The National Exchange Hotel
🌟 National Exchange Hotel, 211 Broad Street, Nevada City, California 🌟
🛏️ Number of rooms & suites: 38
💰 Price: Stay in affordably and in style in California’s Gold Country. If your travel schedule is flexible (outside of weekends/holidays), you could secure a decent deal here, with prices varying by room type. It’s best to check ahead, however, you can expect a range from around $150 to more than $350 per night.
📚 Why book: Stepping into the National Exchange Hotel in Nevada City, California, feels like crossing a gilded portal into the 1850s, when gold dust glittered on miners’ boots and legends were minted in whiskey and sweat. Restored with care, this historic Gold Rush hotel is full of eye candy. I wandered and wondered about who had walked the halls, and who still does. I couldn’t get enough of the old photos and bold wallpaper blooming with vintage florals, different from one room to the next. The creaking staircases are crooked from a century of footfalls, and each guest room tells its own story of the past while welcoming today’s travelers with large beds, luxury linens, and all the touches you want from a hotel room, like WiFi, minibars, and bathrobes to lounge around in. Staying here isn’t just lodging; it’s an immersion into the heartbeat of Gold Rush folklore, where every corridor seems to hum with the echoes of Nevada City’s golden age (and maybe a ghost or two). The 2nd Floor Grand Lounge is impressive, featuring a massive gold (of course) sofa perfect for quiet drinks with friends, as well as an outdoor balcony overlooking Broad Street.
🧀 Dining: . Lola, the hotel’s restaurant, serves seasonal dishes that blend rustic California fare with an elegant touch. This was my favorite meal in the area, and the menu is filled with grilled meats (I had the pork tenderloin, which was melt-in-your-mouth good), starters like French onion soup, and side dishes including Brussels sprouts, which were delicious. The main plates are copious. I could have easily split my meal. Although you can dine in Lola’s main dining room, you can also choose one of the booths in the hotel bar, aka The Nash, which I did because it felt a little moodier and more romantic. And speaking of bars, this one exudes an old-world charm, with brass fixtures gleaming beneath warm light, craft cocktails poured with precision and expertise, and live music on Monday nights that draws a fun crowd of locals and guests.
🗺️ Neighborhood: In the heart of downtown Nevada City, one of California’s best-preserved Gold Rush towns, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Wander Broad Street with its retro shops, the Mine Shaft Saloon, and other hip cafes and restaurants. Before I left Nevada City, I had breakfast and coffee at Heartwood—- the best!!
👀 Nearby attractions: The Nevada Theatre, California’s oldest continuously operating theatre, built 1865, Empire Mine Historic Park, South Yuba River State Park, especially in Spring when the wildflowers bloom, Nevada City Winery and Lucchessi Mill Street Tasting Room for a taste of Gold Country wines. You could also take this self-guided ghost tour around town ($10) and get to know local lore. Nevada City is about a 2.5-hour drive from San Francisco, so you could make it a long day trip.
💫 Highlights: Superb bar and restaurant, parking for guests, location in the heart of historic Nevada City and Gold Country.
❤️ My heartthrobs: Monday night music in the bar with a fantastic local band; the 2nd floor lounge and balcony. The wallpaper (I love it!).
💔 My heartbreaks: Stairs. With no elevator in the building, staying overnight could be difficult for travelers with mobility challenges. However, the bar and restaurant are on the ground level, so those can still be enjoyed.
Gold Rush-era style and cozy corners inside the National Exchange Hotel
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