I stayed here for two nights while visiting the national parks. The location in relation to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks literally can't be beat, and the price was reasonable for the location and the fact that meals are included - a key amenity since there are hardly any other food options in the National Park area. The Lodge facilities cover a large area and include many activities that are mainly geared toward families with kids, as families are a significant portion of their clientele. There's a beautiful lake at the site as well. Check-in was smooth, and although the parking area is a bit far from the rooms, it was possible to unload (and later load) cars at a much closer spot before re-parking them in the main parking area. My room was in the Sugarpine Lodge building, a few hundred feet from the main lodge. The room was small but efficient, with a comfortable bed - as well as a bunk bed for families - and a large bathroom. There was a mini-fridge/freezer, microwave, and coffeemaker in the room. I found that the gas wall furnace wasn't working when I checked into my room, and notified the front desk clerk when I went to the main lodge building for dinner, and they fixed the issue by the time I got back to my room (pilot needed to be lit). After that, the furnace worked fine, which was important since it got below freezing at night in mid-October - glad I brought an ice scraper for my car windows in the mornings! There are no TVs in the rooms at Montecito Sequoia, and there is no cell service there. They do have wifi, though it was rather weak and intermittent in my room. However, the wifi in the main lodge building proved to be much better. One of the daily activities is a casual wine and cheese hour at the main lodge's spacious lounge room. Another was an after-dinner campfire and s'mores. Dinners and breakfasts in the large dining room were surprisingly good - I missed lunch there as I was on the road in the national parks. It's all buffet-style, with plenty of options, including a big salad bar at dinnertime. I really have to hand it to the staff for cooking up such good meals for a large number of people. The tables are all large, which encourages sitting with other people staying at the lodge, and it was fun to talk with several couples and groups who had come there from other parts of the US as well as from other countries. Beer or wine is extra at dinner, but reasonably priced - I got a bottle of Tioga Sequoia Brewing General Sherman IPA both nights I had dinner at the lodge, and it was quite nice. Overall, I was really pleased with my stay at the Montecito Sequoia Lodge. While I know I didn't take full advantage of the many activities there (since so many are family / kid oriented and I was traveling solo) and it's not a particularly cheap stay given the somewhat rustic accommodations, I still felt I got fine value considering the unbeatable location and fun mealtimes. I would not hesitate to stay there again.
