Desolation Hotel Hope Valley

Feb 2026
This should have been a 5 star.
The location is awesome. The room, Doug fir, was very nice. Cute and cozy. The bed was comfortable. The kitchen-dining area is well equipped.
The staff was friendly.
We dined at the restaurant one night and it was great.
We also tried the wood fired sauna.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

Here is why it was not a 5 star review. The hotel is listed as a place you can purchase Sno-Park passes.
To make sure they actually had passes I emailed the hotel a few weeks before our arrival date. I got no response.
Two weeks before arriving I called during business hours, had to leave a message. I got no response.
To be on the safe side I ordered the pass from the state. It is a good thing I did. As it turns out they were out.
The lack of communication could have been a real problem.

That said we are looking forward to returning.

Driving back to the Bay Area, the snow storm got worse and an avalanche caused a road closure. I turned into the first hotel that I saw and the Desolation Hotel did not disappoint. They had a single room left and so I took it to wait out the storm. The room/cabin was super cute and already warmed by the heat of a gas fire place (looks like an old wood burning stove which was wonderful). The restaurant has indoor and patio dining and the outdoor patio is covered and heated for winter months. We dined in the enclosed patio space and were super happy with the quality of food and kindness of the staff. They have a sauna available to guests with a reservation and while they said that normally, same day reservations were easy to do, in our situation, they had no availability until the next day at 11am (which was our checkout time). They let us take that time slot anyway! How nice of them to allow us to checkout and then use the facility. I could not be more thankful for the wonderful accommodations and the amazing staff. The entire property is just gorgeous and everyone was super helpful and accommodating. I took only a few photos because of the short duration of our stay, but honestly, I will be back!!! I absolutely love this place!

How does it get better than this? I want to know. I was traveling solo and my little cabin was so cool it felt like I was in a magazine. Constructed with all natural materials including a stone floor in the bathroom. The bed was so comfy, with a fireplace at its foot! There was white and red wine, water bottles, and coffee (which was world-class). The restaurant was nearly as good. Get the veggie pot pie. I can't overstate how great this place is. Now I want to try the one in South Lake Tahoe. Major kudos to whoever is behind this business.

This place was great we had a wonderful time. we got a yurt it was awesome It was nice and warm the windows supplied spectacular views and our skylight was the perfect touch. They even put logs right there next to your fire pit . There's a bridge at the end of the road . Walk over that and they have games for you there . We played this game where you toss bean bags into hole. Take turns go back and forth. It was fun . She won every single game we played . I wanna Rematch . Before checking in we went to Sorensen's Cafe for lunch. The food is great The staff is even better, the place is just a lot of positive vibes and good food. We made our way back to the yurt . The bathtub in there was big enough for two ,after hiking around We soaked in that tub so relaxing .We got out dried off and went straight to bed . The bed was comfy it was warm it was clean and cozy, just a perfect 10 right there. We woke up the next morning took a walk. There's a river that runs the entire length of the camp . we rolled our pants up ,took off our shoes and explored the river for buried treasure. The sun was shining through the trees we were in the river was so beautiful that day. We found this big triangular hammock of sorts You can get on it and lay on your back looking up at the trees and the sky , there's a gentle breeze. The only difficult thing about that weekend was leaving. I wish we could have stayed longer. We really didn't want to leave. I sitting outside in the forest taking in nature the river The trees for the last time she was glowing . When I reminisce or drive by that hotel. I think about her and our yurt, us playing in the river I remember how she looked at me, how can i make this feeling last . We didn't want to leave. Didn't want to go back to the grind of our regular lives. That's how successful this weekend was to me.
Thank you desolation hotel for making this whole weekend possible. Thank you for protecting The wildlife the river and the natural landscape there. Thank you for the Yurt the bed we slept in and the wine we shared. The memories of that weekend I'll never forget for as long as I live. Thank you.

My husband and I enjoy visiting at least once per year, during any season! We particularly love fall; the leaves are changing, the air is crisp, and the sky is clear. DHHV is the complete package with excellent and warm service, delicious and nourishing meals at Sorenson’s cafe, thoughtful and romantic amenities, and the scenery on and around the property really cannot be beat. We love staying in one of their cozy cabins or inviting yurts. Our pup loves the hiking trails and she can be included everywhere we go, as the property is dog friendly. Bring your loved ones, family, and friends. You have memories to make at DHHV!