Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Doug's Whitney Portal Hostel

Since this site is supposed to be informational......I need to tell people who are going to Whitney to do some research on Motels. The Dow Villa just didn't pass the test in my book. I have been there a few times and it just seems to be getting worse. Maybe just my experiences, but there are several motels in Lone Pine.

IF you are doing the Whitney hike, it's just much better to get to the Backpackers Campground early, pay your $10.00, get acclimated and go to bed early the night before your hike. As a note, if you get to the campground late....practice hiker's etiquette and keep your noise level down and point your headlamps towards the ground. And oh, don't pet the bears.


Edit: Thread split from Creepy Crawlies

Also you might consider Doug Sr.'s Whitney Portal Hostel in
downtown Lone Pine

Hey, quillansculpture!

I will throw my dollar's worth here (a 1957 silver certificate is worth $3-$4)

I have never had a problem with the Dow Villa. I make reservations for the MOTEL and not the HOTEL. Been there and done that and once before and never again.

In August 2004, my first night in the HOTEL, the swamp cooler went down for the count and it was hotter than _____. Had to go to Gardner's the next day to get an oscillating fan and that provided little relief.

My room was upstairs in the corner. There was a breeze at night but it didn't get cool until the morning.

Then a couple of years ago, my reservation mysteriously disappeared when I called to confirm my arrival. Upon check-in, the only room they had available was the MEETING ROOM. Now, that room was AWESOME and __________ HUGE!!! And they charged us the 1 KING rate!

Yes, there are other motels in town. I stayed at the Mt. Whitney Hotel. It was nice, but I had a room that was next to the 395 and you could hear and feel every semi-trailer that passed by.

If I had my choice if the Dow wasn't available would be to head south of Lone Pine or to head north to Independence or Big Pine. Heck, I would even try to reserve a room at the Creekside Inn in Bishop just to stagger over to Whiskey Creek!

Have fun.

Re: lodging in Lone Pine - Since I was a kid, and even to the current day, we have always stayed at the Best Western Frontier on the south side of Lone Pine and have always enjoyed it.

Re: who's online - Now there is a CaT, a Moose and a spider online! What a menagerie!

Add a bulldog - we're zoo-bound.

And on the lodging piece, I can't avoid weighing in since I've been a General Manager with Marriott for almost 25 years. For $66, the Dow Hotel wasn't bad - for just me, who was gone 12 hours a day and used it just to sleep and re-supply my pack each day. That was sorta the idea. It would never have worked for my family in a vacation environment. Even though it's the Dow Hotel, it's a motel, and my expectations were not high.

The one thing that bugged me, though, was the nonchalant service. Other than one clerk (Justin), I was all but invisible to the staff. No "Good morning", or "Hello", or any other greeting at any point during the day or night. I was there a week, and was dumbfounded at the staff's approach to the guests. Being somewhat of an expert in these matters, it frankly pissed me off. If I saw one of my staff members ignore a guest once, I'd snatch 'em baldheaded, as me dear mum used to say. An entire property's culture of seeing the guest as a necessary evil - well, let's just say I'll be staying at the Hostel with Doug the next time I'm doing Whitney solo.

And speaking of service and Lone Pine, what is up with the chick at the Mobil mart?! The one with the Bon Jovi do, granite face and foul mouth. I went in there every morning for coffee and ice, and all but one she was letting the f-bombs fly at full-volume, promising to kick somebody's ass. At first I was taken aback, but after a few days I considered it free entertainment.

> At first I was taken aback, but after a few days I considered it free entertainment.

When I was there the group hike weekend, I got the distinct feeling that Lone Pine has a definite small town culture.

Partly due to the inability to expand, and partly due to the remoteness. But then where else can you walk down the sidewalk to the grocery store and the hardware store?

And I really enjoyed Doug's Whitney Portal Hostel.

Staying at the Dow, I spent a lot of time looking across the street at the Hostel. More often than not there seemed to be a lot of people having a good time. I'd look back the other way at my fine lodging establishment and consider the difference in demeanor and atmosphere. By the third day I knew I was in the wrong place.

How was the group hike, by the way? I've not checked it out on WPS yet.

The Hostel is the only place that we stay when we're in town... heck... where else can you get the staff to hackey sack with you and your kids in the lobby until 9 or 10 at night??? AFTER sharing dinner with you???

I'm sold. I'll have the family with me in July, and that's gonna be our place - after a few nights camping.

I use the hotels in Lone Pine simply as a place to sleep, before and/or after a hike.

Last year, I stayed at the Comfort Inn (used to be the Alabama Hills Inn) and the Best Western, both on the south side of town. Clean, simple, and the free continental breakfast was nice the morning after our day hikes, before driving to work.

This summer, I've been staying at the Whitney Portal Hostel and just love it! You can't beat the price ($60 for a room, as opposed to the $110-$130 at the Best Western and Comfort Inn) and the friendliness of the staff,