A Stay at the Riviera Motor Lodge in Saratoga, Wyoming

For years, Carbon County in southern Wyoming was our little secret, but the secret is out. We’ve been going to Saratoga, in the central-ish part of the county since the early 2000s, before HeidiTown existed. Saratoga is about three hours from our house in Northern Colorado. Since then, I’ve written about it in several publication including The Heidi Guide in Mountain Living.

Today, the town of 1,700 seems to be doing well. Saratoga is not only home to what many claim to be the best Italian food restaurant in Wyoming, Bella’s Bistro, but there are several ice cream shops, a candy shop, a whiskey and burger restaurant, a delightful sandwich shop and so much more.

We visited Saratoga in November, with a mix of 17 family members and friends for Ryan’s 50th birthday.

RELATED: Wyoming Wind, Whiskey & a Birthday to Remember in Saratoga

This time, I went as HeidiTown Consulting for a quick, one night visit to talk to Carbon County Council of City Governments and some fellow, albeit real, mayors about making their little towns even better.

The owner of the Riviera Motor Lodge kindly hooked me up with a room. The hotel just finished up a year-long renovation. The North Platte River runs through Saratoga, and the Riviera Motor Lodge is lucky to have a riverfront location. My room, #116, had the best view.

The room has two sinks, two beds, a big bathroom and comfy pillows. One of the best parts of Riviera Motor Lodge is that it is pet-friendly. I didn’t take advantage of it this time, but there is even a small dog park on the property. The convenience of a dog-friendly property cannot be stressed enough when you are a dog owner, especially with the high price of dog-boarding here in Colorado.

Extremely pleased with my stay at the Riviera Motor Lodge, it is located within walking distance of everywhere you want to be in Saratoga.

My (mostly eating) tips when in Saratoga:

There are boutiques, and great eats for a little town. On Ryan’s birthday, we made a reservation for all 17 of us at Bella’s Bistro, and the evening did not disappoint. We’ve been going to the restaurant for years, and it is a favorite.

We discovered The Malt, on our last visit. Just two minutes by foot from Riviera Motor Lodge, I was sad I didn’t have time to stop in during my most recent stay. However, this time I found SunnyCup, and I must take Ryan here for obvious reasons. Don’t miss Lollypops. Located in an adorable building, it was one of the first places we went for breakfast years ago in Saratoga.

Last, but certainly not least, take a dip for free at Hobo Hot Pool. In November, we hadn’t seen the massive renovations that have been done at this Wyoming hot spring, and if you’re in the same boat, it’s really impressive.

Saratoga is a fun little town in Carbon County, Wyoming, where even the rest areas are beautiful.

Take it from me, this region should be on your Wyoming travel bucket list, and a stay at the Riviera Motor Lodge is comfy, convenient and you can take Fido, or, in our case, Fritzi. I will be back!

Thank you for hosting me, Riviera Motor Lodge.