Rio Sierra is a laidback river resort and beach at the base of Sequoia National Park in Central California. The resort's vintage Riverhouse resort hotel features three custom rooms, each with private entrance and outdoor deck and river view. All rooms are furnished with refrigerator, coffeemaker, microwave, TV and wireless internet access. The resort's fourth unit is a custom cottage just minutes away from the Riverhouse, offering guests more space and privacy while they still enjoy access to Rio's beach. No lobby, no greeters, no daily housekeeping at Rio Sierra. We set the comfy stage. You create the adventure at Rio Sierra. With a few groceries, you can snug in happily for days at a time, or venture out into our town for yummy food at the best eateries we'll help you find. In spring, whitewater rafts run right past the Riverhouse. In summer, you can enjoy the privacy of your own river swimming hole, known as "Slicky," and locally famous as the best stretch of the Kaweah River in town. Chances are you plan to explore nearby Sequoia Park on your stay, to experience its giant trees, rushing waterfalls and protected wildlife. Go for it! Grab your map and get out there. The adventure of a lifetime awaits. After a day of hiking among the giant sequoias, you'll want to return to Rio. Splash down here or choose a spot to chill. Let nature do the rest.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Family
Romantic
Languages Spoken
English
Location
41997 Sierra Dr, Three Rivers, CA 93271-9400
Rio Sierra River Resort
185 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Last year for my boyfriend's birthday we stayed here for a week and headed up to the National Park. Upon arrival we were greeted by Mars who showed us around, told us about some local spots and took our order for the next days breakfast. We were also able to book the breakfast table for a certain time, which for us happened to be very early as we wanted to spend as much time in the park as possible.
The next morning we were shown to our table, and let me tell you, I was shocked to see a full spread, coffee, tea, hot breads, little fresh baked sweet things, and just the best juice I've ever had.
The staff were so friendly and kind, the cleaner would never come whilst we were in the room in order to not disturb us but did a superb job everyday as the place was spotless when we'd come back from the park.
The atmosphere here was cute, cozy but the perfect amount of spacious. We had access to overhead fans, netting on the doors if we wanted to leave it open and fresh soaps everyday.
On our last evening we bought pizza from a local restaurant and ate it by the river outback of the Riverhouse, oh yes I forgot to mention this charming little place has its own private beach where they host little night fires and general gatherings!
Thank you to all the staff and Mars at the Rio Sierra Riverhouse for hosting us and making this such a special stay for us ♥
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Date of stay: October 2019
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â Best view, private beach, quiet evenings.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mars Roberts, Owner at Rio Sierra River Resort
Responded 13 Jul 2020
Thanks for your kind words! So glad you enjoyed your stay!
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OMG - if you stay at Rio Sierra Riverhouse you are in for a treat! We booked the Master, Panorama and River rooms for three days - all were spotless and had beautiful views. Our two grandsons ages 8 & 13 spent most of their time in the river. Covid-19 prevented us from having breakfast there but everything else was perfect. Mars made sure we had everything we needed daily. Enjoyed the views , the rocks but most of all .... the RIVER. Wow!
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Date of stay: June 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We have been feeling sorry for ourselves because of changes caused by Covid and our resultant cancelled summer vacation plans, when my family and I decided we would go see Sequoia National Park over the Labor Day weekend. I'm not quite sure how I located Rio Sierra Riverhouse, but all I know is when we opened that gate- we walked into the most charming compound you can imagine right on the Kaweah River. The vibe is relaxed Zen and the property is facilitated with private sitting areas everywhere. Best of all there is a private beach. WOW! We spent the holiday weekend in the Panorama room which was well appointed and we were able to visit Sequoia and Mineral King! Doesn't get any better in 2020. Social distancing was a breeze for this trip and human interaction was minimal. Perfect vacation for these times. We swam in the river at sunset and sipped rose. It's like your own private paradise the way the property is set up. Our kids who are 14 and 19 were pleased that they had their own space and the internet worked great. Rio Sierra is at the foot of the National Park so we had 2 full amazing days taking in the sights and hiking. But by far the best part of our vacation was coming back to Rio Sierra for sunset. We most certainly will be back again as soon as we can. Special shout out to Mars and Deborah for keeping the place immaculate and stunning.
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Date of stay: September 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed in the Panorama room for 3 nights at the end of June in the middle of the Covid crisis. The room has a view of the river with 2 queen beds and a day bed/sofa. The appealing part of the room was the full kitchen. We brought food to cook for two nights and did take out at the pizza place the third night. We packed lunches and made breakfast as well. It is a quick drive to the National Park and given the limited food/cooking options inside the park, we thought that this was a perfect choice. The river was warm enough to swim in and other than the town's residents who gain entrance to the river nearby, there were not any other tourists on the river. Plenty of calm areas along with some big boulders to jump into the water from. On a 2nd day, we backtracked and took a longer route (but shorter in time) to Kings Canyon. Like with other hotels right now, there was no housekeeping or breakfast, but a small concession to give up during these times.
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Date of stay: June 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mars Roberts, Owner at Rio Sierra River Resort
Responded 13 Jul 2020
Thanks so much, Kenneth. Glad you enjoyed!
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June 2023 We highly recommend staying at the Rio Sierra River Resort. Mars is a very attentive host and her recommendations really enhanced our stay, from family river rafting with Mountain Descent to gourmet pressed sandwiches at Sierra Subs. Our family of 5 stayed at the Birdwatch Cottage which was very spacious and airy for everyone. Our kids really enjoyed playing several days at the private sandy beach, connected to the rapid river on the property. My husband and I love enjoying bagels and coffee on the balcony, overlooking the river. The property allows you to get into the water and right up next to the river. Such a special location. It was easy to enjoy both the south and north ends of Sequoia National Park from the riverhouse. My teenager son loved hiking the trails inside the National Park. There is good wifi on the property so you can stay connected to your heart’s content. Happy staying!!
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Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Peaceful and private property next to the Kaweah River with a beach play area
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Dana Millikin, Marketing at Rio Sierra River Resort
Responded 22 Jun 2023
Thank you for your sweet review! We are so happy you had a good time. Mars told me to tell you to please come back soon.
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Our family has been coming to Rio Sierra for more than a decade. We love the environment that Mars, the owner, has created. The property feels like a B & B but with the separation of a boutique hotel. It’s whimsical because it feels as though fairies and gnomes inhabit the grounds. We came up with 10 family members and split up between three rooms. One room has a full kitchen and the other a kitchenette (no stove), so we were able to make meals here. The property is right on the Kaweah river and has a beautiful swimming area. My kids loved it here as 10 and 13 year olds and love it as young adults. It’s also super close to the entrance of the park. It is more on the pricier side for the area but well worth it for the beauty & comfort. Thank you Mars for creating this beautiful space!!!
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mars Roberts, Owner at Rio Sierra River Resort
Responded 5 Nov 2022
Thanks, Sylvie for such a lovely review! We were so glad to see your family again this season!
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We stayed here for our visit to Seqouia & King's Canyon late Oct. The location is amazing for access to the park. It's really close, few minutes to the gate, 45 mins to General Sherman. The town of three rivers has a few places to eat, just a couple of minutes drive from the riverhouse, and a great coffee shop walking distance. The property itself is really lovely. It's essentially a small, private resort set on the river. The only drawback was that we didn't get to spend enough time there. Mars was amazing host. We didn't get to meet her, sadly, because we arrived during the pandemic. She was easy to contact and all the instructions she gave were clear. She went above and beyond after the trip, as I had left a bag there. She sent it right away in the mail, which we reallty appreciated. Looking forward to coming back again.
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Date of stay: October 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Rio Sierra Riverhouse is truly unlike any vacation rental you could imagine, in all the best and most special ways! The reviews are all correct, and yet they don't do this place justice! I booked quite last minute (mid-May) for my family group of 6 consisting of a random mix of grandparents, grandkids, and parents in the middle. I was hoping but not expecting to get a spot to stay the first week of June. I called Mars and she was extremely accommodating. She worked through scenarios and found a configuration that worked for us. Then, when 2 more people joined our group, Mars figured it out again and the fit was perfect. Our group was split between the Panorama Room and the Birdhouse Cottage. They are both uniquely wonderful, and I couldn't choose a favorite if I had to. The entire Riverhouse 'complex' is a really special place. We wanted a place as close to Sequoia as possible, and thought about settling for the town hotel, but so glad we did not! We were able to hike 8-10 miles in Sequoia every day and still enjoy the amazing river and sand between our toes in the eclectic beachside patio. Staying at Rio Sierra Riverhouse made our great Sequoia vacation magically unforgettable.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:Â Call Mars before you choose your room. That's the best way to find the fit for you.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mars Roberts, Owner at Rio Sierra River Resort
Responded 29 Nov 2022
What a lovely review. Thanks so much for writing - and choosing to stay with us!
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Be prepared to be pleasantly surprised! You open the gate to enter the property and are welcomed by a gorgeous and inviting riverside setting. There are numerous outdoor lounging areas for relaxing along the River. The rooms are clean and uniquely decorated in a warm and welcoming manner. Mars is only a text away for any unexpected needs and the packet of information she provides about the area is most helpful! We also stayed at the National Park Lodge but far preferred Rivers Edge.
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had to rebook 2 times due to Covid travel restrictions but Mars was super accommodating, and the wait was certainly worth it. We stayed in the Panorama loft apartment with great views of the river and was bowled over by the beautiful decor and facilities. Perfect for families looking for R&R after energetic days in Sequoia and Kings Canyon. The river was great for cooling off after sunbathing in the expansive grounds and we were lucky enough to be visited by a deer that sought similar respite. Cannot recommend this property highly enough and wish we could have stayed longer.
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: Local restaurants close by 8pm so don’t leave it too late
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mars Roberts, Owner at Rio Sierra River Resort
Responded 29 Nov 2022
Thanks for writing! So glad you enjoyed your stay!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Is there some confusion here?
We are a small property in Three Rivers, California -- not a "Diamond" resort on Maui. We don't have online booking - yet - but we respond very quickly to booking inquiries by email through our website. We hope this is helpful, and are sorry for any inconvenience or confusion.
-Mars
Rio Sierra Riverhouse
Three Rivers, CA
There are more places to choose from in the Three Rivers area.
PRICE RANGE
₹29,718 - ₹35,983 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
rio sierra riverhouse hotel three rivers
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Rio Sierra Riverhouse
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaThree Rivers
NUMBER OF ROOMS
4
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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