Sugarloaf Mountain Motel
430 S C St
Virginia City, NV
A Miner's Boarding House. A Better Bed.
This property is an Honorable Mention. It has been vetted and approved for our highest standards of cleanliness, safety, and operational excellence. While it is still evolving toward our full design-led designation, it is a proven, reliable anchor for any road trip. We recommend it with confidence.
About Sugarloaf Mountain Motel
The Sugarloaf Mountain Motel has stood on C Street in Virginia City since 1878, when it was built as a boarding house for the miners working the Comstock Lode. Several of the property's rooms retain the original fabric of that boarding house: exposed brick, original rockwork, mortar, and the iron-framed windows that have been here since the year Ulysses Grant was in his second presidential term. The current owners purchased the property after falling for its character, and the reviews reflect their investment: guests consistently describe the Sugarloaf as the most authentic lodging on C Street and praise the hospitality as genuinely personal. An on-site market is available to guests.
What Sugarloaf Mountain Motel Is Known For
The Sugarloaf Mountain Motel has been on C Street since 1878, which means it has been doing this longer than almost any lodging property in Nevada. The owners who chose it for its character have maintained that character rather than renovating past it.
Amenities
- On-site market
- Three rooms in original 1878 boarding house section
What Guests Love
- Three rooms from the original 1878 miner's boarding house, with original brick, rockwork, and iron-framed windows.
- On-site market available to guests.
- The most historically authentic lodging on C Street, per consistent guest accounts.
- Current owners known for genuinely personal hospitality.
- Walking distance to all of Virginia City's major attractions.
Worth Knowing
- The three original boarding house rooms are smaller than modern standard. The historic character is the tradeoff.
- Virginia City is at 6,200 feet elevation.
- The Sugarloaf Market handles basic supplies but is not a full grocery.
The Room
The rooms include three in the original 1878 boarding house section with exposed brick, rockwork, and iron-framed windows. The remaining rooms are in the motel section of the property. All rooms include cable TV, microwave, mini fridge, coffee and tea, and free WiFi. The rooms are clean and well-maintained.
The Grounds
The Sugarloaf Mountain Motel's on-site market provides basic supplies for guests. The property is on C Street, where Piper's Opera House, the Virginia and Truckee Railroad, the Fourth Ward School Museum, and all of Virginia City's saloons and historic storefronts are within easy walking distance.
The Experience
The Sugarloaf Mountain Motel experience is rooted in the genuine age of the property and the care of its owners. Virginia City is an extraordinary historical town, and staying in a building that has been on C Street since 1878 connects a guest to that history in a way that newer renovations cannot replicate. The three boarding house rooms, with their original brick and iron windows, are the most historically immersive rooms on C Street.
Details
Virginia City, NV 89440
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Sugarloaf Mountain Motel have EV charging?
No, Sugarloaf Mountain Motel does not have on-site EV charging. The Road Trip Planner map shows public chargers near the property.
Does Sugarloaf Mountain Motel serve breakfast?
No, breakfast is not included at Sugarloaf Mountain Motel.
What is there to do near Sugarloaf Mountain Motel?
Piper's Opera House: 0.3 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Fourth Ward School Museum: 0.3 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Virginia and Truckee Railroad: 0.2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is Sugarloaf Mountain Motel from Piper's Opera House?
Piper's Opera House is about 0.3 miles from Sugarloaf Mountain Motel, close enough to walk (roughly a 5 minute drive).
How far is Sugarloaf Mountain Motel from Fourth Ward School Museum?
Fourth Ward School Museum is about 0.3 miles from Sugarloaf Mountain Motel, close enough to walk (roughly a 5 minute drive).
How far is Sugarloaf Mountain Motel from Virginia and Truckee Railroad?
Virginia and Truckee Railroad is about 0.2 miles from Sugarloaf Mountain Motel, close enough to walk (roughly a 5 minute drive).
Are there rooms from the original 1878 boarding house?
Yes. Several of the Sugarloaf Mountain Motel's rooms are from the original 1878 miner's boarding house, with original brick, rockwork, and iron-framed windows.
Is the Sugarloaf Mountain Motel pet friendly?
Contact the property directly to confirm current pet policy before booking.
Is the Sugarloaf Mountain Motel on C Street?
Yes. The property is on South C Street, the historic main strip of Virginia City, within walking distance of all major attractions.
Does the Sugarloaf Mountain Motel have a market?
Yes. There is an on-site market for guest use.
Is there parking at the Sugarloaf Mountain Motel?
Contact the property to confirm current parking availability.
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Things to Do Near Virginia City and the Comstock
Fourth Ward School Museum
0.1 miles away
The last four-story wooden schoolhouse of its kind standing in America, built in 1876 at the height of the Comstock silver boom, anchors the south end of Virginia City's historic C Street.
Piper's Opera House
0.4 miles away
The grand 1885 music hall of the silver-boom Comstock, where Mark Twain lectured and Lily Langtry sang, with a springy old stage still standing.
Virginia City
0.4 miles away
The silver city that helped bankroll the Union, gave Mark Twain his pen name, and never quite let go of its boomtown swagger.
Washoe Lake State Park
7.0 miles away
Washoe Lake State Park sits in Washoe Valley just off US-395, roughly 5 miles north of Carson City and about 18 miles south of Reno.
Nevada State Railroad Museum
13 miles away
The Nevada State Railroad Museum preserves the history of Nevada's railroads with a focus on the Virginia and Truckee Railroad, the narrow-gauge line that connected the Comstock Lode mines to the Carson River mills and t...
Lake Tahoe East Shore Trail
16 miles away
A paved, easy three-mile path along Lake Tahoe's stunning northeast shore, running from Incline Village down to the granite coves of Sand Harbor.
Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park
17 miles away
Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America by volume, holding enough water to flood the entire state of California to a depth of 14 inches.
Sand Harbor State Park
17 miles away
Lake Tahoe's most beloved beach, a cove of pale sand, glass-clear turquoise water, and rounded granite boulders you can swim out to and climb.
National Automobile Museum
17 miles away
The National Automobile Museum sits along the Truckee River in downtown Reno and grew out of the enormous private collection assembled by casino owner Bill Harrah, who at one point owned well over a thousand cars.
Fleischmann Planetarium
19 miles away
The Fleischmann Planetarium sits on the University of Nevada, Reno campus, a short drive north of downtown.
Virginia and Truckee Railroad
0.2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
The Virginia and Truckee Railroad ran 45 trains daily at its Comstock peak, hauling silver and gold ore to the mills below. The modern V&T runs narrated 35-minute rides from Virginia City to Gold Hill from Memorial Day through October, passing 17 historic mine sites along the route.