By Maria Gaura
This story originally appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle
Mariposa, CA (July 2007) -- Yosemite National Park draws a bazillion tourists every year, and during the summer you would swear they're all there at the same time. But if you
head to the River Rock Inn in Mariposa, you can enjoy the Sierra for a
fraction of Yosemite's cost (and crowds).
Close enough to the park for day
trips, this quirky inn offers seven charming rooms and cheerful, attentive
service. Did we mention that it's affordable? You can stay here five days
for less than the cost of one night at the Ahwahnee Hotel.
COMFORT ZONE
River Rock's five standard rooms are small, clean and attractively
decorated, while the two roomy suites are a great bargain at less than
$100 per night (they book up quickly). Each room has a unique decor, but
all offer queen-size beds piled with pillows and comforters (plus a single
bed in the suites). The interior is spare and clutter-free, and the paint,
carpets and linens are tastefully coordinated. The inn is a block away
from Highway 140, but Mariposa nights are quiet enough to allow you to
sleep with your windows open. All we heard were mellow chimes from the Old Courthouse clock.
BATH AND BEYOND
The bathrooms in the standard rooms are tiny but newly tiled and very
clean, with updated fixtures. Ours had a tiled shower and no counter
space, so cosmetics had to be lined up on the windowsill. A pretty
wrought-iron towel rack was just outside the bathroom door, within arm's
reach. Bathrooms in the suites are larger, with bathtubs and ample counter
space.
GEARED UP
Rooms have television with basic cable, a clock radio, an unstocked mini
fridge and no telephone. Every room has a ceiling-mounted palmetto-style
fan, as well as a window-mounted air conditioner. Our room had three good reading lights, an overstuffed chair and a coffeemaker -- but free java is
also just steps away at the inn's Deli Garden Cafe. Continental breakfast
of coffee, tea, home-baked muffins and fresh fruit salad is included in
the room price.
GROUNDS FOR APPROVAL
Two 15-foot-long split-log picnic tables sit in the shade of massive cedar
trees outside the cafe. Another patio area offers deck chairs and
umbrellas as refuge from the roasting summer sun. A huge Viking grill
facilitates summer barbecues, and local bands occasionally jam on the
not-quite-completed deck. If it's quiet, take some crumbs and try coaxing
Henry, the inn's pet pigeon, off the roof.
IN THE VICINITY
Antiques shops, art galleries and a one-screen cinema are within a short
stroll of the inn. Close by, a city pool offers recreation and lap
swimming for a $1 entry fee. Kids can visit the free city skate park. Take
a tour at the Mariposa County Courthouse, built in 1854, swim in the
Merced River or go river rafting. Or dine on the back deck of Savoury's
Restaurant, and, at dusk, watch scores of bats flutter away for a night's
feeding. (For more on Mariposa, see this Sunday's Travel section.)
GOOD TO KNOW
River Rock owner Vickie Lorenzi is usually on site, and staff members
hustle to fulfill customer requests. A second bed can be shoehorned into a
standard room at no additional charge. The cafe is officially open from 8
a.m. to 9 p.m., but we stopped by at 7:30 a.m. and found it open and the
coffee ready. The landscaping is a work in progress, so watch your step
while wandering around. If you've been pining for a Brazilian wax, you're
in luck: One of the inn's rooms has been converted into a salon, where
aesthetician Brieann Powell offers massage, facials and other services.
HIGHS AND LOWS
Some of the bathrooms are small, and the landscaping is rough around the edges. But the River Rock Inn is excellent where it counts: in comfort,
cleanliness and customer service. The central location lets you walk to
most of the town's attractions.
Vitals: 4993 Seventh St., Mariposa. (209) 966-5793, (800) 627-8439,
www.riverrockncafe.com. Seven rooms, including two suites, $50-$72, winter
rates, $75-$92 summer rates, including continental breakfast. No
minimum-stay requirement. Book spa treatments at (760) 914-2964.
This review originally appeared July 28, 2007 in the San Francisco Chronicle.
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