Shep's Miners Inn — Hotel in Golden Valley

This is probably the longest review I've ever wanted to take the time to write, but In all of the hotel's we stayed in over our 2 week trip to the USA, I have never stayed in a place quite like Shep's Miners Inn. Let me explain...

When we first arrived we were instantly welcomed by the owner and some of the locals who were sat on a bench outside the hotel. The welcome was as warm as the Chloride heat and it never wavered. We were then invited to join everyone and we chatted for hours as if we'd known eachother for years. There was no hidden agenda. Just a good honest friendly people, the way a community is meant to be. We felt like we were part of it and I can honestly say, for the first time ever, I was quite emotional when it came to the time we had to leave.

Then, after we left, we headed back off to Las Vegas for the final leg of our mammoth adventure, but... To cut a long story short... on the way (on the Freeway, on the back of a Harley) we hit the full wrath of a monsoon. We couldn't go any further as it would have been far too dangerous. Vegas was too far away to tackle through the storm so we limped back, wet, cold and desperate to Shep's in the hope they still had a room. On arrival we rang out our gloves, emptied our boots and stood there looking bedraggled and pathetic. There were no rooms in the hotel, but we were found somewhere warm and safe to stay... There was an RV which wasn't usually rented out, but they went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care of.

We will never forget our time in Chloride. The locals will be etched forever in our hearts. The atmosphere was incredible. The food and hospitality 2nd to none. Oh, and not forgetting, there was also the added bonus of the murals close by (don't take a bike up to see them (especially a big lug of a bike like a Harley...) Way too gravelly!!

Needless to say, we could not recommended Shep's highly enough. If you go to Chloride please, please pay them a visit. You will not be disappointed. And you can thank...

Pros: For the price, we would have paid triple for a traditional hotel room with the same space. We got two queens and 2 twins across 3 bedrooms and private bath for less than a 2 queen traditional room. Cool area off the beaten path in a town of population ~300. Free parks and attractions around the motel. Staff provided that country hospitality that I’m used to feeling when I lived in a small town. Super friendly! Amazing views if you aren’t used to the mountains. Very Clean! Amazingly comfortable beds, slept like a baby.

Cons: Motel. It’s very clearly a motel. Hotel being posted everywhere doesn’t change what it is. The structure/doors/room itself may have last been repaired and/or renovated in the 1800s the town is themed for. The barn door style doors to our bathroom were damaged on arrival and barely worked, and did not latch/lock. Was easy to work around, but still… A regular “all these ingredients are from Walmart” sandwich and a small bag of chips out of a variety pack isn’t $12 y’all… Biscuits and gravy aren’t $12+ y’all… Drinks weren’t even included… We would have eaten breakfast if it wouldn’t have been so much for regular stuff. In a world of AirBnB and being able to choose cooking my own breakfast at my own pace, $12-$15 for a standard breakfast with no drink is a little nuts. Owner gave my mother-in-law a beer very clearly saying it was “on the house” with her $12 cold cut, then had his employee charge us for it in the morning. No big deal, but really? Floor unit ACs weren’t turned on until we got there or just before, but the mini fridge was left running before us and heated the rooms. Took about 2 hours to get to a comfortable temp. Our shower head was about 10% functional, but did inevitably “work” for our showers.

In summary: Just going to sleep there and leave? Easy, do it, it’s great. Staying a while and depending on the facility for food and such? Just expect the room’s cost to be offset because you cannot cook for yourself like...

My partner and I were looking for a little slice of local color away from Vegas after a conference we attended, and we couldn't be happier with our decision to spend a night here!!

The rooms are small but super comfortable, and since they've added the AC recently, super cool without added hassle. Showers only, but they all have dispensers with soap, shampoo and conditioner if required. No fridge, but barebones coffee.

There are also big screen TVs in each room with built in DVD players. there were DVDs in the room but all but one were unplayable, so bring a laptop or hard drive with movies!

We took a wander around town, we JUST missed the local watering hole by 10 minutes, about 4 pm. Poked our head into the general store/ visitors center, was pretty cool. We didn't eat at Yesterday's, the attached kitchen as it closed at 5 but there's a decent sized town about 25 miles away.

Local artist/crazy adorable lady (partial owner?) took us through her eclectic studio, don't miss that!

Take the trail, if your car can handle it, and check out...