Historic Cary House Hotel Review In Wild West Placerville, CA

We stay in some pretty interesting places all over the world and we love sharing our experiences with you! We hope you find our Historic Cary House hotel review helpful as you plan your journey. Today we’re sharing our wild west experience in California’s Gold Country, Placerville.

A Look At the Historic Cary House Hotel 

Just as many legends had found themselves in Placerville, so did we. And a night at the Historic Cary House Hotel in Placerville, California was just what our ‘Wild West’ adventure needed.

Our Cary House Hotel review follows our journey through the Sacramento Valley and into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It’s there where we found ourselves in Placerville, a historic gold mining town just outside of Coloma where the first gold discovery was made in 1848, and where Robert James, the father of Jesse James, lived his last day.

Naturally, given our predisposition to epic legends and folklore, we knew a fairytale sleep was in order. What we didn’t know is that we were staying in one of the most legendary hotels in all of the Wild West.

About the Historic Cary House Hotel

Before I get into the thick of our Cary House Hotel review, let me tell you a bit about its history. The Historic Cary House Hotel was opened in 1857 by William Cary. At first, this three-story hotel had 77 luxurious rooms.

It was a place where only the wealthiest of people would stay. From famous politicians to gold striking miners, the Cary House Hotel was suited for people with money.

With guest book signatures by Mark Twain and Buffalo Bill, there’s no doubt these walls have a tale or two. Today, the Cary House sits with four stories and 40 rooms after a stint of operating as a Wells Fargo office.

You can imagine there was a lot of gold being handled then. Years later during an excavation, $600 in gold nuggets and dust were reportedly found in the basement and ended up funding the 4th floor and elevator in 1931.

The cool part is that this elevator still works, and is in fact the second oldest operating elevator west of the Mississippi.

Legendary Guests of the Historic Cary House Hotel

If you stay at the Historic Cary Hotel, you’d be adding yourself to the guest list after these legends:

• Buffalo Bill
• Black Bart (a famous stagecoach robber)
• James B. Hume (the Sheriff that puts Wyatt Erp under the table)
• Mark Twain
• Levi Strauss (yep, the guy who sorta invented your jeans)
• Hank Monk (a famous stagecoach driver)
• Ulysses S. Grant
• Lola Montez (a famous gold rush vamp)

Our Cary House Hotel Review

Now that you’ve learned a bit about its history, it’s time to get into our Cary House Hotel review. If you’re looking to stay in a high-end, luxury, super-duper swank hotel with extra amenities, this is not your place.

If you’re looking for something a little more unique, and personal, with history, great service, comfort, clean rooms, and convenience -this is a great place for you. For our Cary House Hotel review, we gave 90 Fairytale Sleeps points based on staff, heritage-rich ambiance, convenience, and value.

Super Friendly Staff

At the top of our list for this Cary House Hotel review is the friendly staff. You’ll find the front desk to be very delightful.

One thing we enjoy most about staying in “one-and-only” properties is the one-on-one attention we get from the staff. With a small team of people working around the clock, you feel just like family.

The Cary House staff is great. They were able to manage everything we needed and went above and beyond to make our experience memorable.

Heritage-Rich Ambiance and Events to Bring You Back

Staying in historic places means finding a special ambiance that really highlights the heritage of a destination. It is the main reason we stay in bed and breakfasts and historic inns like the Cary House Hotel.

What better way to experience the heritage and legends of a destination than to sleep in the midst of it? Here you’ll find antique furniture, wild west stained glass, and woodwork that brings you back to the thriving gold rush era of Placerville.

It’s really like a walk into the past.

Something that the Cary House does that is super cool is events. If you plan your trip around these, you’ll find yourself really turning up the experience with things like:

• Wine-tasting events every Friday night
• Silent Film Saturdays
• Scheduled Murder Mystery nights and live music and wine events click here to schedule

Conveniently Located

Another aspect of our Cary House Hotel review is the convenience of its location. It’s nearly impossible not to be convenient in Placerville since it’s such a tiny town.

Everything you would find yourself doing is literally a short walk up the main street. From the hotel, you are a stone’s throw from Mel’s Diner, a hipster pub next door, boutique shops, antique stores, and dining.

You really have everything right at your feet here. I would have liked to see maybe a nice all-day coffee bar and some refreshments for purchase, just so you can grab something and go (especially for that late-night snack).

Value for the Price

Finally on our Cary House Hotel review, and very importantly, value.

The Historic Cary House Hotel is priced pretty competitively with other historic inns and B&Bs we have stayed in however, those places have all offered breakfast, an afternoon refreshment hour, a coffee bar, and in-room sherry or bottled water.

I really think those elements stand out and I would have liked to see them at such a beautiful property. With this in mind, I think they could come down a little in price.

Final Thoughts

All-in-all, this Cary House Hotel review should help you decide if this is the right place for your overnight needs. If you are looking for a real adventure and want to get the full experience of Placerville in California’s ‘Gold Country’ then this is the place for you. 

As always, travel safe!