11 Best Hotels in The Sierra Nevada, California

Every room here is impeccably styled with European antiques, sumptuous fabrics, fresh-cut flowers, and oversize soaking tubs. You'll feel pampered from the moment you drive through the wrought-iron gates. Fall asleep by the glow of a crackling fire amid goose-down pillows and Italian linens, then awaken to a hearty European breakfast in the dining room. Afterward, relax with a game of chess in the piano room beneath an exquisite ceiling mural, or indulge in a treatment at the on-site day spa.

The cabins at this resort a 10-minute drive south from Mammoth Lakes range from rustic to modern and come with fully equipped kitchens, including coffeemakers and premium coffee. The least-fancy feel like upgraded fishing cabins, and the nicest have whirlpool tubs and other creature comforts. In addition to the 28 cabins, three houses are available for groups of 12–32 people. Whichever room you book, the valley here is so gorgeous that you may want to spend all your time outdoors. Winters are especially pretty.

Lofty pines tower over this June Lake Loop spa retreat with rooms in four buildings overlooking a pond, as well as a three-bedroom house and knotty-pine two-bedroom cabins—all with fully equipped kitchens. The on-site Eagles Landing Restaurant serves three meals a day, and spa services and treatments, plus access to the indoor pool, are available for guests and nonguests. In 2023, the spa added soaking tubs and new treatments including acupressure, neuromuscular release, Thai massage, and lymphatic drainage massage.

On the edge of the John Muir Wilderness Area, where cross-country ski trails lace the woods, this 1924 lodge looks like something out of a snow globe. The lake it borders is serenely beautiful, and during warm months fishing, canoeing, hiking, and mountain biking can be had right outside. For more privacy, opt for one of the cabins, which range from rustic to downright cushy—many have kitchens and fireplaces or wood-burning stoves. The softly lit Lakefront Restaurant (reservations encouraged) serves outstanding seasonal cuisine.

A stay at one of the region's largest hotels puts you amid the wilderness with all the creature comforts—from the striking lobby lounge, with its high windows and sturdy beams, to the ample lodge rooms where baths have granite countertops and brushed-bronze fixtures. An additional 19 buildings hold 53 cottage rooms with outdoor seating areas and gas fireplaces, and there are 50 deluxe, custom-built, creekside cabins as well. The resort restaurants offer everything from continental cuisine to burgers, pizzas, and pastas.

On a hill just steps from the Village at Mammoth, the Westin provides full-service comfort and amenities close to restaurants, entertainment, and free public transportation. Artwork and other details reflect local character, from a Devils Postpile sculpture at reception and the lobby's slate floors to the reclaimed boulders in the Whitebark restaurant. Choose from studio or one- and two-bedroom units—most are pet-friendly and have fireplaces and either kitchenettes or full kitchens; some units have balconies. Additional perks include a heated pool, underground parking, fitness center, two whirlpools, a ski valet, a free shuttle, and charging stations for electric cars.

Amid the trees near Yosemite National Park's Hetch Hetchy entrance, this sprawling property is perfect for families. The cabin complex includes a recreation center, playground, amphitheater, large room with games for all ages, restaurant, gift shop, pool, and activities desk where you can sign up for more than 30 guided tours. The cabins are wood-paneled and cozy. The roadhouse-style restaurant serves everything from bean burgers to barbecued game and lobster risotto. The historic bar has a friendly feel, perhaps owing to the frequent live music. Multinight stays are required from April through October, as well as on holidays. You can also stay in two- to four-person tents in summer.

Tops for slope-side comfort, these condominium-style units have full kitchens and ski-in, ski-out access to the mountain at Eagle Lodge. Extras include gas fireplaces and balconies; the heated outdoor pool—surrounded by a heated deck—is open year-round. If you like to be near nightlife, you'll do better at the Village, but if you don't mind having to drive to go out for the evening, this is a great spot. For the best rates, book ski-and-stay packages through 1800–Mammoth. 

If you want to be within walking distance of the Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge, this is the place, and, in summer, the proximity to the gondola means you can hike and mountain bike to your heart's delight. Accommodations, which vary in size, include more than 14 room types, from standard hotel rooms to condo units. The inn, ski lodge, and other summit facilities are likely to be razed and rebuilt within five years, bringing more of a 21st-century ski resort feel to what's been a quaint 1950s-born resort. Meanwhile, the inn has done a respectable job with continual refurbishing.

This full-service resort has it all—Old Mammoth rustic elegance, a restaurant, bar, seasonal pool and whirlpool, and room and suite options in three buildings. All accommodations have flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, mini-refrigerators, and microwaves; some also have gas fireplaces, leather lounge chairs, soaking tubs, waterfall showers, and kitchenettes. The 10 cabins sleep anywhere between two and six people In late 2022, new owners remodeled extensively, adding a rustic-modern flare to the rooms.

With their exposed timbers and peaked roofs, these four-story condo buildings at the epicenter of Mammoth's dining and nightlife scene pay homage to Alpine style. Units have gas fireplaces, kitchens or kitchenettes, high-speed Wi-Fi, DVD players, slate-tile bathroom floors, and comfortable furnishings. You won't have to drive anywhere: the buildings are connected by a ground-floor pedestrian mall to shops, restaurants, bars, and—best of all—a gondola (from November through mid-April) that whisks you right from the Village to the mountain.