A relatively new hotel has opened that is an excellent choice for people exploring Redwood National Park. It's the Holiday Inn Express in Klamath, CA, approximately halfway between Eureka and Crescent City. The hotel is owned by the Yoruk tribe, which also operates the adjoining small casino and Abalone restaurant.

We recently had the opportunity to stay there and found the hotel to be well-maintained and nicely decorated with Yoruk artworks and photography. The casino is limited to slot machines and, like the hotel, is completely nonsmoking. The restaurant was decent.

The motel offerings in many smaller Redwood coast communities are dated and spartan (some would say dismal), and the Klamath IHG property is a nice addition to the region, and comes with my recommendations. The pricing is relatively high (about $175/night), likely reflecting the superior nature of the facility.