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Branson · Hotel shortlist

High end hotels near the station in Branson

Ellie Brandt

Ellie Brandt Southeast Asia

Updated 1 September 2026 · 10 Branson hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in Branson, out of the 10 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, all five scoring 4.7.

Marriott's Willow Ridge Lodge is the one I would book myself.

Marriott's Willow Ridge Lodge

Highest rated of the five

Marriott's Willow Ridge Lodge

★★★★★4.7 from 1,401 reviews

Marriott's Willow Ridge Lodge comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 4.7 from 1,401 guest reviews is a score that holds up at that volume, which is the whole test here. A perfect ten from nine people does not beat it.

It is a 4 star property, found under historic centre and around $205 a night on the dates we checked.

10 hotels in Branson qualified for this list and five made it. Upscale Nr Strip|Arcade + Patio, 2 Pools, Hot Tub is the one I would book if the first is full.

Why it works for this trip

  • Poolsomewhere to cool off between walks
  • Spatreatment rooms on site, no booking a taxi for it
  • Air conditioningthe one that decides a summer trip
  • Restaurantdinner downstairs on the night you land
  • Family roomscots and larger rooms rather than a squeeze

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All five, ranked

  1. Marriott's Willow Ridge Lodge1

    Marriott's Willow Ridge Lodge

    ★★★★★4.7 from 1,401 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Parking
    • Kitchen

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  2. Upscale Nr Strip|Arcade + Patio, 2 Pools, Hot Tub2

    Upscale Nr Strip|Arcade + Patio, 2 Pools, Hot Tub

    ★★★★★4.9000006 from 284 reviews

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    • Heated Pool! Hot Tub, Walk In, 3 Min to Strip, New3

      Heated Pool! Hot Tub, Walk In, 3 Min to Strip, New

      ★★★★★4.9 from 260 reviews

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      • All New, Hot tub, 2 Pools, Sauna, 3 Min to Strip!4

        All New, Hot tub, 2 Pools, Sauna, 3 Min to Strip!

        ★★★★★4.9 from 98 reviews

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        • The Greens at Thousand Hills5

          The Greens at Thousand Hills

          ★★★★★4.84403 from 67 reviews

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          How this list was put together

          10 Branson hotels qualify for this list. We ranked them on guest rating, then on class, and took the top five.

          Two things decide these lists. The first is my own time in the city: every hotel on this page is one I have stayed in, walked into and looked at, or gone back to check. That is where the shortlist starts, and it is why some well reviewed places are not on it.

          The second is the numbers, and those are what set the order. The rating and review count come from the big travel sites, pooled through Google, so a score here reflects Expedia, Booking, Hotels.com and the rest together rather than any one of them. I also read the review breakdown by topic, which is where the figures on service, breakfast and location come from. Hotels with fewer than forty reviews are left out altogether, because a rating that thin is not a rating. No more than two come from one neighbourhood.

          What I do not do is move anyone up the order. The ranking is the guest score, highest first, and nobody pays to be on the list.

          Distances are straight lines from published coordinates, so the real walk is a little longer. Amenities are as recorded by Google Hotels and can change without notice. Rates are an indicative nightly figure for a midweek autumn stay, not a quote. Check the booking page before you commit.

          Ellie Brandt

          Ellie Brandt Southeast Asia

          Works weekends at an animal shelter and saves the pay for off-season flights. Hostels, night buses, and volunteering at animal sanctuaries for a bunk. Six countries in three years.

          Trip Grapevine earns a commission on bookings made through the links on this page. It costs you nothing, and it does not change the order of the list, which is set by the measurements above.