The Mammoth Inn

We had a close parking spot behind the room, and check-in was easy. The room was clean, and housekeeping came by daily while we were out on the mountain. I liked the simple breakfast and coffee included with the room, easy to grab and go. I'll book again.

Check-in was easy, the room was clean and matched the pictures, and the bathtub was large with unlimited hot water. That's the good part. We paid $600 a night because “bed and breakfast” sounded quaint and charming. We usually stay at Mammoth Mountain Inn or Empeiria High Sierra, and expected at least a moderately pleasant start before skiing. Instead, breakfast was shelf-stable vanilla-flavored milk, Frosted Flakes, and a greasy convenience-store Danish of unknown age. It felt like a 7-Eleven survival kit, or food left behind in an abandoned building after the apocalypse. The rooms are so noisy that you hear nearly everything: conversations, footsteps, door slams, hallway whispers, loud shoes, and people coming and going. Thin walls, hardwood floors, hollow-core doors, and big gaps under the doors make it feel like sleeping in a cardboard box with a dozen adults, kids, and yippy dogs. Even with earplugs, a door slamming can jolt you awake. If all the other guests happen to be considerate, maybe you only hear ordinary chatter and loud flatulence. We got unlucky, and were woken at 2 a.m. both nights. The first night brought slamming doors, stomping, someone blasting “how to make a million” on TicTok, and smoking outside our open window. The next day after skiing, the same guests yelled “Help, Help”. We rushed over, but the apparent panic passed when he got his joint lit. We reported the problems. Management checked the cameras, gave the other guests “a firm talking to”, and said they were reachable by phone until 1 a.m. After that, we were told to call the police ourselves. Being made the overnight security team doesn't make for a relaxing getaway. On the second night, another 2 a.m. wake-up came with lots of barfing and drunken efforts to persuade women to come inside. To their credit, once no one agreed to join them, the guests went in quietly. We still heard everything. With one exception, the other guests were perfectly polite. One yippy dog made itself heard throughout the stay but respected quiet hours. Management did what they could from a distance to rein in the obnoxious guests. Still, without 24-hour guest support, you're at the mercy of whoever else is staying there. It's an elevated hostel experience if you're used to being homeless and don't mind acting as your own hotel security.

We didn't spend much time in the room since we were out and about, but it was very clean and had all we needed. The location was convenient for walking to the village gondola. The simple accommodations suited us, and I had no real complaints. The “continental breakfast” was a little misleading, so I wouldn't count on eating the provided food.

After a long day snowboarding, this place had what we needed for a comfortable stay, though it isn't a luxury experience. The room was spacious and felt clean, and the building was quiet. Check-in was hassle-free. Breakfast items were included in the room, just cereal, milk, and bread. The bathroom faucet and shower are older, but work fine. We stayed here last week for a snowboarding trip.