Red Tail Ranch — Hotel in Sonora

My boyfriend and I stayed here in August 2020 for three nights as a jumping off point to Yosemite during the midst of Covid. The property is just a 1 hr drive from Yosemite Valley and close to 120 so you can easily get to Tuolumne Meadows (easy in that we're on the highway - it's still a 1 hr 45 min drive). We LOVED our experience staying at Red Tail Ranch and will absolutely be back in the future.

Deborah and Kevin are extremely welcoming and friendly- they are truly wonderful hosts. They shared many good tips and bits of advice for visiting Yosemite- which hikes we should do, how to avoid the crowds, etc. Deborah even lent us a Yosemite trail book which helped us plan our trip!

The property is beautiful and has plenty of outdoor spaces to relax and safely social distance from other guests. The rooms are comfortable- we stayed in the Elaine room and particularly liked our large bathroom and having a mini fridge in our room (great for drinks, snacks and sandwiches to take into Yosemite - especially if you go to Tuolumne Meadows which there are no food options during Covid).

Another selling point for me was that Deborah and Kevin have 2 very friendly dogs, a cat and horses! The dogs greeted us when we arrived and occasionally joined us for walks or lounging time on the patio. It aided in this experience feeling more like being at home vs at a hotel.

Lastly, breakfast is unbelievably good and very hearty. Deborah is an amazing cook and the meals are really catered to anyone- there's both salty and sweet options! Day one was my favorite- she served a delicious berry parfait (which we thought was the meal because it was a generous portion) and then followed up with a plate of apple fritter french toast (oh. my. god. so. good.), fresh eggs (from her chickens), and sausage (not from her chickens). Breakfast also comes with coffee and orange juice!

There are only four guest rooms so it's a very personalized experience. Deborah and Kevin have made updates to the property and rooms to be compliant with CDC guidelines for Covid. We felt safe/comfortable social distancing the entire time during our visit and even enjoyed meeting some of the other guests there and chatting (while outside and socially distanced) during breakfast.

I highly recommend staying at Red Tail Ranch for anyone who is visiting Yosemite! It was a great value for money and a very reasonably priced option when compared to other B&Bs or hotels (especially if you're not keen to pay inflated prices to stay in...

This was the best choice ever! We chose to stay in the Meadow House. This was a home away from home. It has absolutely everything you could need . The outside kitchen is great. We had a kitchen and priority goes to those in units without kitchens but we didn’t see others during our stay and we grilled out. The jacuzzi was great after a day in Yosemite too! The kitchen has a gas stove , two dishwashers , all small appliances you could ask for and enough dinnerware and silverware for more people than you will provably have in the house. The owners take great pride in their property from the gardens to patios to the inside … we ate breakfast each morning with the hummingbirds … . This house has three bedrooms and each bed was very comfortable. You can not go wrong. The proximity to Yosemite is nice even though we were there when Big Oak Flat Road was closed and the detour made our trip into Yosemite a 2.5 hour drive one way. I mean what can you do but go with the flow. But when that road is back in service your drive to/from the park will be worth it….away from the crowds and soaking in the jacuzzi afterwards. We visited the local grocery store upon arrival and stocked up on our breakfast needs, drinks and snacks and we cooked one dinner at the house …. I was very surprised by the selection in the grocery store …. Mar-Val. Tons of brands I typically buy at home in PA and the prices were not inflated . All in all this was the best choice and I am glad it was available. I posted pics of the inside (not bedrooms….those on the website are good and not littered with our stuff lol). From an ex travel consultant , you can’t go wrong with choosing Red Tail . The one and only thing the owners could supply in this house would be a fly swatter lol. Mosquitoes flies and bees seem to be waiting right outside the door when it...

I could not have picked a better place to stay. It was perfect for my family. Big Oak Flat Road is currently out of commission and our detour was 2.5 hours each way into Yosemite but this is no reflection on the owners of Red Tail Ranch. When this road is open you will enjoy the relatively short drive away from the crowds. We loved our time there . You can tell the moment you open the door the owners take pride in Red Tail . We rented the Meadow House. ….. it was very clean , the beds were comfortable , the kitchen had a bar area with seating a small kitchen table with two chairs that looked over a part of the garden that a hummingbird visited each morning and had breakfast with us, two dishwashers, a phone charging station , gas stove, full stainless fridge (with the promised breakfast items) and all the small appliances , dinnerware utensils pots and pan you need. I am not kidding when I say this is a home away from home. The Dining room was over looking the patio and meadow. It was all very zen . The jacuzzi was a nice touch to relax in after a day in Yosemite! They have an outdoor grill which we utilized as well. I am a former travel professional and look for the little things that can make or break people’s stay and truly , the only thing I could find the Meadow House was lacking was a fly swatter … flys mosquitoes and bees are just waiting for that door to open lol… the Mar-Val Grocery store was quite the surprise. It also gets 5 stars for its friendly workers , huge selection for a small store and prices. It was a short drive from Red Tail. We bought for our breakfast , snacks and drinks and we cooked one dinner at Red Tail. I challenge anyone to find fault with Red Tail. It was like coming home the moment we walked in the front door. I will stay again and I will recommend to anyone I know...