Enjoyed the hotel - Matt. Date of travel: Aug 2008
Stayed one night and most the following day in August at the Westin Monache Hotel. Arrived late in the evening and staff was very friendly and helpful with getting us parked and set up for the night. Hotel and room (bed & sofa/sleeper) smelled new and clean with relaxing atmosphere. Fished early and returned to grab the family for an alpine lake hike. Stumbled back to fall in the spacious pool and spa with enough time to catch a fabulous happy hour at the restaurant. Took care of the bellman for storing the luggage and bailed out to continue our trip north to Donner Lake. Really worth the stop in Mammoth and the Westin delivered!

Change the sheets! - Joe. Date of travel: Feb 2008
This was my first time staying in a new hotel... and it was a bad idea. The Westin Monache opened in December ’07 and we went there in February ‘08. It’s less than 2 months old. It’s a beautiful building right near The Village, which is down the road from Mammoth’s canyon lodge. Unfortunately they are still in the testing phase... and I mean literally! When we first walked into the hotel the emergency lights were flashing throughout the hotel - like a strobe-light in a disco - and they quickly became very annoying. One worker remarked he had a migraine from them. We were informed there was a test in progress and it would be over soon. The test lasted around 5 hours. Not the best way to start off your stay! Our room (which was a studio, not one of the 1 or 2 bedrooms offered) was nice, but clumsy with some odd design choices. First, it was narrow. Bed and couch on the same wall opposite an electric fireplace and TV, which was on a small 3 drawer dresser… the only dresser in the room! There was a small 4 foot closet tightly situated next to the bed. Very awkward. This room, as do all rooms, features a deluxe kitchenette, which has a cook top, microwave, refrigerator with icemaker, sink, and dishwasher! Entirely unnecessary, I thought. That space could have been used for more clothes storage, etc. However, I later heard that you can purchase these units, so a kitchenette then makes sense. But still, it is clumsy and awkward to see it take up so much space. The most disappointing part of the room, however, and the thing that caused me to leave one day early, was the bedding! Yes, you heard me right. Unfortunately, it took me two sleepless nights to figure it out what the problem was. The sheets were like canvas; stiff, crunchy, and non-absorbent. The first night, I thought I was just adjusting to the altitude, so I ignored them. I slept about 4 hours on and off. I felt hot so I cracked the window, then I felt cold and hot! Strange. By the way, the ventilation system was very loud as was the noisiest little fridge I’ve ever heard! The second night I barely slept at all. I was exhausted from the slopes and just wanted to crash but I couldn’t sleep! I realized during the night that I was sweating because the sheets didn’t breathe or absorb in normal moisture. It was like sleeping in a plastic bag. I would pull off the covers to get some air but my chest and legs would get cold, but my back was still hot and wet from sweat! Very poor choice for bedding. I finally complained and was told I wasn’t the only who was having problems with the sheets but that they didn’t have any other options. They said the sheets were a poly-cotton blend and not your typical 100% cotton that most people are used to. They did offer to wash them a half dozen times with fabric softener! However, I declined and left that day absolutely exhausted and too tired to ski again. I was so wiped out! There are a couple of other things I want to mention. First, the hotel sits atop a hill across from the village, which is a collection of shops and restaurants and a gondola that brings you to canyon lodge so you can ski. Very nice. However, to get to it, you have to go down 4 flights of stairs (around 50 steps total I think!) Of course, going down isn’t that bad, but carrying equipment back from the slopes up the steps is not fun or easy! I encountered many people huffing up those steps asking, is there another way to get back up to the hotel? The answer is yes. They have one large shuttle that will take you anywhere in town 24/7 (except at night because the lights were broken!) but it's one big bus for everyone, so you may have to wait at the bottom of those stairs for a while. It’s without doubt a huge design flaw in the hotel. It seems to me a bridge would have been a great option. That gondola is so tantalizing close to the hotel, yet so far away! Second, if you decide to stay there, make sure your room isn’t facing the front of the hotel. The gondola goes right by your window, the driveway is always busy with truck deliveries, trash pickups etc. and you will hear everyone coming back to the hotel at 1am after partying if you’re trying to sleep. Also, ask if both Jacuzzi’s are working! Only one was and it was crowded. Overall, it’s a nice place and the staff was always available and professional but ultimately it’s a new hotel and there are some major kinks to iron out.

Luxury in the great wilderness - Dennis. Date of travel: Dec 2007
I stayed at the Westin Monache for one night. It was very convenient to the village. It was across the street from the gondola. The staff were still figuring things out, but that is to be expected of a new hotel. No major problems. Really loved the location. I would recommend it to anyone who is travelling through Mammoth!!