Don't judge this place by the outside - this little motel ended up being exactly what I needed after an intense hike. The room is small, as expected, but perfect for a solo traveler or couple looking for a clean, comfortable place to shower, cool off, and rest. The AC absolutely cranks, which was heaven after being out in the heat all day. The owners have added so many thoughtful touches: toothbrushes, single-use toothpaste, makeup remover wipes, bath gels, plus a mini fridge and microwave in the room. When I checked in, I was greeted with bottled water, fruit, and cookies, such a kind welcome after a long day. There are also cute patios with hanging lights where you can sit and eat takeout, and there's even a homemade ice cream shop right next door with a really vibey outdoor patio. One of the owners mentioned a nearby trail just behind the motel, and I'm so glad I listened. I ended up walking through the beautiful Mary DeDecker native plant garden alongside a babbling creek with little bridges and an incredible sunset view over the mountain ridge. It turned into one of the highlights of my trip. This place may not look like much from the outside, but it has heart, kindness, and everything you actually need for a peaceful stay. read more

Just got back home from a short vacation fishing and stayed at the Courthouse Motel, comfortable room and easy stay. The best part was the little lady/owner. very sweet lady and we enjoyed her very much. I would recommend just because of her. Older motel but kept up and clean. Thank You for the nice stay. Jack and Tari read more

The rooms are basic, but incredibly clean and in good repair. Just know you are getting a budget motel and that fit the bill as a traveler with her pup along Eastern Sierra of 395. The real standout is the couple who owns the property - what lovely people! They are kind and caring, clearly proud of their work. The greeting and hospitality shown is worth future visits along that drive. read more

Room is very clean and comfortable, and the owner was very kind and accommodating. Would definitely stay here again!

A beautiful boutique hotel in Independence. Rooms are so clean and so well maintained for an older property. Owners are great people with exceptional hospitality and service. Could not ask for more and will return again read more

An unassuming motel with big heart. The owners welcome visitors with a smile and sometimes a snack. I enjoyed the clean rooms and chairs outside of every room. This motel is located close to hiking and bouldering spots and driving distance to Mammoth. This would be a great place for a small retreat. It is off the beaten path with beautiful mountain views. read more

The owner is very cheerful and polite. We checked in later and she was welcoming. The rooms are spotless clean and easy to access. Happy holidays everyone! read more

My wife and I love this motel. The owners, Parvin and Gita are extremely nice, friendly and helpful with whatever you might need. A very clean, quiet and comfortable place to stay. We highly recommend the Courthouse Motel. We are already looking forward to staying there again. read more

I was pleasantly surprised by this small hotel. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The grounds were well cared for. Although the fixtures and amenities in the room could use updating, everything functioned well and was clean. Would definitely stay again. read more

The host was very nice, but the room left much to be desired. It looked like they had started some renovation but never completed it. The air conditioner was very loud, so you could not watch tv with the A/C on. The room had a coffee maker and a small fridge and it was located very near to the trailhead that I was hiking, but in the end I wished I would have camped at Onion Valley instead of sleeping at this motel. (I know I would have slept better with less noise, and the cool air.) I went back and forth on 2 stars or 3 stars, and the helpful person that checked me in is the only reason I am giving the motel 3 stars..... read more

What a lovely place this is. Sit outside the room for an evening breeze. Rooms feel like I am a family member. I'm the weird old auntie and feel so welcome. Old light quilt, great TV, kind hosts. read more

Hospitality at it's finest!! Parvin and Geeta were excellent hosts and made our trip one to remember forever! Wonderful room with everything you need for a great night's sleep, comfortable bed, perfect heat/cool unit and all the right touches, i.e coffee, snacks. The location is perfect for hiking the PCT or access to numerous trails and adventures in the Sierra's. We will definitely be back time and time again, our new home away from home. Thank you Parvin and Geeta, we will see you again soon!! read more

Sometimes in the life we are shown that there are not just still good people in the world, but true angels. My husband rushed inside this hotel at the beginning of an medical episode needing a safe place to be, and the owners accommodated an early check in, provided use of their personal phones, provided home cooked food, checked on him, provided phone updates to me (I was 6 hours away). My husband ultimately requested an ambulance and the owners held his room for him, and even drove ~2 hours to pick him up from the hospital the next day, and to take him for a few errands needed to get him home safely!!! It brings me to tears thinking of all they did for a stranger. How could we ever repay such kindness? Highly recommend a stay at this hotel where you will meet amazing people who truly care. Thank you!!! read more

My mom, myself and my dog were under mandatory evacuation from the Woolsy Fire last Friday November 9th. I knew that Los Angeles in general would be a total Cluster Muck because of evacuees like myself...and well even on the best day of the year, traffic in Los Angeles is the worst traffic in the WORLD. So I decided to head out of town in what I believed would be the opposite direction of my fellow refugees. My ultimate aim...Inyo County and the Eastern Sierras...(what better place to ponder the possibility of becoming homeless by fire). Palmdale's Motel 6 was our first stay Friday, but finally made it to Independence, California on Saturday. Oh Rosetta!, you can't help but become immediately smitten with that big wide smile and the bright playful light of her eyes - she is the proprietor and queen of the the Independence Courthouse Inn. I told her my story and pointed to my 80 year old mom and my dog in my dusty truck - She dropped the nightly rate SIGNIFICANTLY folks and immediately began to run around to find the perfect rooms for us. Her man, Tim, was also a super nice guy and equally helpful. (I should say it was the only pet friendly place I found in Independence and that's how I ended up here) The rooms were decorated super cute for the hunters and fishermen who come up seasonally to stay. Everything was squeaky clean and theres a cute little outside space to BBQ and hang out. We loved loved loved landing here under the circumstances- I could not have found a better spot or nicer people. I highly recommend this little motel. And I'll be back soon, whether we lose our house or not. read more

Independence Courthouse Motel - Hotels Near Me - Independence, California

Very Clean! Pets ok with a fee! Hostess is Super Friendly and Helpful Limited parking: if you have a trailer. Beautiful views! No real amenities, no stores in town, pack in. Taco Truck has Awesome food here : SHOUT OUT!!! read more

We stayed one night here because of closed highways from snow. The owner was so kind and had a room for us when we called. She recommend we eat in Bishop because there wasn't much near her motel. Our room had 2 full beds, it was clean, and quiet. Parking was good (just snow piles were in the way ). Bathroom was clean and a there was a very low light night light by the sink for night time restroom breaks. We will stay again. We feel good we supported small local business. read more

Super friendly people, clean and convenient on the west side of 395. They held the toiletries bag that I forgot until I could return. They were kind enough to recommend that we eat before we reached Independence because there wasn't anything open at that time. read more

Clean, nice, easy to find and friendly staff. Reasonable price for the night. The lovely couple are approachable and easy to talk to. read more

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Such a fantastic place! The hosts are so welcoming and accommodating! They were very knowledgeable about the area and gave us great recommendations for the area. I went up to meet with my daughter who is a hiker on the PCT and they were very hiker friendly! The rooms were neat and clean. I would stop in Independence again just to stay there and visit with the hosts. I highly recommend this motel! read more

The guy who ran it was funny and super friendly, and I believe he said that he was helping out and was dating the owner. Anyway, super nice. Walking distance to the Still Life Cafe, which is excellent. Clean, comfortable, and good. read more

Amazing ! Thank you guys for accommodating my family and I at such short notice . Rooms are spacious and clean, directly located across from the Historic Independence Court House, centrally located to Onion Valley hiking trails and beautiful Mammoth Resorts you can not ask for more. Thank you Independence Court House Motel, we will be returning soon. read more

Hands-down the best experience I think I've ever had in my small town motel. I had to make an emergency extraction from the John muir trail and had very little money to offer until I could get a ride back to my car several hours away. I was literally stuck in the middle of nowhere. The owners son, Andrew, allowed me to stay in the bunkhouse For half price, and then allowed me to stay another night for helping clean and doing some odd jobs. He was exceptionally friendly the entire time and I would not have been able to recover without his kindness. For a town that is made up primarily of two gas stations, If you are ever traveling through and need a place to stay don't hesitate. Family owned businesses that really care about people are becoming rarer and rarer. read more

Great great place to stay when in the area. The owner Pravin and his wife are great hosts and make you feel very welcomed. Very quaint place in the eastern Sierra for all. read more

The folks that run this motel are the friendliest i have ever met, amazing people. the room was very clean, everything including the internet works great. talking to the owners they found out im a vegetarian and asked if i wound like to join them for dinner, wow.. that's a first read more

Small town kindness at its finest! Geeta made the reservation process very easy and greeted us for our evening check in. She offered water and even milk for my baby if needed and it was a quick check in! True kindness, sincerity and generosity. Rooms were clean with Cold AC during a summer heatwave! It was the perfect stop before our backpacking trip being so convenient to the local trailheads. We would certainly stay again if in the area! read more

Great little hotel across the street from the county courthouse...hence the name. Had the pleasure of briefly meeting the family who runs it, and they are really nice. I stayed in 1 of the 'economy' rooms, which was a little tight on space, but fine for a restful night at a more affordable price. There are very few dining options in town, but no worries, they will make you a delicious burger right there! Or, bring your own food to grill on the available BBQ! I would've given 4 stars, but the windows wouldn't open, unfortunately. read more

Independence Courthouse Motel - Front desk - Hotels Near Me - Independence, California

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Geeta, our Host, was so kind and accommodating as we used her motel for our overnight stay after coming off the John Muir Trail. She held our resupply packages that we previously dropped off, and easily adjusted our reservations as we ran into delays on trail. Geeta did our laundry, and placed extra thick towels in our room which were a luxury after being on the trail for two weeks. She made me a cup of Indian tea, and showed us the International Space Station that was passing over that night. Geeta made us feel like family. I would highly recommend the Independence Courthouse Motel to any future guest. Geeta makes you feel right at home. She is a Trail Angel! read more

SERVICE COUNTS!!!!! I am all about service and for that I will give Independence Courthouse Motel 5 stars. 10:00PM.. we call asking if there's room.. Julie says yes, we add that we have two large dogs.. before she could say anything, I added that we were just up on the mountain, and hiked in the dark to get into lower elevation due to my husband having altitude sickness.. immediately she said yes, even though they usually only allow small dogs in their rooms.. She was kind and welcoming; where as everywhere else we called would not take us in either due to no vacany or no dogs. We hadn't eaten dinner so she offered to keep the Cheveron store open (normally closes at 10:00), which was very sweet.. Anything we needed, she was caring willing to help. The room was clean, bed comfortable and we all slept without interuption until early in the morning. The prices were reasonable and fair. Next time we go up to Indepencence, we'll need to aclimate before hiking into the the higher elevations. We'll stay Courthouse Motel for sure. Thanks Julie read more

Great motel. Inexpensive. Hiker friendly. They even helped us mail a few things back home. Courtyard out back to hang out in. Staff was friendly and helpful. Room was clean. read more

I rode my motorcycle down for the Manzanar Pilgrimage, and 5 miles away (in Independence), the engine wouldn't start after I stopped for a snack. The owners of this motel also run the Subway and the Chevron station where my motorcycle died, and went way out of their way to help me. With no rooms available in town, on Saturday night, they held their last room for me until 9 PM while I went to the pilgrimage and came back. Then they called over to the Subway to say to stay open while I walked over (one block) to get a sandwich for dinner, and let me park the motorcycle there until the next day, when I was able to borrow tools and get it running again. If I go to the pilgrimage next year, I will call ahead and reserve a room at this motel. If I ever spend the night again in this area, this will be where I stay. read more

i have to say, this motel is worth planing a trip around just to stop and say hi to the owners. i had had a rough couple of days on the road, and a funeral. when i got to this motel i was hot, tired and cranky. this family instantly made me fell like i was home! i was stunned when i looked in my room and saw that it was much nicer than i was expecting for the modest price they asked. and the beds, i mean wow comfortable and kick ass AC! i ended up spending so much time talking to the owner and his grandson that by the time i left not only did i not want to go, but i consoled myself with my new friends. a final word without getting to mushy, their hospitality is beyond reproach! ive been to 40 states, and 22 countries and never have i had this kind of an experience, so stop by say hi, and leave with new friends. you'll see read more

The other reviewer is not accurate in his assessment of the Courthouse Motel. The prices are great the location is great, yes it's not the Ritz but the owners do a good job of keeping the place clean and secure. They have a BBQ area that is available for guests to use free of charge and a nice fire pit for night time gatherings and roasting marshmallows. In the mornings they serve coffee, juice, cereal and danishes (again free) and the owners are the nicest people and the least creepy (maybe the last reviewer is the one who is creepy...) small hotel owners I have ever met. They get five stars for being a pleasant place to stay in the very remote area where Independence is located. I have stayed here in '09, and '10 and will be staying here again this year when attending the Manzanar pilgrimage at the Manzanar National Historic Site just 5 minutes down the road. The area is also well known for fishing, hiking and mountaineering, the Independence Courthouse Motel makes a great base of operations for each of these activities. read more

Cleanest low cost hotel in independence. Not modern, but nice. A/C works well and is quiet, nice little fridge too. The owner is great, she is so gracious and accommodating. No problem with my large dog staying in the room with me. Even gave me an extra blanket to put on the bed for my dog. Nice little bar-b-que area to grill the trout you catch in the river. Overall awesome (for what it is) motel. read more

Not too bad in a pinch, and you are in a pinch if you have to spend a night in Independence. The rooms are OK, as motels go- nothing unusually good or bad. The prices are a little high considering and the owner creeped me out a bit- but don''t all small motel owners creep you out? A good location right across the street from the Courthouse, if that's what brings you to Independence, and there is not other reason to go there. During the week when all the lawyers are in town, especially sunday night, you'd better make a reservation. read more

Section hiking the JMT, we exited over Kearsarge pass @9pm on a Thursday, as we checked in at a gas station in Independence, the helpful Indian boy pointed us towards this motel down the road. We met Geeta , the lovely, friendly owner and in 10 minutes we were in a comfortable, tasteful (lovely bedspread) room with complimentary snacks, fruits, and water. As we checked out in the morning, we couldn't find the room keys and Pravin (Geeta's husband) was most relaxed and reassuring about it. We found the keys finally and they sent us off with tea and snacks on the go! After a week on the JMT, this felt like coming home! read more

The owners, I'm assuming, were so kind and generous. The rooms were incredibly clean. The shower pressure was exactly what my poor tired body needed. In the morning, they offered fruit and granola bars, which hit the spot. We are thankful for the Courthouse motel after a day of hiking! We would stay again :) read more

I've been coming up to Independence since I was a kid so I know the area pretty well. We've always stayed with other people so this was our first time staying at a hotel in town. We were handed the key after a 3 hour road trip so we just wanted to plop & take a nap on the bed. But we couldn't. Right when we walked in, we saw the bed wasn't made, the sheets not cleaned, trash still in the trashcan & on the floor. She had rented a room that hadn't even been checked! So, she of course apologized and was very courteous & quick to give us another room. Here are some downsides to the room we received: -she told us this new room would also have a queen bed. The "queen" bed definitely doesn't look or feel like a queen. The mattress was also VERY hard to sleep on. - the bottom lock on the front door to the room doesn't lock (safety issue) - the bathroom door doesn't shut (and therefore cannot be locked) - The A/C has a switch (similar to an ON/OFF) that says "COOL/HEAT". There's no off! I tried adjusting the settings to go from turbo to normal or from 10 to 5 but it does nothing. Being equipped with 2 light sheets & a small quilt, I was cold the whole night. - we had ONLY 1 roll of toilet paper (the one already on the roll). Shouldn't there be spares? Or at least even 1 spare? Luckily we had JUST enough- to the last sheet! - $80 for 1 night! It's a little expensive when dealing with the issues above. Although the owner was nice & apologized for the room untidiness, next time I need to stay in town, I'll stay somewhere else. read more

We had a great stay at The Courthouse Motel on our way home from Tahoe. We traveled with our two young sons and I am very picky about where we stay. All of the other "chain" hotels in the area were booked, so we took a chance using online reviews and were very pleased. The owner of The Courthouse Motel was very pleasant, and I enjoyed visiting with her mother in the courtyard. My boys loved running around that rustic area, and my husband had fun playing darts. The room was basic, but very clean and tidy. At $75 on a Saturday night, The Courthouse Motel can't be beat!! read more

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Outstanding value. Enjoy the old-fashioned, individualized personal touch instead of a faceless, bland, corporate chain. The motel itself is a bit older, the rooms and bathrooms small and modest, but the bedding, towels, and such are all very new and clean. The hot water and heat all work perfectly--quite important anytime after October. Geeta and Pravin, the couple who took over the place some time ago, really know what they are doing in the hospitality business. They provide fresh fruit in the office in the morning, in addition to good in-room coffee, reasonable prices, and plenty of helpful advice for dining and other activities in the area. My wife and I ended up having a lovely chat with them, and they told us about some ambitious long-term plans. The historic Inyo County Courthouse (1921) is directly across the road. For a nice, quiet night in the Owens Valley, I recommend this place as a base of operations--you can quickly reach Lone Pine, Bishop, and Panamint from here. read more

Absolutely charming! For a small town motel this had lovely little touches and the woman who checked us in was very helpful. There's a back patio with a fireplace and chairs just right for stargazing. Ask about the hostel bunks if you are a hiker looking for a cheap place to spend the night. read more