The Palmer House Hotel, Restaurant & Pub

The Palmer House Hotel, Restaurant & Pub A Destination Since 1901 The delighted citizenry spoke among themselves, “Now at last, perhaps the town can have a first class hotel.”

Then, in 1901, Ralph L.
(1046)

When the old Sauk Centre House, the town's first hotel, burned to the ground on June 26, 1900, a feeling of relief came over the townspeople. Palmer and Christena J. Palmer built The Palmer House Hotel. And, it was a first class hotel! They lived there with their children Hazel Palmer and Carlisle R. Palmer. Christena's mother and brother, George Brandner, also worked at the hotel. Modern for its

day, The Palmer House was the first building in Sauk Centre with electricity. Salesmen traveling by rail regularly used the hotel for business meetings and relaxation. The hotel soon became the cornerstone of Sauk Centre's downtown area and served as a gathering place for the now-content locals. Nobel Prize winner Sinclair Lewis referred to the hotel as the Minniemashie House in his 1920 novel, Main Street. The hotel endured an ambitious makeover in 1993, exposing its natural beauty from top to bottom with respect to Richard Palmer's idea. However, some of the comforts to which society has become accustomed have been added. The hotel originally housed 38 small rooms with guests sharing a common “necessary room” down the hall. There are now 19 rooms (each with its own bathroom facility), some complete with Jacuzzis to pamper you a bit. When you stay at The Palmer House, choose a room tucked away in the recesses of the hotel or a room directly above the Original Main Street where you can look down from your vantage point and observe the hustle and bustle of small town life. But resist the urge to keep to your room, and explore. We have many delightful shops downtown to peruse. The Palmer House's spacious lobby is perfect for whiling away the hours reading and visiting. You'll find The Pub, just off the lobby, to be well-stocked with your favorite cocktails and a cozy sometimes spirited place to spend an hour to two. Trying to resist the inviting aromas coming from the restaurant will be your only problem. Our kitchen is open daily from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and we have a baker who will tempt you back for more of her homemade goodies. Come to The Palmer House for business, pleasure, or for the room 11or 17. The friendly staff will be waiting to extend a warm greeting upon your arrival and cater to your every need throughout your stay. Whether it be a special event or an intimate evening for two, call us to discuss the many options we can put together for you. We do free consultations for planning your groom's dinner, wedding reception, showers, birthday parties.... whatever it is you may want to celebrate. We also participate with GreyStone Golf Course in a wonderful Stay and Play Package. Call us for details. We look forward to meeting you!

November 2-for-1 $avings on your hotel stay! Reserve your room for Friday night and Saturday night is on us! Call to res...
11/05/2025

November 2-for-1 $avings on your hotel stay! Reserve your room for Friday night and Saturday night is on us! Call to reserve your room now before they fill up! 320-351-9100

🔴 Key fob found outside the Palmer House. Are they yours? Identify the writing on the green keychain to verify.
11/05/2025

🔴 Key fob found outside the Palmer House. Are they yours? Identify the writing on the green keychain to verify.

What a great Halloween weekend! 🎃Live music and so many Spooktacular costumes! Let’s see those spooky fits! Drop a pic o...
11/02/2025

What a great Halloween weekend! 🎃
Live music and so many Spooktacular costumes! Let’s see those spooky fits!
Drop a pic of your Halloween costume if you celebrated at The Palmer House 👻👇

10/31/2025
10/30/2025

Don't forget to join us Halloween night for live music in the pub! Come shake, rattle, and roll those bones!💀🦴💀

Our busy season is upon us! We are actively hiring for all positions. Especially cooks and expo/serving staff.
10/27/2025

Our busy season is upon us! We are actively hiring for all positions. Especially cooks and expo/serving staff.

🎃 Come raise a few spirits (and maybe meet a few 👻)! Live Music, Friday, October 31st, 7-10 pmJoin us at The Palmer Hous...
10/24/2025

🎃 Come raise a few spirits (and maybe meet a few 👻)!

Live Music, Friday, October 31st, 7-10 pm

Join us at The Palmer House Hotel for a Halloween night filled with live music, eerie vibes, and plenty of boos 🍻.

You never know who—or what—might drop by for a dance… 🕯️🎶

10/18/2025

3:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. paranormal tours are both sold out out.
We just added a 9 p.m.!

Happy Birthday Palmer House! For 124 years, the Palmer House has welcomed guests — and perhaps a few who never checked o...
10/17/2025

Happy Birthday Palmer House!

For 124 years, the Palmer House has welcomed guests — and perhaps a few who never checked out. Here’s to the enduring
Palmer Spirit that continues to fill our halls.

~ Time passes, but the Palmer Spirit lingers on ~


These walls have a thousand tales woven into the plaster!
10/17/2025

These walls have a thousand tales woven into the plaster!

If walls could talk, this one would have a story to tell.

On the side of the Palmer House Hotel, local artists Roger Reinardy and Mike Weisser painted this stunning Sinclair Lewis mural back in 2017. Lewis once worked inside these very walls as a young clerk, long before he wrote Main Street and put Sauk Centre on the literary map.

Some say his ghost still roams the Palmer House, keeping an eye on the town that inspired him. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, this mural is a must-see piece of Sauk Centre’s story.

📸 Take a stroll down the Original Main Street and see it for yourself!

Address

500 Sinclair Lewis Avenue
Sauk Centre, MN
56378

Telephone

+13203519100

Website

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