Yosemite Blue Butterfly Inn — Hotel in Oakhurst

First, the good: This B&B is in a fantastic location. It is probably the best/closest option to the Yosemite valley if you want to visit the most popular park areas, stay outside the park, AND have a B&B experience. It is situated on the bank of the Merced river. So, there is a spectacular view from the back of the home overlooking the beautiful river. The home itself is very nice. The guest rooms are nicely-furnished and have their own balcony-style decks. We stayed in their top-floor room, which was huge. It was wonderful to leave the windows open and listen to the Merced flowing all night. The hosts, Ron & Liz, are very friendly and also very knowledgeable about the park, as they have lived in the area for many years. The breakfasts were standard B&B fare (quiches, etc.) - all fine and tasty.

Next, the not-so-good: 1) Cats - the hosts keep an indoor cat (or cats). I was not aware of this before I arrived, and I am allergic to cats. They do try to keep the cat confined to their own private living spaces. But the cat escaped and was in the guest areas several times (brushing against my leg at breakfast, leaving "presents" on the stairs, etc.). The hosts apologized for this, and took care of the issues. But I have never stayed at a B&B with indoor cats before. 2) Parking - the B&B is located on a lot surrounded by a hotel and a restaurant. I'm amazed they were able to fit the home in this location, and parking for the B&B is tight. They can fit 6 standard-size (or smaller) vehicles. But it is difficult to maneuver into the parking spots. I would not recommend driving a large Pickup truck or large SUV. Possibly you can park larger vehicles at the hotel next door? 3) 9pm curfew - the hosts live on-site and want to lock the B&B doors around 9pm each night. If you want to stay out later, you can, but you need to arrange this in advance and get a special key. This limited our freedom to be spontaneous and make the most of our time in Yosemite - always worrying about being back by 9pm. I've never stayed in a B&B that had a curfew before. 4) Dining options are limited. This is not really a problem with the B&B - just a tip to let you know that there are very few options for dining in the area. There are a couple restaurants in the same parking lot as the B&B. But, with so few options, they were very busy and the wait times to get seated were extremely long during dinner times (60 minutes or more)

Overall, this B&B is a nice establishment and we enjoyed our stay. Just be aware of the items mentioned above, and...

This is a B&B hosted by a lovely couple in a spacious house, fronting the Merced River. It is unique, because it is the only family owned B&B, surrounded by motel rooms. This place will not accept online bookings, so you'll need to call and handle the payment over phone. Unlike a motel, you receive a hearty breakfast. The room has central air, settee, and WIFI which was able to stream NF. No TV. Balcony overlooking river. The nearest grocery is 10min drive at El Portal post office. We walked 30mins along the river to reach it. I would give the room 5 stars if there was a fridge and access to a microwave. There is nothing to do in the evenings at the Blue Butterfly except exchange stories, chill on the balcony or chat with the hosts. So take time to bring a book and board games. And plan your next hike!

Next door to the B&B is a pizza joint (open evenings only) and the motel's restaurant (open for bfast and dinner). There are many eateries up in Yosemite Valley.

If you are with kids, choose the Yosemite View Lodge motel. It does not incl breakfast, but it does have an indoor pool, game room, patio overlooking river and grounds for kids.

We used the YARTS stop outside to get into and back from Yosemite Visitors Centre ($15 roundtrip, less for seniors). This needs planning as the YARTS schedule in and out of Yosemite is limited. It was fine for us: up on the 920am and back down on the four departures between 4pm-7pm. Within Yosemite Valley, we availed of the free hop on/off Shuttle that run every 20mins.

If you are driving, you can leave the car at the guesthouse and "YARTS in". With a car, you will also be able to drive to Mariposa Grove to visit the Giant Sequoias, at the south entrance to Yosemite (not possible without car, or somehow starting your journey in Mariposa).

We got in by using the San Joaqins railway (Amtrak) from Emeryville to Merced.

Invest in comfy hike shoes and...

Fantastic bed & breakfast. The hosts are fabulous and exactly the kind of B&B hosts you want; they are long time locals, have in-depth expert advice about Yosemite National Park and the surrounding area and its history. They run this business purely because of passion and they love meeting new people from around the world and especially sharing their information and amazing stories. They are also avid B&B travelers themselves and can likely tell you a thing or two about your own region or country that you didn't know!

The location of the Inn is just outside of Yosemite and is perfectly situated on the Merced River. You simply go out on the back balcony and you are instantly surrounded by nature, a beautiful river, and the steep hills and wildlife. If you like hummingbirds, you will be delighted with a constant flurry of them that come to the Inn.

The Inn itself is constructed beautifully with quality materials and a great design. You will be relaxed, have privacy, and be able to mingle with others in the shared areas very comfortably. Ron and Liz, the owners, also have a wonderful selection of books and artifacts from around the world to delight your senses and pique your natural curiosity about the area as well as art and crafts from other countries.

If you can get a reservation, this is by far your best bet for a B&B for Yosemite and the personalized service and attention that will be far unmatched by anything else outside or inside the National Park. Enjoy your trip as you will certainly...