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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
