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Beautiful in 2025 This is how the National Exchange Hotel looked, on our recent visit in May.  Not terribly long ago, the hotel completed a 3-year renovation. 2013 The grand old hotel was green, when we passed through town, over a decade before.  The exterior with tall windows and balconies, looked pretty inviting. We were staying elsewhere, but headed inside to have a look. Inside Peek in 2013 The interior was not so inviting. We climbed some stairs and found a woman at a desk. She told us only a few rooms were being rented out and mostly there were shared bathrooms. I believe the upper floor had been condemned.
We were allowed to peek at the Bridal Suite. There was nothing romantic about the worn wallpaper, carpet and furniture. But, there was something sort of amusing about the space. A console TV! A dramatic plant pedestal. Built 1856 The National Exchange hotel was rather grand, when it opened 169 years ago. By the late 1800s during Gold Rush Era, the hotel was bustling with permanent borders and transient guests.  The 3rd floor offered long term accommodations for wealthy guests, like local mining bosses. Herbert Hoover was once a mining engineer, living at the hotel. The 2nd floor housed the brothels! First Floor The bottom floor once housed a stage coach stop and a bank.  The lower level also housed a post office and one of the early telegraph offices. A lot going on in that building! One Night at The National On May 29, Don and I drove from Sacramento to Nevada City. This time we would stay a night at The National. We needed a fun evening to lift our spirits, after leaving our new grand baby behind. We'd had a magical month with little Nora and her parents. It was hard saying good-bye..  We parked in the lot beside the hotel and entered the front door, where the stagecoach station had once been. Inside Once inside, we passed the staircase on the left. Same stairs we'd climbed 12 years before, to find the lobby desk.
On the landing we spotted a display of old Hotel Register books. Was Hoover's name in there? Mark Twain? Ulysses S. Grant? All past guests! New Lobby Don checked in at the desk in the newly renovated downstairs lobby.  I admired the Victorian parlor furniture and the fabulous wallpaper designs. Lion faces peeked out at the end of every armrest.
Some faces were more worn than others, depending on how easily a hand could reach the carved lion... while resting an arm on the red velvet. Second Floor We were given Room 206. One of now 38 guest rooms. It was on the second floor, across from a dimly lit sitting area and stairway.
I climbed the stairs to the third floor just for fun. The banister felt well-worn and the steps felt a bit slanty-crooked. I love old stairs!  Did the Ladies of the Night stay put on their second floor? Or did they sneak up those stairs? Room 207 I really wanted room 207, with the lion door knocker. Originally this door didn't lead to a guest room, it led to a sky bridge, which was connected to an annex.
From the side parking lot, you can see the annex is gone. The small balcony now belongs Room 207. Guests long ago found an enclosed walkway, instead of a balcony. It took them to the annex. Annex and Sky Walk I'm not sure when the annex was added, with its fancy little walkway. But when it opened, the 2-part hotel suddenly held 100 guest rooms.
This old postcard shows the annex on the far left. A snazzy turret tops part of the structure.  The annex disappeared in the 1960s, when Hwy 49 came through. The pointed turret was rescued. I found it on a building, behind the hotel. Room 206 We had no door knocker for our room, but there was a lovely old photograph near our door. A flashlight could have helped me enjoy some of the artwork and wallpaper designs in the hall.  Our room was beautifully renovated and also very small. But we went for a bargain price. $135. before fees.  The queen bed was lovely, with comfy linens. The antique headboard was pretty, but a little wobbly.  Don rates hotel chairs and he gave the soft green one an A for comfort. Luckily I don't mind lounging on the bed. Only 1 chair.  We did have 2 sweet tables and 2 lamps. Don got the retro phone. I got the retro radio, which played a little soft classical for me! The teeny radiator was cute! The tea kettle and cups, were nice.
A beautiful tall door opened to our teeny bathroom. We were glad to have a bathroom of any size, since guests long ago had to go down the hall to find one. The tall frosted window filled the small room with light.
The pretty mirror also enlarged the space... and showed off the exposed brick. Nicely done. Outside Space In the back of the hotel we found some sitting areas that were pleasant.
The hotel is built next to a hill, so the rear entrance brought us directly to the second floor. No elevators at The National, so this was a handy entrance when lugging bags. The best seating was on the second floor veranda. We had a nice view overlooking Broad Street and all the old buildings.  The floor to ceiling windows were fun. Iron shutters were added at some point, to guard against fire.  We enjoyed veranda time in the afternoon, after dark and in the morning! Nora Moon Surprise One of the nicest moments on the veranda was at dusk, when I looked up and saw a sliver of moon, smiling beside the building.  Exactly a month before, I'd seen a similar "moon-smile", on the night before baby Nora was born in Sacramento. Here it was May 29 and we'd just said good-bye hours before. A new Nora Moon was smiling on us, the evening before her 1-month birthday! Hotel Saloon After sunset, we made our way to The National Bar, conveniently located just below us.
The hotel's saloon was originally located upstairs, along with the brothels. This first floor space had once been the telegraph office. At some point, the saloon moved downstairs.  Today's backbar is old, but not original. Evidently during Prohibition, some feisty characters broke the front windows and pulled the bar out into the street. I loved the clever repurposing of old hotel radiators!  They don't produce heat anymore, but they do hold up the current bar. Ladies of the West The saloon had cozy seating options, besides stools. The classy booths beneath the framed classy lady portraits, looked very comfy.
I wish I could have learned the history behind all the photos of the women who decorated the bar. There were dozens of nicely displayed portraits... of women, with stories to tell. Celtic Night We lucked out with our Thursday night stay. It was Celtic Sessions Night, which meant a group of about 10 musicians filled the Bar, with music and song.  It felt like we were hanging out in someone's home, as this talented group entertained us... and themselves. Lively fiddles, flutes and drums, made me want to jig! Sobering ballads changed the mood quickly... harp, violin, guitar. Food & Drink Along with music, we enjoyed Guinness Beer and a shared platter of fish & chips! We watched the bar gradually fill. Locals we assumed, since many greeted the musicians and each other.  We watched the performers casually come and go. Grabbing a drink, or a quick bite... switching instruments. I was envious of the talent and camaraderie. "The Parting Glass" At 8, the group was ready for their final song. They put instruments down and stood with drinks in hand. Their voices (along with many around them) sang a traditional song, similar to Auld Lang Syne.  The song ended with sounds of glasses clinking, all around us. Such a sweet ending to our evening. Good Night Before turning in, I had to step out and see the hotel at night.  I was surprised there were no spotlights. Just some glowing mounted fixtures and lit up windows.  Looking further down Broad Street, I saw white lights outlining the buildings. I spotted that sweet Nora Moon, again. Good Morning Grand Lounge Sunshine woke us early. We headed for the second floor lounge before 7.  The glamorous decor seemed more suited for a nighttime event, but the morning sunlight made the space welcoming. A coffee bar was set up on the nearby counter, which had been the lobby desk, in 2013.  Don and I helped ourselves to complimentary coffee and banana bread treats. We did not grab any of the non-coffee liquids further back!  We chose a table near the stairs. Stairs that had been in a movie once. Not Paul Newman or Tom Hanks... A Hallmark movie, starring Ed Asner. Debbie... Lola After lounging a bit, I went down those stairs to ask for restaurant suggestions. Debbie at the lobby desk ended up being my private tour guide! First she showed me Lola, the hotel's upscale restaurant that serves a fabulous brunch.  I was impressed with the appearance. The plush tufted seating reminded me of a classy cafe in Paris. I've read excellent reviews.  The mirrors and lighting were bright and modern, but the restaurant was named for a 19th century performer, who was as wild as the Wild West. Lola Montez is a name worth Googling! History Debbie seemed excited when I started asking questions. She took me in a room, off the back of Lola's. The restaurant space had been a bank at one time, so it wasn't surprising to find a vault. But the mini vault within the vault was a fun surprise to me.
A fireplace across from the vault added a homey touch. This room is now used for events, I believe. Martini Shakers The saloon was dark in the morning, but Debbie wanted to show me around. "Let's wake her up!" She said, flipping on the lights. She showed me something I'd missed the night before. A wall case, with an amazing display of martini shakers.
The shaker shaped like a snowman was my favorite. Evidently some other past "guests" had their favorites and took them. Debbie said a couple of the solid silver shakers walked away. The case has been locked since. Upstairs We headed up the stairs to the second floor, to see where the saloon had originally been. A horse supposedly once climbed those stairs to pay a visit to the saloon.
We walked through the lounge and entered a room that made me think of champagne and wedding receptions. It was hard to whiskey and miners , back in the Gold Rush days. Or horses... Image in the Mirror I was eager to see one last thing before Debbie had to get back to the desk. She took me to a hall and asked me to look into a mirror attached to a table.
When I stopped straining so hard, I could suddenly see the face in the glass. A man with a beard and shadowy eyes! Debbie called him Babe Ruth!  And that was the end of my tour! What a treat to have an enthused staff member showing me around. Suddenly it was time to check out and be on our way. What's Notable? We stayed in a sweet North California town, in a beautifully renovated historic hotel. The evening in the bar with food and music, was unforgettable. Lounging on the veranda was relaxing and pleasant.  Our room was lovely and comfy, but next time we'd probably pay a little more for a larger room. Maybe one with its own veranda!
Having a spontaneous tour with Debbie was an added perk. We didn't end up dining at Lola, but I have a feeling we'll be back! A better than expected stay!
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Ninety Notable
Nights My New Year's Resolution for 2014 was to start documenting some of the memorable overnights I've had in some very odd and curious motels and hotels. Like the adventures in my Dining Blog, I have learned to enjoy the surprises that happen when you step out of the comfort zone, far away from the well-known chains. I began with a few entries recalling my very first home away from home memories from my youth. Then, I started sharing about some of the quirky and unforgettable motels, hotels and inns that my husband and I have discovered in recent years. The best part about this challenge was making some lists with Don and getting on the road in search of new overnight adventures. I gave myself a 2-year goal to write up 90 stories and the goal was met. Now we just keep on adding! Archives
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