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A history steeped in tradition:
A Yosemite staple for over 150 years.
The Groveland Hotel has occupied a cherished and special place in California history, having served adventurers, gold seekers, outdoorsmen, and more for over a hundred years. Groveland once housed thousands of miners and their families. When the first gold boom collapsed, the town survived by adopting deep-shaft mining techniques, leading to a second rush and eventually evolving into a tourism hub. It was also one of the first cities in the area to adapt to hydroelectric power, with residents resourceful and far-seeing enough to shift from mining to tourism and outdoor activities as the mines dried up.
As a result, the Groveland, built in 1849, has been home to people from all over the country and the world, either seeking their fortunes, a new start, or just a simple place to rest their heads in California’s beautiful Yosemite region. Located next door to the Iron Door Saloon, the oldest operating bar in California, this is a hotel full of the adventurous spirit of the wild west.
Say hello to our oldest long-standing guest.
A hotel with this much history would be nothing without its more interesting guests! We affectionately call room 15 “Lyle’s Room”, for the gold panner who lived in our hotel for a number of years while digging for gold in the surrounding mountains. In 1927, our poor dear guest Lyle passed away peacefully in his sleep, and the cleaners found him in his bed with a box of dynamite under it, a remnant of his life’s work that was left unfinished. Since then, he has cheerfully haunted that room in our hotel.
Ghost hunters and guests have seen doors opening and closing of their own accord, cosmetics on the counter pushed onto the floor, lights turning off and on for no reason, or even the water faucets turning off and on without anyone around. Don’t be alarmed, though; Lyle is a friendly ghost and keeps his activities minimal. We like to think he’s just welcoming you to our haunted hotel in California with a friendly little prank!
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