Lee Vining Motel

We picked this motel for a few nights while hiking in Yosemite and seeing local sights for our 30th anniversary. Check-in was easy, the staff were polite, and restaurants we liked were less than a minute's walk away. It's also very close to a main Yosemite entrance and a cool ghost town. Our room seemed recently remodeled and was very clean. The bed was comfy, the towels were clean, and the shower was warm and roomy. There were plenty of outlets for phones and laptops, plus a microwave for snacks, and a large fridge with enough space for a few days' worth of food and drinks. The ice machine was big, too.

We've stayed here on both of our recent Yosemite trips. The owners are very friendly and accommodating, and the location is great, about half an hour from Mammoth Lake, Convict Lake, and Yosemite. If you're traveling in early October, you may still be able to use Tioga Pass. We were lucky that it was closed for just one day of our stay. Otherwise, going around to the other Yosemite entrance takes a six-hour drive.

The only snag was that we couldn't get the door to latch, no matter how hard we tried. Otherwise, check-in was easy even late at night, and check-out was just as simple. For the price, we had a great one-night stay before heading into Yosemite. The room was clean, the bathroom nicely renovated with a spacious shower, and there was even a window A/C unit. I'd recommend it.

The kitchen had all the basic equipment, and we found the rooms very clean. The beds were comfortable and the shower was great. But the bedrooms got really warm, even overnight, because there was no air conditioner or even a fan. Highway noise was a big problem.