El Capitan Hotel, MercedEl Capitan Hotel in Merced, United States has a corrected score of 4.0 ± 0.2 (fair evidence, 2 of 4 platforms), ranked 2 of 20 hotels we score in Merced. Its platform ratings, normalised to 0-5, average 4.3 before correction: Booking.com 4.1, Tripadvisor 4.5. Rooms from about $144 a night (cached, not a live quote).El Capitan Hotel is a boutique hotel in downtown Merced, California, in the Central Valley on the route towards Yosemite. It is the city's oldest hotel and won a 2024 Condé Nast Reader's Choice Award. Rooms and suites have a retro-inspired contemporary style with local touches, and the hotel offers a restaurant, fitness centre, sun terrace, free WiFi and welcomes children and pets. It sits close to restaurants and bars, with Merced Municipal Airport about two miles away. Rates start around $144 a night, and guest ratings sit in the low to high eights across review sites. Parking is limited, which is worth considering if you arrive by car.What stands out

Comfortable beds and clean rooms

Helpful, friendly staff

Good gym and retro decor

Walkable location near food and bars

Watch out for

Limited parking available

Some guests report unexpected extra charges

Better-scored in Merced

Hilton Garden Inn Merced, Merced: 4.1 ± 0.3 (thin evidence, 2 of 4 platforms), from $146 a night. Hilton Garden Inn Merced is a new-build hotel at 1001 S Coffee Street, just off Campus Parkway and State Route 99 in Merced, California.