Bishop, CA's BEST Kept Secret: Travelodge Wyndham Review!
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because we're diving headfirst into the "BEST Kept Secret" (spoiler alert: it's not that secret anymore, is it?) that is the Travelodge by Wyndham in Bishop, California. I'm talking about a review so raw, so real, and so… well, chaotic, that it'll make you want to book a room right now (or maybe just laugh at my expense, either works).
Forget the Glossy Brochure – This is the REAL Deal
First off, let's set the scene. Bishop, CA. Gateway to the Eastern Sierra. Majestic mountains. Seriously, jaw-dropping views. And… you need a place to crash after a day of hiking, climbing, or just generally avoiding the city. Enter the Travelodge.
(Deep breath… let's get into it, shall we?)
Accessibility & Safety: Doing the Right Thing (Mostly)
Okay, so accessibility. This is IMPORTANT. They say they're trying. Wheelchair accessible is a big one, and they say they've got the goods. I didn't personally test it with a wheelchair (I'm more of a "stumble-around-after-a-long-hike" type), but they do claim to have accessible rooms. Check the details, folks, and call them if you have specific needs.
And the whole "cleanliness and safety" thing? In this post-pandemic world, it’s a must. They tout Anti-viral cleaning products and Professional-grade sanitizing services. They've got Hand sanitizer everywhere. Good. Makes me feel slightly less like I'm going to contract the plague. They also have a First aid kit, which is a nice touch (especially after a particularly nasty hike – I’m looking at you, Bishop Pass!). CCTV in common areas and Security [24-hour] – all good things to see. They also have Fire extinguisher, Smoke alarms, and Smoke detector in each room, so that is good news. They're taking the security seriously, which is always appreciated. The Daily disinfection in common areas is also a plus, I tell you. I noticed that the staff is staff trained in safety protocols. I really couldn't ask more.
Rooms: Function Over Flair
Let's be honest. This isn’t a luxury resort. However, they are Non-smoking, which is a huge win for me (I despise the smell of stale smoke). You can find basic amenities that would be needed, like there is Air conditioning in the room, and Hair dryer, Desk, Refrigerator, Coffee/tea maker, which is a big relief. I was thankful for the Wi-Fi [free], being able to search up what to see and eat around the neighborhood. They actually had the Free bottled water! I liked the Bathtub and Shower and the Wake-up service. It is a comfortable stay. The room was a bit small, but that is normal for that caliber of hotel. You could check the Interconnecting room(s) available, if you are with a big group. They have Ironing facilities, which is a plus. I also liked the Blackout curtains and Soundproofing for better sleep.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Fueling the Adventure (and Maybe Surviving)
Okay, this is where things get… interesting. The Travelodge doesn't exactly boast Michelin-star dining, but it does the job. And let's be real, after a day of hiking, ANYTHING tastes good. They have Breakfast [buffet] is included with the stay. It's your standard fare: cereal, bagels, maybe some sad-looking fruit. But hey, it's fuel! It’s Breakfast takeaway service, which is nice. They don’t have a Restaurant or a Bar. They have a Snack bar, so you won’t die. They don’t have different cuisines, like Asian breakfast, Asian cuisine in restaurant, International cuisine in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant, Western breakfast, Western cuisine in restaurant. Also, they don’t have food Room service [24-hour] options or Poolside bar.
Services and Conveniences: The Little Things Matter
This is where the Travelodge actually shines, in a "we-tried-really-hard-to-be-helpful" kinda way. Daily housekeeping is a godsend after a dusty hike. They offer Laundry service too! You are able to use Cash withdrawal. Concierge is available. They have Dry cleaning (not sure who's dry-cleaning in Bishop, but hey, it's there!), and Luggage storage, which is a lifesaver when you're waiting for your flight, which is actually the Airport transfer. They also offer Car park [free of charge] and Car power charging station. They have Elevator, which is great. Front desk [24-hour], which is nice to have. They have a Convenience store, for the basic needs.
Things to Do (and How to Relax… Kinda)
Okay, now the real fun begins. The Travelodge is all about that Eastern Sierra access. Hiking, climbing, fishing – you name it, it's nearby. No Spa, no Pool with view, no Sauna, no Swimming pool, or Steamroom. They don’t have a Fitness center. No Massage, Body scrub, or Body wrap. It is a budget hotel; you wouldn’t expect all those options anyway. No Kids facilities or Babysitting service. It is good as a gateway to explore Bishop.
The Quirky Observations (Because Life Isn't Perfect)
- The Wi-Fi? It's free, but sometimes it acts like a grumpy teenager. Patience, grasshopper.
- The location is fantastic! You are close to restaurants and the best places to see.
- They made a real effort with the whole Covid thing, which I appreciated. I saw a lot of the Sanitized kitchen and tableware items, Individually-wrapped food options, and the Physical distancing of at least 1 meter.
The Verdict: Bishop’s Best Kept Secret (Sort Of)
Look, if you're expecting a five-star experience, you're in the wrong place. But if you're after a clean, comfortable, and convenient basecamp for exploring the Eastern Sierra, the Travelodge by Wyndham in Bishop is a solid choice. It’s a classic, slightly imperfect, but ultimately reliable. It’s not glamorous, but it is safe enough. You are still able to explore the area, eat, and get a good night’s sleep without worry.
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Book Now! Your Eastern Sierra Adventure Starts Here!
Tired of those generic hotels? Craving an authentic adventure in the stunning Eastern Sierra? The Travelodge by Wyndham in Bishop, CA, is your ultimate launchpad! Forget the fancy frills, we're talking about a clean, safe, and conveniently located hotel that's designed for exploring.
Here's why you should book right now:
- Prime Location: Minutes from hiking trails, climbing routes, and the raw beauty of Bishop and surrounding area.
- Free Wi-Fi, Free Breakfast: Stay connected and fueled for your adventures.
- Budget-Friendly: Save your cash for the real fun – exploring!
- Clean & Safe: We take your well-being seriously with rigorous cleaning protocols.
- Convenient Amenities: Everything you need for a comfortable stay, from laundry to parking.
Don't wait! Bishop is calling, and the Travelodge by Wyndham is ready to welcome you. Book your stay today and experience the magic of the Eastern Sierra! Click here to reserve your room and start planning your adventure!
Hamburg's BEST Monteurzimmer Hostel: Unbeatable Prices & Location!
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your average, sanitized travel itinerary. This is going to be like a poorly-planned road trip with your slightly-off-kilter aunt and uncle, fueled by gas station coffee and the undying hope of seeing a bear. We're roughing it – Travelodge-style – in Bishop, California. Let's get this show on the road (and pray to the Wi-Fi gods it holds up)!
Day 1: Arrival and the Awkward Embrace of Bishop
- 1:00 PM: Arrive at Bishop Airport (BIH) - if this thing is even worthy to be called an airport. I mean, it is a tiny, single-runway operation that looks like it might’ve been cobbled together from leftover airplane parts. I'm already feeling a touch of "this is the middle of nowhere." Grab the rental car – a glorified shoebox, naturally. The first hurdle: will the GPS work? (Spoiler alert: It probably won't.)
- 2:00 PM: Check in at the Travelodge by Wyndham Bishop. Ah, the blessed haven. I swear, these places are all the same. The faint smell of chlorine, the slightly stained carpet, the suspiciously thin towels… it's like a welcome hug. (Or, at least, the sort of hug you'd get from a distant relative you only see once a year.) My room… well, let's just say it's functional. The air conditioning is humming like a dying dinosaur, and the view? Mostly parking lot and a glimpse of the mountains. Mountains are good, though. Mountains are always good.
- 3:00 PM: Attempt unpacking. Fail miserably. Why is it that no matter how little you pack, you still manage to create a tornado of clothes in a hotel room? I’m pretty sure I’m living in a suitcase at this point.
- 4:00 PM: Explore downtown Bishop. Time to orient myself. Bishop is… quaint. Very quaint. Think "Old West meets the modern need for a good cup of coffee." Found a cute little bookstore, Browsing Books, that's been around since 1980. The kind of independent store that smells wonderfully of old paper and the promise of adventure. Spent far too long browsing, ignoring the very large amount of dust motes dancing in the sunbeams. Bought a book on the history of the Eastern Sierra. My internal monologue: "Oh, this is going to involve a lot of driving, isn’t it?"
- 6:00 PM: Dinner at Erick Schat's Bakkery. Hype is real, people. I got the turkey sandwich (it's what everyone raves about) AND a bear claw. The sandwich was okay, I'd call it a solid 7 with a crispy roll, but that bear claw? It was pure, unadulterated, sugary bliss. I may or may not have eaten the entire thing in approximately 3.5 minutes. No regrets. The place was a whirlwind of hungry people trying to grab some grub.
- 7:30 PM: Attempt to stream a movie. Fail. See previously mentioned Wi-Fi issues. Stare at the ceiling, contemplating the meaning of life. Decide that the meaning of life is probably more bear claws.
- 8:30 PM: Early bedtime. Exhausted from…well, from existing, I guess. And the altitude. Bishop sits at a pretty high elevation, so I'm already breathing like a wheezing tuba player.
Day 2: A Day Trip to Mammoth Lakes (and the Utter Beauty of the Ansel Adams Wilderness)
7:00 AM: Wake up to the hum of the air conditioner (still dinosaur-ing), and the realization that my back is screaming at me from the hard hotel bed. I'm starting to understand why older relatives always complained about hotels.
7:30 AM: Breakfast at the Travelodge. The continental breakfast is the bane of my existence. Predictable, basic, and ultimately unsatisfying. The only saving grace is the hot coffee, bless it.
8:00 AM: Pack a day bag: water bottles, snacks, sunscreen, and a profound sense of "I hope I brought enough camera memory." Today's adventure? Mammoth Lakes and, fingers crossed, some Ansel Adams-esque vistas.
9:00 AM: Hit the road. The drive to Mammoth Lakes is gorgeous, even for a semi-disgruntled traveler. The Eastern Sierra mountains are majestic, looming over the roads like silent giants. I actually gasp when I see the peaks. It’s a "breathtaking" moment, seriously.
10:30 AM: Stop at the June Lake Loop. OH. MY. GOD. It's lake after shimmering lake, reflecting the absurdly blue sky, surrounded by mountains. I mean, this is postcard material. Spent way too much time taking photos, nearly missed the main hike I was planning.
11:30 AM: Hike to Minaret Vista. The trail is a bit of a grind, especially at this altitude, but the view from the top is worth the effort. You can see the majestic Minaret peaks, and it's like standing on top of the world. Maybe spent an hour or two up there. Just thinking. The light was magical. I cried, I was so happy.
1:30 PM: Lunch at a sandwich shop in Mammoth Lakes. Decent food. Overeating and a happy cry.
2:30 PM: Explore the town of Mammoth Lakes. It's a ski town, so it has a slightly different energy than Bishop. It's a little more… polished. But still charming. Did a quick window shop, pondering whether a life of mountain living was possible.
3:30 PM: Go to Devils Postpile National Monument. This is where the day went from "pretty good" to "mind-blowing." The Postpile itself is an unbelievable rock formation, and the hike to Rainbow Falls is stunning. The waterfall is a roaring torrent of water that crashes into a pool below, and you can actually see rainbows in the mist. This is the kind of thing that makes you just stop talking and just look and be. The whole thing was a profound, sensory experience. Absolutely worth the struggle to get here.
6:00 PM: Drive back to Bishop. The sunset paints the mountains in fiery hues. It’s a gorgeous, breathtaking drive. I keep pulling over to take photos, even though I know no photo can do it justice.
7:30 PM: Dinner at a local diner (Name pending; finding a place open on a Monday is an Olympic sport). Food's decent, feels like a classic all around.
8:30 PM: Attempt to write in my journal. But the sheer beauty I witnessed today has overloaded my brain; my thoughts are all jumbled up. I end up sketching a terrible drawing of the mountains. It’s the thought that counts (and the memories, of course).
9:30 PM: Collapse into bed. Exhausted in a good way. The perfect day.
Day 3: Exploring Bishop's Hinterlands and a Touch of Unexpected Mishap
- 7:00 AM: Wake up. The air conditioner is still humming like a haunted toaster. My back is still a mess. I'm starting to plot ways to smuggle my own pillow into hotel rooms.
- 7:30 AM: Breakfast at the Travelodge (again). The same predictable, basic, and ultimately unsatisfying spread. But the coffee! The coffee sustains me.
- 8:00 AM: Decide to finally venture out to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. I didn't originally plan to do this, but the universe clearly wants me to drive.
- 9:00 AM: Drive – a long, winding drive. Up, up, up. This whole place is a mountain. The road eventually turned into a gravel track. Wonder if my shoebox will stay alive.
- 10:30 AM: Arrive at the Schulman Grove. The trees. The trees. The freaking trees. They're twisted, ancient, and impossibly beautiful. These are like the oldest living things on earth. I'm talking 4,000+ years old. They've seen empires rise and fall. They make you feel utterly insignificant, which I'm actually starting to like.
- 12:00 PM: Hike! Well, attempted hike. On the way down, I took a bad step and twisted/sprained my ankle. Swearing is my new favorite hobby.
- 1:00 PM: Slowly limp back to the rental car. Oh boy.
- 2:00 PM: Back to Bishop. This time, in a much slower and sadder pace.
- 3:00 PM: Treat my ankle. Pop some painkillers.
- 4:00 PM: Spend a glorious hour in the room, watching TV, and eating way too many snacks.
- 5:00 PM: Find a local place to eat. All the good places seem closed; the town shuts down early.
- 7:00 PM: Back in the room, and sleep.
**Day
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Bishop, CA's Travelodge: The Truth (and My Sanity) in FAQ Form
Okay, spill it. Is the Bishop Travelodge actually a "best kept secret," or is it just… a Travelodge?
Alright, alright, settle down. "Best kept secret" might be stretching it a *tad*. Look, it's a Travelodge. You know the drill. But Bishop itself? Absolutely a secret worth keeping. And *within the context of Bishop*, this Travelodge… it has its *moments*. Mostly involving the existential dread of a long road trip and the desperate need for a shower.
Let’s just say, it's less "secret swanky boutique hotel" and more "reliable haven after a day of brutal desert hiking, that won't break the bank." Think of it as the slightly-worn, comfortable hiking boot of Bishop lodging. You’ll get blisters, probably, but they won’t bankrupt you.
The rooms... are they clean? Because, you know, the internet is a scary place.
Okay, *breathe*. Room cleanliness is… a spectrum. Let's put it that way. I've stayed in some rooms there that were spotless. Seriously, pristine. Like, I was tempted to eat off the floor (don't worry, I didn't). And then... there was *that room*. *shudders slightly*
I’m talking, a subtle whiff of, let’s call it “previous adventurer’s remnants of the desert” I’ll just say I never found concrete evidence of unspeakable horrors, but my imagination did overtime. It's a crapshoot, honestly. But, and this is important: for the price, and especially AFTER a long hike or drive, I've always found it *good enough*. Bring your own cleaning wipes. Seriously. And a good sense of humor.
What about the breakfast? Is it the dreaded "continental" situation?
Oh, sweet merciful heavens, yes. Continental. It's a pilgrimage to the land of lukewarm coffee, questionable pastries, and the eternally lonely banana. In other words: it's standard Travelodge breakfast. Don't expect gourmet anything.
They usually have some prepackaged muffins, a sad little waffle maker that churns out vaguely edible discs, and the aforementioned coffee. I always load up on the tiny, individual packets of peanut butter. Because hey, protein! And despair. The despair is free.
Pro-tip: There's a decent little cafe in Bishop called "Schat's Bakery" - get their breakfast sandwich FIRST. Then you can stomach the Travelodge continental. Or just skip it altogether and find a decent place.
Let's talk about location. Is it convenient or am I going to feel like I'm in the middle of nowhere?
The Travelodge is... well, it's *Bishop*. It's not *exactly* in the middle of Times Square, let’s put it that way. Bishop itself is a small, friendly town. The Travelodge is conveniently located near the main drag (Highway 395), so getting to the restaurants and shops is pretty easy.
It's a perfect launching pad for exploring the Eastern Sierras. That's the *real* reason you're here, right? Hiking, climbing, stargazing? You're close to the good stuff. But don’t expect a stunning view from your room (unless your idea of a stunning view is the parking lot and the other rooms – which, hey, no judgement!).
Okay, give me the nitty-gritty. What REALLY happened on *your* last trip? Any horror stories?
Alright, here's the lowdown. Last time I stayed there, I was on a solo road trip. Needed a cheap, quick place to crash, after a truly epic day hiking Mt. Whitney. I was exhausted. Like, could barely stand up.
Checked in. Room seemed... okay. Then I went to take a shower. And the water pressure. OH, the water pressure. It was basically a polite drizzle. Like, a suggestion of water. I swear, I got wetter from the *steam* than from actually being under the showerhead. It was like taking a bath with a particularly optimistic houseplant.
I called the front desk. The guy, bless his soul, sounded like he'd heard it a million times. "Yeah, sorry about that, ma'am. Try turning the knob to the left... maybe?" Didn't work. Ended up having to huddle under that anemic stream for like 15 minutes, just trying to get the grit of the trail off of me. My back ached just from trying to *reach* the water. It was… character-building. And I still can't look at a weak showerhead without getting a twitch.
The next morning, the breakfast made me consider skipping it altogether. But on the walk to the main street, I ran into the guy from the front desk. He was smiling. I smiled too. And the next day, everything was fine. It had the charm of a Travelodge in a small town. So it's not perfect, it won't ruin your life. And sometimes it's all you have after a long hike on the Eastern Sierra.
What are the pros and cons, in a nutshell?
Pros:
- Cheap! (Relatively speaking, especially for Bishop)
- Location, location, location – close to the good stuff (hiking, climbing, etc.).
- Generally clean enough.
- It exists. Seriously, sometimes that’s all that matters after a long drive.
Cons:
- Continental breakfast (prepare for sadness).
- Water pressure (can be... inconsistent).
- Rooms can be hit-or-miss on cleanliness.
- Don't expect luxury. It's a Travelodge. Manage your expectations!
Look, Bishop's a magical place. And this Travelodge can be… functional! It’s a good home base, as long as you are realistic, bring your own cleaning supplies, and *for the love of all that is holy, go to Schat's Bakery*.
Would you stay there again? Be honest!
Honestly? Yes. Probably. Because Bishop is AMAZING. And sometimes, you just need a place to crash after an epic day, without emptying your wallet. Besides, those little peanut butter packets are calling my name. And you get used to the quirks.Hotel Finder Reviews
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