Amargosa Opera House
About this motel
Located in Death Valley, this attractive motel for $107 per night is a fantastic option for your next vacation. Motel in Death Valley with free parking This motel features a microwave in a common area, a refrigerator in a common area, and tour/ticket assistance. Free WiFi in public areas and free self parking are also provided. Other amenities include a picnic area and gift shops/newsstands. Amargosa Opera House offers 18 accommodations with air conditioning. This Death Valley motel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Bathrooms include showers. Housekeeping is provided daily.
Amenities
Air conditioner
Kitchen / Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Parking
Map of Death Valley, CA
Reviews
3.6/5.0
Good(783 Reviews)
5.0
For being more than 100 years old it was good.
The tour of the opera house was superb. Good presentation and a well prepared talk.
3.0
As a hotel, the Amargosa is a fine museum. I stayed there mainly to learn about its history, and I'm glad I did. But the guest rooms are small and plain, it takes 15 minutes to get hot water and the hallway is filled with peculiar smells. Again, I understand it's an historic property and I don't mean to complain, but the conditions are what they are.
3.0
The hotel is worn down, but they staff is trying to keep it going and we found it quiet and peaceful. Just a bit rugged, but considering it's in the middle of the 'high desert' it serves a practical and peaceful respite.
4.0
I'd go back just because it's so different. Very authentic desert vibes because all of the town and half of the hotel are in ruins. No TV - they have a small library and museum instead. The website says to watch out for scorpions and such. The plumbing is really old and tricky to use. Tip for the shower: left (hot) all the way on, wait forever for it, open cold and close hot to just barely cracked.
I spent a lot of time walking around the town and also went out to the graveyard there. They do tours of the opera house twice a day for $15 - I'd imagine it would be cool to do the 6pm tour in midwinter when it's dark out. The place is also supposed to be haunted and definitely feels that way. I had a room by myself and didn't see anything though.
Highly recommend nearby Ash Meadows wildlife refuge. Check out their visitor center.
Note the cafe is closed for good post-covid. No breakfast in the hotel, only coffee, advise bring your own creamer; they have one fridge and a microwave. Bring your own food or else drive 30 min to Shoshone or 10 min to Long Street casino.
The hotel is run by a small nonprofit and they seem to be struggling to maintain it. It was also damaged by recent flooding. Expect lots of dust, rust, peeling paint and weird smells. They do apparently take donations on their website.
Overall I liked it, just do NOT expect a normal hotel experience here.
4.0
My family made quite a few memories with our three night stay at Amargosa. My kiddo enjoyed looking for ghosts. It's relatively close to Death Valley, and there's a few places within a half hour drive to get food/decent priced gas.
That said, Amargosa Hotel is not for anyone with a strong sense of smell or anyone looking for amenities. If you're just looking for a bed near Death Valley (in a maybe haunted hotel) and some friendly front desk folks for a night, this is the hotel for you.
No TVs in the rooms, there is no food/drinks available there except coffee in the mornings, half the hotel is boarded up with no access, the tiles and carpets are falling apart, the cafe closed down with COVID, the paint is peeling from the exterior, the water is either boiling hot or quite cold, and there is a constant incredibly strong smell of sewage throughout, including in our room.
We had a decent time here but would not return because of the pungent, terrible smell.
5.0
You don't visit the Amargosa hotel for the amenities. You visit for the experience, the history, and quirkiness. If you're looking for something "nice" then this is not for you. If you're afraid of bugs/crawly things (roaches, spiders, solfugids, scorpions etc.) then skip it. If you're interested in quirky, remote historic (ghost?) towns and you're not concerned about some peeling paint, cracked sidewalks, and can tolerate the smell for short time you are in the in the lobby and hall, then this is an awesome place to spend some time. It absolutely needs some work but I would eagerly stay there again without question.
Pros:
Clean
Comfortable beds
Extremely friendly staff
Quiet
Interesting history
Apparently haunted, if your into that.
Cons:
Very run down (but it's 100 yrs old!}
Lobby and hall stink
Thin walls
Hot water takes 15 to heat up
Apparently haunted, if you're not into that
5.0
The WiFi was slow. Had to turn the shower on for 15 minutes in order to get hot water. There’s a musty smell to the carpet. The paint is peeling off the walls. The building is about 100 years old, so that’s to be expected.
But I could care less about that. This hotel has more character and charm than any that I’ve been to. The decor, paintings on the wall, and homage to Marta Becket make it so unique. Visiting Death Valley was memorable, but staying at the hotel made it extra special. If I wanted a stay with all the amenities, I’d stay at a chain hotel and spend twice the price - but it wouldn’t be as lovely or as memorable as this place.
1.0
No tv, refrigerator or accurate description of room location and checkout process
2.0
It was a really neat place to stay. Lots of history. Awesome tour, the opera house is beautiful.
The plumbing was 100 years old and it smelled like it died 50 years ago. The bathroom needed a remodel. I feel like we will be some of the last people to stay here. We didnt see any ghosts, tg but it was eerie. Beds were really comfortable, clean and warm. Really nice and knowledgeable front desk staff. It really was what we expected.
2.0
We enjoyed the tour of the opera house and the friendly host.
2.0
Had rained so much we weren't allowed to view the opera house and water was so deep it was over our shoes so we were afraid of getting stuck. Manager said she was leaving at 8pm and to call if any trouble arose. I wasn't going to wade through the mud and water to bring our stuff in.
2.0
Arrived late and no one on duty. Room is dirty, damp and the bathroom is moldy. I could havr overlooked the obvious signs of age but this place is unsafe. My son was wheezing the minute we got into the room,
6.0
It's a love/hate experience with the Amargosa. The history of the place is fascinating and it definitely has not been renovated so you will get the real experience of what it has been like there for the last hundred years. They recently had a flood but it didn't affect the rooms. However, they weren't doing tours of the opera house which was our entire reason for staying here for 2 nights. It seemed to be accessible as we walked right up to the front doors on the walkway and peeked in the hole of the door and lights were on. Even though we asked at the front desk if we could have a look, the answer was no. So that was disappointing. The rooms are passable and ours had newer carpet with new beds with clean and new sheets. They were comfortable. The bathroom had a new toilet and sink but was otherwise a disaster - tiles missing, plaster peeling to the cement wall. I fear that if no work is done on this place soon it will fall into further disrepair. The art in the hallways is peeling too. Overall, cool place to stay for a night but not longer.
2.0
All was good except that it had been raining before I got there and the parking lot was deep in mud. I was scared my car would get stuck but luckily that didn’t happen.
Because of the rain the opera house was not open to the public and that was a bummer and this was a surprise.
That being said, this is a great option if you’re visiting Death Valley. Clean, convenient and great value not to mention such a unique place.
Would love to come back and check out the opera house
3.0
Amazing place and my favorite stay on the trip. You can tell the hotel has history and atmosphere is incomparable. Dealing with a few inconveniences like old plumbing system was well worth the ambiance and a quiet night in a warm bed. Definitely take the tour of the opera house! Looking forward to going back next year!
10.0
The stuff was very friendly. Regarding some issues mentioned in old comments, as of our stay the mat seems have been replaced and the hot water came out immediately. There is indeed a minor host spring-like smell in the building at the beginning though. Given the price and the location I consider it worth it.
3.0
An amazing historical building with comfy beds! Quiet and super close to Death Valley National Park. So much art and history and a lil library nook. 7 miles from a great diner. The staff are friendly and helpful and knowledgeable. We will definitely be stayi g again!
2.0
Expedia is not supportive in customer relationship.
2.0
It was terrible that we couldn’t stay there.
When we arrived it was completely locked and I was looking for around area to find a building that it was very very old and inhabitant. I had to leave there although I didn’t want to cancel. It was interesting that we are the ONLY guest at the hotel and it was not safe and very dirty so we left, but she charged us for one night around $106. Her excuse was you are going to cancel on 12/25 that it is late!!!!!!!! That area was not look like the picture in internet. I took a picture of that area if you need it to send you !
3.0
Definitely no-frills but very clean and a great experience mainly because of Marta Becket's legacy... a fascinating woman whose spirit is still very present here. Highly recommended to any creative person exploring the area and looking for something unusual and memorable.
10.0
Always wanted to stay here, had heard about the ballerina who danced even if there was no audience (who passed in 2017) for years. Experience was awesome. Hotel is pretty run down but rooms were clean and location is perfect. Will come again.
6.0
Ghosty hotel in an abandoned town.
5.0
The slide lock on outside door was broken. Tile in bathroom broken. No hot water til water was running for 15 minutes. Hallway cold, damp & dingy.
The staff was fantastic in answering questions & helping with my needs.
5.0
Tired buildings but friendly and informative staff and the building has a fascinating history - definitely do a morning or evening tour. Amazing. A quirky and unique place well worth stopping at
2.0
Desolate looking property. Old piping produced a horrible smell that lasted throughout the stay.
1.0
This property should be closed ASAP. It looks like a health hazard. Very stinky Carpets, cracked and paint peeling off walls
2.0
Didn't get the room I paid for---as a queen instead of a kind bed---no hot water unless it ran for 20 minutes and then no cold water no coffee or tea service as listed
3.0
The history and location were great. The room was clean and quiet. The smell of the hallways and lobby was horrible. The king size bed was really a queen. There was no hot water the first night but there was hot water the second night. Another guest had no hot water either the first night. The hallways and common area are not heated.
1.0
Overpriced for what you get. The hotel is charming but it needs a humongous makeover. Be aware that you need to drive 10-15 min to get to a shop for buying food/drinks.
Positive side is thag the hotel is close to death valley
5.0
once in a kind experience
5.0
The Amargosa Opera House is a one-of-a-kind outpost in a very rustic and mostly uninhabited area next to Death Valley National Park. It's a perfect place to stay if you want to visit the park as the entrance is just down the road a ways. We had a wonderful tour with Tabitha who gave us a lot of history of Death Valley Junction and Marta Beckett. The opera house is a feat of imagination and vision. For anyone who is an artist or dreams of being one, Marta is a wonderful inspiration.
Someone asked if it is haunted... All I can say is if ghosts are real, Marta is certainly a benevolent spirit floating around the place.
5.0
Such a unique and interesting place. Well worth it
2.0
There was no hot water, the blanker was not warm enough, the toilet smalls.
1.0
The building was the dream of its owner but now is the nightmare of guests. The building is in very bad shape and either needs to be repaired or torn down. It could be a Museum but IMO not a hotel. No value for the price you pay. There is a better hotel about a mile from this hotel that is cheaper and offers a real hotel experience. My wife felt unsafe because of the condition of the structure in an earthquake prone area.
2.0
The building was a lovely historic building. But it was not clean. Our bathroom smelled like sewage and permeated most of the building. We were able to use it as a place to sleep and got out of there first thing in the morning.
5.0
This is a unique place and should be on the itinerary for every traveler to this area. An inspirational experience. 5/5 stars
5.0
Love the history of this old hotel. Make sure you take the guided tour of the opera house!
3.0
Our stay was right after flooding in the area so you could see signs of clean up.
Experience was a good one history of the area preserved. Remember you are traveling back in time.
5.0
Even though I rated the condition inside and out as medium... I still thought it was perfect, as the property is so unique, and the shape of the property is part of its story and charm. Changing it too much would move it away from its perfection and rich story.
5.0
We loved this charming hotel. The history, beautiful artwork and surprising opera house made this stay a memorable one that we will always talk about. Hopefully, we can get back again soon!
FAQs
How much does this motel cost compared to others in Death Valley?
The average price for a rental in Death Valley is $107 per night. This rental is $0 less expensive than the average.
Is parking included with this motel?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Amargosa Opera House. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this motel?
We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this motel. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.
Is Amargosa Opera House pet friendly?
Unfortunately, this motel is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"
What amenities are available at Amargosa Opera House?
We found 4 amenities for this rental. This includes air conditioner, kitchen / kitchenette, internet / wifi, and parking.
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