After hearing the story of Lyle's Room at the Groveland Hotel, my aunt and I decided we had to go…read moresee it for ourselves. We drove over three hours and arrived so excited. We were welcomed by Roy at the front desk, who was such a pleasant and kind gentleman. We asked him about Lyle's Room, and he generously shared the history and stories behind it. To our surprise, he even offered to give us a tour. That was completely unexpected and made the experience even more special. As Roy walked us up to the room, he told us more about Lyle and the stories connected to the room. Being able to go inside was amazing. The room was beautiful, and the entire hotel has such a unique, historic charm. Every part of the property felt warm, peaceful, and well cared for. I stayed in the Orion Room, and after hearing the stories about Lyle knocking things off the dresser, I made sure to keep my things nice and clean while I was there! I will say, though, I got some of the best sleep I have had in a long time. The staff was incredibly friendly, and the hotel has so much to enjoy. They have a great wine selection, a beautiful bar area, and a wonderful restaurant. I enjoyed wine and dinner outside in the back, surrounded by trees, a waterfall, and cozy fireplaces. It was absolutely beautiful. I will definitely be coming back. This place offered a kind of peace that I would love to give my body and mind again. Thank you to Roy and the entire Groveland Hotel team for making our visit so memorable.

We had an overall positive, albeit very unusual and interesting, stay at the Groveland Hotel!…read more My husband, our pups, and I stayed for one night on our way to Yosemite. We let the hotel know in advance that we'd be arriving late, past office hours, and their contactless check-in process was very easy - they made sure to let us know via email exactly what to expect upon after hours arrival. Our envelope and room key were easy to find, and that's when we noticed we had been assigned Room 15: "Lyle's Room." It is an older inn-style hotel; the room itself was clean, charmingly decorated, and the bed was comfortable. Our dogs were totally fine and relaxed. The only thing I found a little unusual was an extra sink being inside the bedroom area near the dresser and facing the bed, but I chalked it up to the design of an older historic hotel. That night, while we were winding down and watching something on our phone since there was no TV in the room, I noticed the sink turn on and off a couple of times for about 1-2 seconds each. I figured it was just old plumbing. Other than that, nothing else out of the ordinary and we slept peacefully. The next morning is when things got interesting. We left for an early morning hike, and when we came back and put the key in the door, the entire doorknob fell off. We couldn't get into the room. When we went to the front desk, they simply said, "Oh, Lyle!" and called maintenance. Once maintenance arrived, he let us in and fixed the doorknob. While we were packing up, my husband went to take a shower. Everything was fine until he tried to turn the shower off and realized the knob just kept spinning. The shower would not shut off!! We quickly got dressed and notified the front desk right away, while the shower continued running. Then steam started wafting into the bedroom, and we realized the water was very hot with no way to cool it down or stop it! Maintenance came back, worked on it, and realized he needed a completely new part, so he had to leave and return while the water kept running. The staff and maintenance handled everything with a great attitude and great, responsive service despite the chaos. We later found out it was the maintenance guy's first day on the job, and everyone joked that Lyle was just giving him a hard time on day one. After the fact, we learned more about Lyle's Room and its haunted reputation, and honestly, we are believers after having no idea about him! It felt like Lyle was making himself known and having a little fun. We did some post-stay research, and we found out that Lyle is actually known for causing mischief in those exact ways - water issues, room access problems, and little disruptions like the ones we experienced, which made the whole experience feel even more eerie and oddly fitting! Overall, the Groveland Hotel is a nice, charming, older hotel, and we'd stay again. Clean, comfortable, and just enough amenities for a decent overall stay in a small town. That said, I don't think we'd stay in Lyle's Room again, haha. At first, I wished we had been given a heads-up that the room was famously haunted, but on second thought, I probably would have requested a different room if I had known. So maybe it was better this way - definitely a memorable stay! Thanks Groveland Hotel, and Lyle!

Gorgeous! Fantastic rooms a truly luxury Bed and Breakfast with the most peaceful mountain…read moreenvironment. The breakfast each morning was a culinary delight. We will be back!

We arrive and right away we were greeted by Steve. He walked us to our room and gave us the run…read moredown. He was very attentive without being overbearing. My husband and I had great conversations with him during breakfast. The roo. Was exactly as we expected and the tub was great for Epsom salt baths. The location is pretty central to hiking, lakes, waterfalls, small towns, etc. Sometimes you don't know what you are going to get from a place that is not heavily populated with US, IYKYK. Steve made it clear on his views and that he wanted to make sure that ALL of his guests felt welcome. We will definitely make a trip here again. We Highly Recommend!

Amazing! This place felt like visiting one of your favorite family members as a kid. Beautiful…read moreviews of the Merced River, warm home-cooked breakfast, fantastic park information, cozy rooms/beds, and the sweetest owners. I felt sad saying by to Ron and Liz because they made us feel so welcome and at home. I'm glad we found this place and can't wait to stay during our next Yosemite trip! Thank you so much for everything.

My husband & I are in our 30s & we had THE best stay at this B&B (our first experience in an actual…read morebed & breakfast). We were able to hike in Yosemite using the YARTS bus system ($30 round trip) & came home to a freshly made bed & homemade cookies every night after hiking all day. Liz made us a delicious breakfast at 8:30am (although she did ask if we wanted it earlier) & we caught the YART into the park at 9:15- hiking by 10am. Our hosts were fantastic, the room (top floor) was HUGE & definitely cool- even on a 95 degree day (those other reviews are ridiculous- Liz had no issues keeping us comfortable- in both AC use & shade for breakfast). On the last day of our trip the YART busses didn't show up for our trip back & Ron rescued us from the park late at night (we were literally stranded in Yosemite). I will say If you are in your 20s, looking to party this isn't the place for you. If you are a recluse not wanting to socialize, this isn't the place for you. But If you have 4 kids & plan on leaving them at home- this is totally worth it. In every aspect. My husband & I played scrabble at night with white claws & listened to the river... we slept in... someone else cooked for us...we hiked all day & came home to a cozy bed & friendly faces. Ron & Liz are definitely "chatty" as some have mentioned in other reviews, but you're staying in their home- so we felt it was all apart of the B&B adventure/experience. We will 100% stay here again and recommend it to all of our friends.

AMAZING experience. We came over the weekend and were blown away from the second we got there…read more The property is STUNNING, the rooms are so clean, private, and modern. And the service was top notch. We also ate at the restaurant for dinner every night, but since we had our dog with us they sat us outside and made sure we felt comfortable. That's probably my only knock, is that if you're marketing it as dog friendly, there should be some better restaurant options for dogs. But honestly they were very accommodating. We thought we were going to be bummed to be so far out of the valley floor, but it turned out to be the perfect escape from the crowds. We will definitely be coming back.

We recently spent five days at Firefall Ranch and had mixed feelings about our experience…read more The property itself is beautiful. The location is fantastic, the accommodations are well designed, and the pools and amenities are excellent. The setting truly feels like a luxury retreat and has the potential to be an exceptional destination. Unfortunately, several service issues significantly impacted our stay. One of the biggest frustrations involved food service at the pool. On multiple occasions, we ordered food that took an extremely long time to arrive, and at times never arrived at all. This made it difficult to relax and enjoy the amenities we had specifically come to experience. We also experienced several billing issues during our stay. Jamie, the manager, was involved in handling some of the charges, and despite our efforts to resolve the discrepancies, the situation became unnecessarily frustrating and time-consuming. Another disappointing issue involved a bag that was left behind. What should have been a simple customer service matter turned into a stressful and difficult process. Communication was inconsistent, and we felt as though we had to repeatedly follow up to get information and assistance. To make matters worse, when we attempted to escalate our concerns, we spoke with a supervisor named Emily. During the conversation, she was dismissive, rude and hung up on us! Insane that this was the person we were trying to get help from. Despite the circumstances, we never received a follow-up call to address our concerns or continue the discussion. It's unfortunate because the property itself is truly beautiful, and we wanted to love our experience. However, luxury hospitality is about more than just the physical location, it is also about service, communication, and how guests are treated when problems arise. While Firefall Ranch has many wonderful qualities, the service issues we encountered left us disappointed. Based on our experience, we would never return or recommend this place to friends or family.

Tomorrow it will be two weeks since we left Shangri-La. That is what I call the Cottages at La…read moreHonda Park. We stayed at in the Welcome House South. A very comfortable and quiet little cottage. Although, the bathroom was huge with a walk-in shower. There are no tvs in the cottages and the WiFi is a little dodgy. Cell phone reception isn't the best either. I think what I am getting at is that you can really disconnect when you say at La Honda Park. You are forced to communicate with your loved ones. The cottages are only equipped with a microwave. If you want to cook something more robust, there is a communal kitchen in the pool house. Believe me, it has everything you need. Also, there are bbqs in just about every common area. Aside from the beautiful grounds and comfortable accommodations, there is the barn. The barn is probably the best part about this place. It has a foosball table, a pool table, poker table, dart board, and a tv. The back doors slide open to a small seating area overlooking Angel Creek. I can't describe it. You just need to experience. The owner are Jenn and Barr. They were so nice. Once we checked in, they left us alone. In fact, they left the property. Besides my family, there was another family staying in the Main House. They were very nice and welcoming. I can't wait to go back and sit next to the creek and drink my morning coffee.

At first, I didn't want to write a review, because this is the kind of place you want to keep…read moresecret. A gaggle of girlfriends rented three cottages here, as three of us were celebrating our 40th/41st birthdays. The perfect "home base" for staging an attack upon Murphys downtown shopping, dining and wine tasting establishments, or as a leap-off point for local hikes and the gorgeous Moaning and Mercer Caverns. Each cottage is appointed with a gas-fueled faux wood-stove fireplace (easy operation via thermostat), fridge, micro, coffee maker, basic silverware/plates/cups, wonderful showers (great for power-washing off the mud and sweat after a day of rappelling and spelunking!) and extremely comfortable queen beds. Each cottage has its own character, giving the feel of the kind of decor a favorite aunt might select for your family's personal mountain cabin. Extremely clean and comfortable! Hang out by the fire, or chill out on your own front porch overlooking the lawn and creek. Or... ...head over to The Barn, a communal recreation room appointed with an air-hockey table, pool table, kitchen area (including a wine fridge!) and big-screen satellite TV/sat radio. The Barn was recently remodeled, using reclaimed barnwood, corrugated metal (for the ceiling sub-roof) and a pretty brilliant wallcovering that looks like warm old plaster, but is actually recycled craft paper and some sort of natural varnish. Cool! Also, a few relics from the region's mining days. There are board games, darts, books and other stuff to keep the individual, family or small group entertained. There's a large swimming pool (unheated in winter) and a small wading pool adjacent to another community kitchen and outdoor picnic area, and the only thing this area lacks is a hot tub. (Hint, hint!) Finally, there's Cosmo, the biggest, sweetest cat you'll ever want to kidnap. He's not allowed in the cabins, but he'll happily keep you company as you read a book on the porch, or wander up to the beautiful waterfalls behind the barn. He'll also keep score if you want to use the bocce court or horseshoe pits! Parking is limited, so don't expect to haul in ATV trailers or your RVs, but that's about the only con to this wonderful little family-run resort!

We had a one night stay here. Overall its okay. Some things…read morecan improve. First, on the day of check in, I received an email that my credit card was not accepted and that I have to call the hotel to confirm my booking. I never had this exprience in any other hotel. I called and they asked for my card details and the booking is confirmed. Is this usual process? It caused anxiety, is this the way how the hotel comfirms the guest is coming? Hoping for a response on this. Second, security latch in our room is broken. This is a security issue, even though there is a digital lock. I had to place the chairs on our door for 'more' security. Third, soap and shampoo in the shower are almost empty. I tried to use it but nothing comes out in the push bottle. Didnt bother to ask, luckily I brought my own toiletries. Fourth, top of refrigerator is dusty. Front desk lady was accommodating. Beds and sheets are clean. We had a room on the second floor on building 3.

Last night someone tried to enter our room using a key, but the safety latch stopped them. We also…read moretried calling the front desk multiple times and got no answer. That's a serious safety concern Update to response: If you'd like I can send you the VIDEO of your staff informing me they do NOT have a key log or any way to track who could have made a key.Also that you do NOT have any on site camera, only in the main office. You also do NOT have a call log to show of me calling the office and emergency number for over half an hour. And telling me there is nothing they can do. Our door was 100% closed before another key was used to open it. I am very cautious of MY safety which is why I had the safety lock on and the roller chair in front of the door. Please do NOT accuse me of not caring about my safety while your hotel can't even answer a phone, keep a key log, or have cameras to protect their guests.

My elderly mother, aunt, and uncle stayed at the Cozy Bear in the last month, and we couldn't…read morebelieve how far out of their way Carol and Neil went to ensure we had a safe, comfortable, and well attended. Quite frankly, we were nightmare guests for this wonderful couple! First, we were all going to stay in one cottage, but upon arrival, Neil observed us trying to get my 88-year-old handicapped mother up the stairs inside. He consulted privately with Carol and very kindly offered us the unit below theirs that had the bathroom, bedroom, and living room on one floor. What a life saver! Mom and I stayed there--at no extra charge! I don't know what we would have done otherwise. Then when our car broke down in Yosemite Village, Neil drove us the almost 20 miles back to the village the next day, waited while we sorted out the car and a place to stay in the village, drove us to our next place, then helped us unload the bags into our lodging!! OMG. We were really astounded at Neil's graciousness, as well as Carol's. The rooms were clean, comfortable, and well appointed. We strongly recommend anyone who wants reasonable rates close to Yosemite Village check out Cozy Bear. You can save a lot of money by bringing your own food, packing lunches, and enjoying this lovely little find nestled in the woods of Wawona.

I stayed in Cozy Bear North with my husband and 3 young children in June. They have online…read morereservations, but I called to speak with Carol personally. She explained the fees and terms clearly and sent all the details by mail. She also very kindly allowed us to arrive before the 4pm check-in time when I explained we would be driving 4 hours from home with a cooler full of perishable groceries and wanted to drop them off in the refrigerator before proceeding on to the Valley for some site-seeing. Location was easy to find because I used Google maps prior to setting out. Good thing because our GPS got us to the road, but not to the specific address. Also helpful is that the entire Yosemite West neighborhood is on Google street view. Neal greeted us upon arrival and was very welcoming and friendly, but not intrusive. He and Carol live next door and invited us to call them if we needed anything and said they would come right over, but we never needed to call them. Location is the closest you can get without being in Yosemite Valley itself. It takes about 30 minutes to drive to the Valley Visitor Center, but is very near destinations such as Glacier Point, Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, and Wawona. The kitchen had cooking and baking implements, and a few ingredients, such as cooking oil, coffee, tea, sugar, and condiments, but these are apparently left from previous guests, but looked usable. We brought most of our groceries from home, and bought a few items each day at the Market in Yosemite Valley. There is no place to buy food or gas in Yosemite West. There is a gas fireplace and games and VCR/DVD in the living room, and an outdoor patio with a BBQ grill, but we didn't use any of these much because we were out all day enjoying nature. Beds were comfortable, there was ample storage, and the 3 kids fit perfectly in their own room with 1 double and 1 twin bed. Only slight inconveniences were having 1 bathroom, a dining table that only fits 4, and the many bear-themed decorations which crowded the space on bedroom dressers, counters, and beds. Also be aware that there are 4 separate levels to the house, so you will be going up and down stairs constantly. This is a Duplex, so occasionally we could hear the Cozy Bear South guests moving about or speaking, but it wasn't a problem because they were not overly loud. The neighborhood was quiet at night while we were there. We cleaned the kitchen and took out the garbage as instructed and Carol and Neal refunded our full cleaning deposit before we even got home from our trip. Overall, this is a very comfortable and conveniently located place to stay. It is very good for families with kids and if you like saving money by cooking your own food and don't mind washing dishes while on vacation.

Wow! exceptional vacation rental. This rental is far and above the best VRBO type vacation rental…read moreI have experienced. EVERYTHING in the house is first class. Kitchen is extremely well stocked for preparing meals, very comfortable beds (I have severe spine issues - 13 herniated discs and beds are super comfortable and supportive) and furniture, all wall switches are labeled, directions from the owners are extensive and thorough, terrific welcome notebook with lots of useful info and visitor usable hiking trail info (multiple copies so you can take one with you), snowshoes, excellent kitchen gear. The property is simply 'turn-key' if someone was wanting to rent it for several months - nothing is absent. Communication was ongoing for the duration of my stay, making sure that everything was what I needed. I am hoping to rent this home again next year, same time of year, and likely reason to visit Yosemite annually for years to come. Every word in owner's description is genuine. Awesome rental!

So so so wonderful!…read more Everything is super clean, everything is available and ready for you. Also this is the closest location to Yosemite Valley than anywhere else. They said wifi can be sporadic but we never had any issue during our 4 nights stay. And since other hotels and venues posted the same kind of warning it must be a location thing. The owners Holly and Jeff are the best. Any questions get answered immediately. This was the first time my family and I come to Yosemite and stay at a vacation rental, and I never felt any concerns because they were so good. Thank you Holly and Jeff for making our trip very special!