National Exchange Hotel

Dinner at Lola, just downstairs, was so good I returned two nights in a row for the exact same meal. A jazz pianist played softly, giving the room a warm, golden feel. The roasted chicken was the best I’ve had along Highway 49, a half chicken with crisp skin, tender meat, and seasoning that tasted carefully done. The greens were fresh, the house-made pickles tangy, the potatoes perfectly crisp, and the olive oil cake moist, fragrant, and delicately sweet. I’d drive 300 miles to eat it again. My Highway 49 journey ended in Nevada City, where I checked into the National Exchange Hotel just before starting a new house sit. It felt like stepping into another world, in the best way. I’ve stayed in almost every kind of Gold Rush-era hotel along the Mother Lode, and many put charm ahead of comfort. This one is beautifully restored, luxurious without trying too hard, and impeccably run. The staff were warm and professional, with the kind of attentive service you barely notice. They could rival The Ritz in Paris. The room was gorgeous, the bed the coziest I’d slept in for weeks, and the water pressure incredible. After long days on the road, that shower felt like heaven. The morning coffee was delicious, the gourmet teas thoughtfully chosen, and the streusel muffins moist and perfect. The hotel is right on Main Street, close to everything in Nevada City. People say the place is haunted. Maybe it is. Either way, the comfort, food, atmosphere, and staff left me with a feeling that the spirit of the place was calling me back before I’d even checked out. Ten stars if I could.

The hotel is beautifully restored, but noise was a real problem. I could hear people in the neighboring rooms through the walls and in the hallways, and the old windows let highway noise in too. Some loud pump, or maybe the main heating system, kept switching on and off through the night. If you need quiet, I’d skip this hotel. I’ve stayed twice over the last few years, but after this visit I probably won’t return.

We used to love The National for date nights and family outings, which makes this hard to write. We sat in the bar area for more than 20 minutes and felt completely ignored. Our server, Lindsay, kept moving around the other tables and seemed to avoid us. We tried smiling and nodding politely, but got no greeting or apology, just rudeness. A busy night is understandable, but making guests feel humiliated isn’t. I followed up with a polite email and a note through their website, and heard nothing back. The management’s silence says a lot. Spend your money somewhere that wants you there.

Alexi made me feel good about the hotel before we even arrived. They took time to explain the rooms, suggested two optional driving routes for the time of year we were visiting, and checked that my booking had gone through. I’ve found that good service often reflects a strong management team, and Alexi represents The National Exchange Hotel like a 5 Star Resort. My wife and I have stayed all over the United States, and guest service is often overlooked. There’s okay service, good service, and then Alexi service, which you get maybe 5 % of the time. If the hotel matches that level, it’ll make our top 5 list of places to stay in the United States. I’ll leave another review after we stay. Thank you for all your help, Alexi.