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Aside from the large chain hotels and motels in Redding and Chico, most accommodations in the Far North blend rustic appeal, simplicity, and coziness. Rooms in Redding, Chico, and Red Bluff are usually booked solid only during popular local events. Wilderness resorts close in fall and reopen after the snow season ends in May. For summer holiday weekends in towns such as Mt. Shasta, Dunsmuir, and Chester, and at camping sites within state or national parks, make lodging reservations well in advance.
The resort's Craftsman-style private chalets, all with gas-log fireplaces, are nestled among tall pine trees along the shore of Lake Siskiyou. The Highland House Restaurant, above the clubhouse of a spectacular 18-hole golf course, has uninterrupted views of Mt. Shasta. Take the Central Mt. Shasta exit west from I–5, then go south on Old Stage Road.
In a gorgeous, 175-acre alpine meadow 10 miles from Lassen's southwest entrance, this resort's smartly designed bungalows are splurge-worthy if you want stay near the national park but don't want to rough it. Units are outfitted with gas fireplaces, high-end bath amenities, fine linens, plush beds, and high-definition flat-screen TVs. Some have two-person outdoor whirlpool tubs, and all enjoy sweeping pastoral views. Rates include a full breakfast in the restaurant, which also serves terrific regional American fare for lunch and dinner.
Bordering Churn Creek on a bend in a residential street secluding the property from its neighbors, this two-turreted Tudor-style inn occupies 3½ woodsy acres several miles north of downtown and Sundial Bridge. The individually decorated contemporary-style guest rooms, some with furnishings from the aim-to-please owners two-plus decades in Africa, have hardwood floors, king beds, coffeemakers, refrigerators, sitting areas, and slate-tiled bathrooms. A nickel-plated double-slipper tub is the centerpiece of the grand, split-level bathroom in the splurge accommodation, the Royal Shasta, whose two bay windows have creek and mountain views. The owners invite guests to make use of the well-equipped communal kitchen and outdoor barbecue, the latter on a deck overlooking the creek.
Patrons of this urbane, two-story boutique hotel bask in au courant comfort in guest rooms with kitchenettes and either queen or California king beds. The pastel palette varies by room, but all the accommodations—six on the upper floor, plus a ground-floor ADA suite with a patio—have luxurious linens, hardwood floors, retro bathroom fixtures, and contemporary wall art. Anglers appreciate the storefront Ted Fay Fly Shop.
Stylish and modern, this hotel at the entrance to Sundial Bridge and Turtle Bay Exploration Park makes a great, family-friendly base for visiting Lassen, Whiskeytown, and other area attractions. Mosaic Restaurant serves California-inspired cuisine and has seating on a spacious patio. The large outdoor pool is an inviting place to cool off on a hot summer day.
A spotlessly clean downtown option, this homey, two-story motel is a handy base for exploring Warner Valley and the southern end of Lassen Park Highway. The guest rooms have functional furnishings, country-quilt-style bedspreads, satellite-TV access, and electric fireplaces.
Some guest rooms at this 1901 ranch house near Lake Almanor have wood-burning stoves, claw-foot or Jacuzzi tubs, and antique furnishings; a separate cottage with a kitchen sleeps six. Porch swings invite you to linger, as do the puzzles and games in the sunroom. The blueberry-walnut pancakes are the stars of the inn's gourmet three-course breakfast. Two economical rooms, which tend to book up fast, share a bath.
Crystal chandeliers and gleaming century-old wooden floors and banisters welcome you into the foyer of this restored 1904 boutique property two blocks from Chico State University. The hotel, Chico's finest, added 16 rooms in 2021 following an expansion into the Morehead building, erected in 1900, next door. A second-floor hallway connects the two structures. Guest rooms range from ones in the affordable and aptly named "Petite" category to spacious suites with full kitchens. All rooms and suites, some furnished with antiques, others with well-crafted reproductions, come with a refrigerator, a coffeemaker, an HDTV, and a safe, and free Wi-Fi is available throughout. The rate includes guest passes to a nearby fitness center.
Set amid towering evergreens in a tranquil patch of Lassen National Forest, this delightfully unfussy 1930s cabin and camping resort feels as though it could be inside the national park, although it's actually about 10 miles south on a scenic country road. Nine dark-wood cabins with bright-green roofs accommodate four guests (six in some cases), and all have handcrafted beds, simple but fully equipped kitchens, and barbecue grills and fire pits. You can pick up basic groceries in the old-fashioned general store, and a casual restaurant and bar serves burgers and other hearty fare, plus craft beers and milk shakes. There are several RV sites, as well as camping cabins, primitive tent sites, and glamping options.
The antique cabooses here were collected over several decades and converted into 23 cozy motel rooms in honor of Dunsmuir's railroad legacy; there are also four cabins. Fashioned from vintage railcars, a vaguely Orient Express–style dining room and lounge are open some days for breakfast and dinner. A creek runs next to the landscaped grounds, where you'll find a huge steam engine, a restored water tower, and a spectacular view of Castle Crags. Most of a campground and RV park are open seasonally from late April through October, with some sites available year-round.
Originally built during the gold rush, this restored hotel is filled with antiques and period furniture. Each of the seven rooms is named after a Trinity County gold mine; all have luxurious linens and towels, and most have claw-footed tubs and fireplaces. Only one room has a television, but guests usually prefer to spend their time exploring the area's mountains, lakes, and hiking trails. Breakfast isn't served, but for each day of their stay guests receive vouchers worth $10 at nearby restaurants.
Near shops and restaurants in Weaverville's historic district and shaded by black locust trees, this Victorian inn has five rooms, two with a shared bathroom. In keeping with the home's period, some have four-poster beds, claw-foot tubs, pedestal sinks, and fabric wall coverings but woo contemporary travelers with comfortable mattresses, free Wi-Fi, and central heating and air-conditioning. The two most popular rooms are the Garden Room—the inn's largest, it has a view of the landscaped courtyard—and the Rose Room, whose furnishings include pieces owned by the grandmother of innkeeper Noelle Roget.
