4min
Closestby car to Essentia Health Sports Center, 1.3 mi
Rodeway Inn Baxter
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Minnesota youth hockey · 2026-27
Brainerd Bantam AA/A 'Battle for the Axe' Tournament
Hotels near Essentia Health Sports CenterSuggested hotels70
The housing rule
These sponsors are very generous supporters of our program and we ask that you contact them for all your lodging needs.
Housing partner
Cragun's Resort & Hotel; Holiday Inn Express
What to know
The Bantam AA/A 'Battle for the Axe' Tournament starts the Brainerd season on Nov 27, 2026, and ends Nov 29. It is the earliest of the host's 2026-27 events and falls on Thanksgiving weekend.
Eight teams are allowed and the entry is $1,650 with 4 guaranteed games. The host's Sept 21 table lists the bracket as full.
Bantam B1 plays the same weekend. The host lists two lodging sponsors, Cragun's Resort & Hotel and Holiday Inn Express, and asks teams to contact them and states no penalty.
The host page does not say which rink hosts the Bantam AA/A games. Its streaming page says the games it covers are played at Essentia Health Sports Center, a two rink building.
All 12 hotels near the rink
Closest first, by car. The first one is the card at the top of this page.
See every hotel near Essentia Health Sports Center, with any dates
Team manager? Pick a team hotel and share one link with your families.
| Hotel | Drive | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Rodeway Inn BaxterPick as team hotel | 4 min | See rates |
| Super 8 by Wyndham Baxter/Brainerd AreaPick as team hotel | 5 min | See rates |
| Comfort Suites Rapid River LodgePick as team hotel | 6 min | See rates |
Team house
A rental house can sleep a whole team. Compare houses near Essentia Health Sports Center for your dates.
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| Hotel | Drive | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, BaxterPick as team hotel | 6 min | See rates |
| Baymont Baxter/Brainerd AreaPick as team hotel | 7 min | See rates |
| Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Baxter Brainerd AreaPick as team hotel | 7 min | See rates |
| Arrowwood Lodge At Brainerd LakesPick as team hotel | 8 min | See rates |
| Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Brainerd-BaxterPick as team hotel | 8 min | See rates |
Show the other 4 hotels
| Hotel | Drive | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Cragun's Resort on Gull LakePick as team hotel | 23 min | See rates |
| VoyageurPick as team hotel | 24 min | See rates |
| Madden's On Gull Lake Golf ClubPick as team hotel | 25 min | See rates |
| Quarterdeck Resort on Gull LakePick as team hotel | 38 min | See rates |
We may earn a commission if you book through these links. Your price is the same.
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Housing Fairness score: 70
How the score was built
70Starts at 100. Built from published rules only. See the method.
- Hotel suggested onlyTeams are encouraged to book through the housing partner-10
- No local exemptionNo local radius exemption published-10
- Staying with family not allowedNo family exemption published-10
- Penalty for booking elsewhereNo penalty published0
- Booking deadline more than 45 days before the eventNo booking deadline published0
- No-show or cancel fee beyond the hotel's own policyNot stated0
- Rebates or fees to the tournament not disclosedNot checked0
Dates by level
True trip cost per family
Every number below is an assumption you can change. We fill in only what the sources state.
Entry fee $1,650 per team, divided by this number
Nov 27 to 29, 2026
Enter the rate you see
Gas counts the round trip
Assumption, not a source figure
- Entry fee share$110
- Hotel: 2 nights x $0$0
- Gas: 0 mi x 2 / 22 mpg x $3.20$0
- Meals: 4 people x 3 days x $15$180
$290
Estimated total for one family. Hotel or mileage is still empty, so this total is low.
Quick answers
- Is Brainerd Bantam AA/A 'Battle for the Axe' Tournament stay-to-play?
- Not required. The rules suggest booking through Cragun's Resort & Hotel; Holiday Inn Express for Brainerd Bantam AA/A 'Battle for the Axe' Tournament.
- When is Brainerd Bantam AA/A 'Battle for the Axe' Tournament?
- Brainerd Bantam AA/A 'Battle for the Axe' Tournament runs Nov 27 to 29, 2026.
- Where is Brainerd Bantam AA/A 'Battle for the Axe' Tournament?
- Essentia Health Sports Center, 502 Jackson St, Brainerd, MN 56401.
- What is the closest hotel to Brainerd Bantam AA/A 'Battle for the Axe' Tournament?
- Rodeway Inn Baxter is the closest, about 4 minutes by car from Essentia Health Sports Center.
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