or more, where the kitchen savings compound. Traveling with a dog or a cat. A light sleeper who's been burned by a Highway 191 room. Hauling a trailer or a Jeep. Or you simply want a well run independent instead of a chain.
Look elsewhere if you're…
Wanting breakfast included, a hot tub, or a fitness room — none of which are here. Traveling with kids who need a pool with a slide, in which case Expedition Lodge is the call. Or after newer finishes and hotel polish, which our Moab hotels guide covers.
Compare Before You Book
Moab Rustic Inn vs. Other Top Moab Motels
All four earn spots in our motels guide. Here's the head-to-head so you book the right one the first time.
| Motel | Standout Strengths | Kitchen | Pool | Pets | Rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moab Rustic Inn Our best budget pick |
Full size fridge and kitchen area in every room, quiet block off Main, guest grill, trailer friendly | Every room | Seasonal outdoor | Dogs and cats, $15 per stay | Check rates |
| Expedition Lodge Best for families |
Waterslide, free arcade, rooms sleeping eight on queen bunks, bikes allowed in rooms | Fridge and microwave only | Heated, year round | Yes, $25 per stay | Check rates |
| Bowen Motel Best overall |
Family run since 1975, guest houses for large groups, bike wash, trailer lot | Fridge and microwave only | Heated, seasonal | No | Check rates |
| Moab Valley Inn Best views |
Mountain views, family rooms and suites, free continental breakfast, more polish | Varies | Seasonal | Confirm with property | Check rates |
How to Book
Lock In Your Room in Four Steps
Pick Your Dates Wisely
Spring and fall are peak — book 2–3 months out, and further for Easter Jeep Safari week. Winter brings the year's lowest rates in a town where budget rooms still spike in May. See our month by month guide.
Confirm Your Kitchen
Every room has a fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and sink, but ovens, dishwashers, and cookware vary by unit. If you're cooking real meals, call (435) 259-6177 and ask what's in the room you're booking.
Compare Rates & Book
Check live rates on Expedia and look for free-cancellation options. Small independents sometimes price better direct, so it's worth a two minute comparison before you commit.
Call for Pets and Trailers
Pet rooms have to be requested by phone at (435) 259-6177 — don't just book online and show up with the dog. Same call for trailer or oversized rig parking.
Quick Answers
Moab Rustic Inn FAQ
Do all the rooms have kitchenettes?
Yes — this is the property's biggest advantage and it's widely misreported. Every room includes a kitchen area with a full size refrigerator and freezer, a microwave, a coffee maker, and a sink. Ovens, dishwashers, and cookware vary by unit, so call ahead if you plan to cook full meals rather than reheat.
How much does the Moab Rustic Inn cost per night?
It's consistently among the lowest priced properties in Moab, with the cheapest rates from December through February and the highest on spring and fall weekends. Because rates move constantly, check live pricing for your dates — and factor in the food savings from having a real kitchen, which for longer trips can exceed the nightly difference against a mid range hotel.
Is the Moab Rustic Inn pet friendly?
Very. Dogs and cats of any size are welcome for $15 per stay rather than per night, which is the best pet rate we've found in Moab. There are treats at the front desk and a grassy relief area with a waste station. Pets can't be left unattended in rooms, and pet rooms must be requested by phone at (435) 259-6177.
Is it noisy, being downtown?
The opposite, and that's a big part of why we recommend it. The property sits one block east of Main Street rather than on it, and reviewers repeatedly describe it as a quiet oasis with no noise from the highway or neighboring rooms at night. Guests also single out the blackout curtains.
How far is the Moab Rustic Inn from Arches National Park?
Roughly a 10 minute drive to the Arches entrance station, which is about five miles north of downtown. Being downtown also puts you a short drive from the Slickrock Trail and within day trip range of Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point.
Can I walk to restaurants and a grocery store?
Yes. Main Street restaurants and gear shops are about a two minute walk, and the City Market grocery store is a walk of under 10 minutes. Guests routinely note that they parked once and walked everywhere for the rest of the trip.
Is breakfast included?
No, there's no complimentary breakfast — but every room has a full size fridge, microwave, and coffee maker, so most guests buy groceries and make their own. That's cheaper than a free hotel buffet is worth, and it gets you on the road before restaurants open.
Is there space for a trailer, Jeep, or oversized vehicle?
Parking is free, and guests hauling trailers and off road rigs report staff actively helping them find space. Space at any downtown property is finite, though, so call (435) 259-6177 ahead of time if your setup is large.
Is there a pool, and when is it open?
Yes, an outdoor pool, open seasonally through the warmer months with towels provided. Reviewers describe it as clean and well maintained, and it's the standard reward after a hot day on the trails. Confirm it's open for your dates if you're visiting in the shoulder season.
Ready to Book the Smart Money Pick?
A full size refrigerator in every room, a quiet block off Main Street, $15 for the dog, and a pool for August. Spend the savings on the red rock you actually came for.
Check Rates & Book Your StayKeep Planning Your Trip
Moabing.com is a participant in affiliate programs including Expedia. When you book through links on this page we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps keep our guides free. Rates, policies, and amenities are set by the property and can change — always confirm details when booking. Address, phone, in room kitchen specifications, pet policy, and pool details verified against the property's published information and guest reviews. Food savings figures are illustrative estimates, not quotes. Last reviewed July 2026.