Nestled near the Shenandoah Valley AVA in the Sierra Foothills, the Imperial Hotel is a historic six-room boutique with a full bar and restaurant in the wonderfully quaint town of Amador City, California.
Built in 1879, this brick building replaced a wood frame hotel that was destroyed by fire in 1878. Extensively restored in 1968 and 1988, the Imperial Hotel again proudly serves its original purpose in the California Sierra gold country.
The two-floor historic boutique hotel features six redesigned guest rooms in the main building, with an additional three luxurious cottage rooms a block away behind Break Even Beermakers. The Cottages are being refreshed with new decor and amenities and will open in early Summer. In the main brick building, the interior spaces have been carefully transformed to retain the historic charm while offering a new elegant and minimal design that seamlessly blends with the original wood floors, high ceilings, exposed beams, and brick walls.
The hotel includes three king rooms, two with semi-private balconies overlooking Main Street, and three queen rooms, two of which have a connecting door, an excellent option for larger groups. Each room features a private bathroom with new modern amenities, including Salt & Stone body wash and Kevin Murphy hair products. The rooms also feature new organic drapes by Barn & Willow, Marshall Bluetooth speakers, Poliviar Gooseneck electric kettles, and luxurious, sustainably-produced linens by Quince. Guests can also purchase in-room items, including organic snacks, Mendi CBD products, and house curated cocktail kits. The artwork throughout the rooms and common areas has been carefully curated to incorporate existing art from the hotel’s history alongside other vintage pieces.
The Imperial Hotel features an intimate yet lively restaurant and bar, inviting local’s and visitors to enjoy a multi-faceted food and beverage experience.
The restaurant and bar, including The Snug, a cozy lounge, and outdoor spaces, offers a casual yet refined dining scene. For dinner, guests can choose from the à la carte menu or a rotating, inventive, and presentation-forward five-course chef’s tasting menu with the option to add wine pairings or non-alcoholic beverage pairings. The ingredient-driven menu features hyper-local vendors, such as PT Ranch, Underdog Acres, UpCountry Farms, and our very own Banded Family Ranch, with select herbs and veggies from our on-site chef’s garden. The bar and The Snug offer a more casual setting with a paired-down menu, including a selection of small and large plates. The restaurant also offers weekend brunch with seasonal menu items as well as coffee drinks, boozy beverages and mocktails.
The bar program offers signature craft cocktails, low-ABV and non-alcoholic mixed drinks, an extensive wine and beer cellar list, and draft beers that showcase various craft breweries, including our sister business, Break Even Beermakers.
The restaurant is led by Executive Chef Max Benson, previously of The Club @ Point o‘ Woods on Fire Island, NY. The ingredient-driven menu is a collaboration between Chef Benson and Consulting Chef Michael Evans, who previously worked in the kitchens at Atelier Crenn, Bar Tartine, and Commonwealth.