Murphys Suites: Room Enough for Everyone
For our stay in the Gold Country area of California, I picked the town of Murphys somewhat randomly as our central home-base location. Now after traveling around the area a bit, I am even more pleased with our choice. This is a small town. Its downtown retains the flavor of the olden days, as this area is known for. There are enough restaurants for a modest length stay, as well as a large playground for the down-time between activities. I also loved that there are enough activities to provide full day-trips from Murphys for at least three days.
If you are staying in Murphys, then the Murphys Suites is a fantastic family lodging option. It is located off of Hwy 4, a few blocks from downtown. Sharing the same parking lot is Figaro’s Pizza / Growler’s Craft Brewery, co-located in the same building.
Best Part: There was more room here than I’ve seen in most suites. We stayed in a two-room suite which is, I think, the most ideal when traveling with kids. The bedroom had two queens, though you can also get a single king instead. Additionally in the bedroom was a tv cabinet /dresser and a small table with two chairs. Once you close the door to that room, you still have a large sitting room that contains a couch (pull-out bed), an additional tv cabinet / dresser, end table and large chair, and a desk. Also in the sitting room is the sink, mini-fridge, cupboards (not stocked), and bathroom access. If you have an extended stay or a large family, this is the way to go. The counter space and fridge made it possible for me to pack up lunch and snacks each day we went out, saving us time and money. Being able to close the door after the kids went to bed meant I could get my own down-time, which is critical for sanity refueling.
Worst Part: Breakfast consists of a small packaged muffin and a small container of orange juice. Having breakfast delivered to our room at our preferred time each morning was nice, but I was sure glad we had brought supplemental breakfast items. Our first morning there the orange juice was still frozen. The advertised espresso bar is only accessible by the front desk. You can ask the desk clerk to make you a mocha or coffee, but mine was not worth trying more than once.
Worth mentioning: Amenities of the hotel include a pool, jacuzzi, and exercise room, as many large hotels do. This one also includes a sauna. There are computers set up in the front lobby with internet access for those who don’t want to lug their laptops. Also the customer service was always great.
There are several events that take place in the Gold Country, for example, the greatJumping Frog Contest of Calaveras County. I look forward to coming back and to staying again at Murphys Suites.
I received a complimentary stay at the hotel. This review is based soley on my experience there.
Awesome! Looks really beautiful and last year (2009), in December we had great California tour experience we stayed at Murphys Suites. The rooms were luxury, the location was absolutely outstanding and the staff was also hospitable.
Best Regards,