Good Hotels in Fresno, CA
First, is the Hampton Inn and Suites, located just off of Highway 41 and Herndon Avenue. From this location, you’re no further than 15-20 minutes away from any Fresno or Clovis location. However, there are no shops or restaurants close enough to walk to; there are several eateries and a large shopping center within a five minute drive. The Hampton Inn is almost two years old, and Jennifer, the GM, and Martha, her Executive Housekeeper and their staff will take very good care of you. Rooms include coffeemakers, irons, cable TV, high-speed internet access and a complimentary movie channel. As of this writing (Sept. ’06) local calls are also free. An excellent hot breakfast is provided in their spacious lobby every morning and coffee and other drinks are always available. There is a business center, fitness room and a swimming pool on the property. They have a meeting room that can be converted into smaller rooms as necessary. (Visit their website at www.hamptoninn.hilton.com)
Next is the Best Western Cole in Clovis. This is the hotel my family stays at whenever they visit me – I live about 15 minutes east of here. It’s not quite as convenient as being in Fresno, but with Freeway 168 less than five minutes away, you can reach most Fresno locations within 15-20 minutes. This charming hotel is located right in the middle of Old Town Clovis, less than a block away from antique and gift shops and restaurants. The rooms offer coffee makers, irons, desks, and cable TV along with the usual hotel amenities. There is also a continental breakfast served in a small room off the lobby. A swimming pool, fitness room and hot tub are also on the premises. This quaint city also holds weekly Farmer’s Market every Friday night during the summer, a spring and fall craft festival, and three very well known antique shows throughout the year. (Visit www.book.bestwestern.com.)
Nearby is the Comfort Inn and Suites also located in Clovis. This hotel is just over a year old and is about three blocks from Old Town Clovis and Freeway 168. My friends Rick and Brandon, the GM and Assistant GM, and their staff will see to all of your needs. All their rooms include refrigerators, microwaves, desks, cable TV, and free high-speed internet access. Local calls are at no charge as of this writing (Sept. ’06). They also offer a continental breakfast in a room off the lobby. They have a fitness room and a swimming pool also on the property. Pets are not allowed at this property. (See their website at www.gowestchoicehotels.com.)
All of these properties fill up on a regular basis so please call them and make reservations well in advance of your stay.
The two Clovis properties are especially well located if you’re planning to go to Shaver and/or Huntington Lake. Shaver Lake is just over half an hour away from Clovis. The Hampton Inn and Suites is within a mile of the highway which takes you to Yosemite National Park. The park is about 90 minutes from Fresno.
Fresno has many good restaurants and shopping centers you might choose to visit while you’re in the area. Riverpark is a large outdoor shopping center with Gottschalk’s, Cost Plus, Target, the JC Penney Homestore, and Border’s as their anchor stores along with 10+ restaurants, a movie theatre and over 20 unique shops. Riverpark is on Blackstone Avenue about two blocks north of Herndon. Fashion Fair, at Shaw and Fresno Streets is one of our indoor malls and includes Gottschalk’s, Penney’s and Macy’s along with about 50 other shops. Restaurants here include The Cheesecake Factory and BJ’s Brewhouse. The Sierra Vista Mall in Clovis at Shaw Avenue, offers a Gottschalk’s, Sears, Target, 20+ other shops and a few restaurants – try Hungry Bear Cookies here – they’re great.
We have many franchise restaurants in the area – Red Lobster, Macaroni Grill, Marie Callendar’s and Hooters just to name a few. But, I’d suggest some of our local eateries instead. Any of the DiCicco’s Restaurants are very good – my favorite is the one on Blackstone near Barstow Avenue. Luna’s in Old Town Clovis is excellent and the new Victorian Tea House on Pollasky Avenue in Old Town Clovis is fun for lunch. (I think they might be open for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights.) Cool Hand Luke’s is very good for steak and similar and quite reasonable, and Toledo’s has good Mexican food; both of these are located on Shaw Avenue in Clovis.
There are several golf courses in the area and nearby lakes for fishing, boating and other water sports. Table Mountain Casino is about 20 minutes away and Chukchansi Gold Casino is about 50 minutes away. We also have two very popular water parks – The Island, on Freeway 99 at Shaw, and Wild Water Adventures in Clovis, about six miles east of downtown Clovis.
Please plan on visiting us soon.
