Where to stay in Fresno?
Aug 12, 2019, 11:53 am
#2
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,854
If anyone knows of a really nice hotel in Fresno, they will truly amaze and please me on the rare occasion when I find myself needing to stay overnight in the city.
Don't expect much!
Ditto for Bakersfield, by the way.
Don't expect much!
Ditto for Bakersfield, by the way.
Aug 12, 2019, 12:31 pm
#3
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
Programs: Former UA Premex, now dirt
Posts: 6,531
You won't find any really high end stays but there are a few "decent" places. I think it might depend on where you want to stay. The Hilton-branded property in Fresno is a Double Tree, right next to the Convention Center. There is a new Hilton Garden Inn in Clovis, which is the adjacent city, about 20 minutes from downtown Fresno. There is a pretty nice Fairfield by Marriott across the street from the airport and a Courtyard by Marriott on Shaw Avenue, which is near Fresno State.. Any of those should be ok. I'd stay away from any of the properties along US 99 or SR 41/Blackstone Avenue.
https://www.google.com/travel/hotels...AxOS0wOC0xNlIA
https://www.google.com/travel/hotels...AxOS0wOC0xNlIA
Aug 12, 2019, 12:37 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
Programs: Former UA Premex, now dirt
Posts: 6,531
It just occurred to me you might be looking for someplace to stay while visiting the nearby mountain areas. If so, I'd recommend the airport area or Clovis, both of which make for easier access to the mountains. The downtown properties would be a pain in the tookus navigating in and out of town.
Aug 12, 2019, 1:05 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 512
You won't find any really high end stays but there are a few "decent" places. I think it might depend on where you want to stay. The Hilton-branded property in Fresno is a Double Tree, right next to the Convention Center. There is a new Hilton Garden Inn in Clovis, which is the adjacent city, about 20 minutes from downtown Fresno. There is a pretty nice Fairfield by Marriott across the street from the airport and a Courtyard by Marriott on Shaw Avenue, which is near Fresno State.. Any of those should be ok. I'd stay away from any of the properties along US 99 or SR 41/Blackstone Avenue.
https://www.google.com/travel/hotels...AxOS0wOC0xNlIA
https://www.google.com/travel/hotels...AxOS0wOC0xNlIA
Aug 12, 2019, 9:31 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Central California and on the Road
Posts: 297
The properties east of Freeway 41 at the Herndon exit are also all fine, that puts you near the RiverPark shopping area for some restaurant choices. Just avoid the properties with Blackstone addresses.
At the 41/Herndon exit you'll find a Homewood and Hampton from Hilton's portfolio. The Marriott properties at that exit are just a SpringHill and TownePlace.
There is also a recently opened new-build Hyatt Place and a few other hotels in that 41/Herndon area.
Wherever you stay, consider a dinner reservation (very necessary) at The Annex Kitchen on Shaw Avenue. It has gotten raves from both the Food Network's Simon Majumdar and Tyler Florence.
At the 41/Herndon exit you'll find a Homewood and Hampton from Hilton's portfolio. The Marriott properties at that exit are just a SpringHill and TownePlace.
There is also a recently opened new-build Hyatt Place and a few other hotels in that 41/Herndon area.
Wherever you stay, consider a dinner reservation (very necessary) at The Annex Kitchen on Shaw Avenue. It has gotten raves from both the Food Network's Simon Majumdar and Tyler Florence.
Aug 22, 2019, 2:02 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: MKE, formerly the closest FT-er to LAX
Programs: Marriott Gold. Usually WN or DL if in the air.
Posts: 704
I've stayed at the DT downtown and the HGI in Clovis. Both are good choices. The DT is within walking distance to a good local craft brewery (Tioga-Sequoia) and the minor league baseball park, if either of those things are appealing to you.
Oct 7, 2019, 1:29 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2019
Programs: Marriott Titanium; WN A-list; UA Silver
Posts: 481
The best hotel option near Fresno is to stay in Visalia at the Marriott, but hardly convenient (Visalia is about as nice as valley towns get, it even has trees).
I tend to stay at the SHS or the Fairfield in Clovis. There's not really any great FS properties in Fresburg, and everything is amazingly overpriced.
I tend to stay at the SHS or the Fairfield in Clovis. There's not really any great FS properties in Fresburg, and everything is amazingly overpriced.
Dec 10, 2019, 12:56 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: MDW/ORD
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I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express on the south side of town near 99 and the In N Out. It is a decent hotel (with a weekday social hour), but it is in a bad location with a lot homeless and a seedy motel in the same parking lot. It's also right next to 99 so rooms on that side of the building are noisy. Another negative that any decent restaurants are all on the other side of town.
A better Holiday Inn Express is the one on Shaw Ave in Clovis, just off 168. All rooms are recently renovated with the new HIE interiors and it is good location for restaurants.
A better Holiday Inn Express is the one on Shaw Ave in Clovis, just off 168. All rooms are recently renovated with the new HIE interiors and it is good location for restaurants.
Dec 12, 2019, 8:51 am
#10
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The best hotel option near Fresno is to stay in Visalia at the Marriott, but hardly convenient (Visalia is about as nice as valley towns get, it even has trees).
I tend to stay at the SHS or the Fairfield in Clovis. There's not really any great FS properties in Fresburg, and everything is amazingly overpriced.
I tend to stay at the SHS or the Fairfield in Clovis. There's not really any great FS properties in Fresburg, and everything is amazingly overpriced.
I've stayed in several hotels in Fresno and Clovis, all of which were decent, but it's been a few years, so my info may not be up to date. Also, I found them to be reasonably priced at the time, so if they are "amazingly overpriced," maybe things have really changed.
Dec 13, 2019, 9:07 am
#11
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Central California and on the Road
Posts: 297
The new Hyatt Place in Fresno received a good detailed review last week. It is one of several new properties from different portfolios that opened in 2019.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt...l#post31798244
There are an additional 2,000 new hotel rooms currently under construction or nearing ground breaking in the Fresno/Clovis area.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt...l#post31798244
There are an additional 2,000 new hotel rooms currently under construction or nearing ground breaking in the Fresno/Clovis area.
Dec 13, 2019, 11:12 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2019
Programs: Marriott Titanium; WN A-list; UA Silver
Posts: 481
^^^^^^
And it is really needed. Honestly, the entire central valley outside of Bakersfield and Visalia are really underserved. I have issues gettin rooms near Chowchilla at reasonable rates.
Hence the "hardly convenient."
I often find hotels more expensive in Fresno than San Luis Obispo or San Diego and less nice. Few of them, if any, are full service. Basically Fresno has become overflow for Yosemite, which has jacked the rates. Its better than merced though.
And it is really needed. Honestly, the entire central valley outside of Bakersfield and Visalia are really underserved. I have issues gettin rooms near Chowchilla at reasonable rates.
I wouldn't consider a place that is 45 - 50 miles away from Fresno to be "near" Fresno. That's somewhat like saying San Jose is "near" San Francisco. From a global perspective, it's true, but otherwise....
I've stayed in several hotels in Fresno and Clovis, all of which were decent, but it's been a few years, so my info may not be up to date. Also, I found them to be reasonably priced at the time, so if they are "amazingly overpriced," maybe things have really changed.
I've stayed in several hotels in Fresno and Clovis, all of which were decent, but it's been a few years, so my info may not be up to date. Also, I found them to be reasonably priced at the time, so if they are "amazingly overpriced," maybe things have really changed.
I often find hotels more expensive in Fresno than San Luis Obispo or San Diego and less nice. Few of them, if any, are full service. Basically Fresno has become overflow for Yosemite, which has jacked the rates. Its better than merced though.
Dec 14, 2019, 4:50 am
#13
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….
Hence the "hardly convenient."
I often find hotels more expensive in Fresno than San Luis Obispo or San Diego and less nice. Few of them, if any, are full service. Basically Fresno has become overflow for Yosemite, which has jacked the rates. Its better than merced though.
Hence the "hardly convenient."
I often find hotels more expensive in Fresno than San Luis Obispo or San Diego and less nice. Few of them, if any, are full service. Basically Fresno has become overflow for Yosemite, which has jacked the rates. Its better than merced though.
To me, "full service" often ends up meaning overpriced and lacking in things that I really want -- such as an included breakfast (either for all guests or for guests with some level of status, such as myself).
I'm surprised that Fresno/Clovis is sometimes more expensive than SLO or SD though. So, maybe things really have changed since I last stayed in that area!
