Business phone system for hotels and motels in South Dakota

Hotels and motels in South Dakota by the numbers

County Business Patterns counts 441 establishments in South Dakota classified as Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (NAICS 721110) for 2023. They employed 6,710 people in mid-March and reported $179.3 million in annual payroll. That is the 37th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Hotels and motels make up 1.5% of the 29,106 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) South Dakota has 47.7 hotels and motels, 190.2% above the national rate of 16.4. The average establishment has 15.2 employees against 26.8 nationally. Payroll per employee is $26,729, 32.1% below the U.S. figure of $39,374.

Where hotels and motels in South Dakota are concentrated

Census published hotel counts for 12 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of South Dakota. The largest is Rapid City, SD, with 117 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 58% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.

Team sizes at hotels and motels in South Dakota

37.2% of South Dakota's hotels and motels with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 30.9% nationally. 51.0% had fewer than ten. At that size the phone is shared, so routing (who rings, when, and what happens after hours) matters more than the number of desk phones.

Why the phone matters for hotels and motels in South Dakota

Independent hotels take reservations, guest requests and group inquiries by phone, and the front desk is staffed around the clock. Calls that go unanswered may become bookings elsewhere.

Typical inbound and outbound calls for hotels and motels in South Dakota:

• A guest calls the front desk for extra towels.
• The hotel calls a guest to confirm a late arrival.
• An event planner calls about a room block.

Texting guests

Hotels text check-in details and guest service updates.

Texting from a local number in South Dakota requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.

What a phone system costs a hotel in South Dakota

Hotels and motels in South Dakota average 15.2 employees, so the comparison uses a 15-person team. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $374.25 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $450.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $299.00 a month for 15 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.

Over a year, that is $1,812 less than RingCentral for a hotel in South Dakota of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.

Area codes in South Dakota

South Dakota has 1 geographic area code in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so a hotel can hold a number in more than one of them.

How Callata works for hotels and motels in South Dakota

Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.

Porting a number you already use in South Dakota is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.

AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.