Poppy Hill Bed & Breakfast

When I was Unilocaling different places to stay, I saw this place with 5 star reviews from all 11 reviewers. Well, it seems, odd!!!
How come?!
Can a place be this good?
Well, I gave it a shot and I tried it. Now my review is that if I could I would give 6 stars.
This bed and breakfast is awesome, and I mean every thing was perfect about it.
Super clean. Super positive environment. Super friendly people around. I went there with my boyfriend and we spend really good time. The house is full antique, so absolutely not a place to go with kids.
Not good for teenagers. But absolutely perfect for couples who want to spend quality time. It is about an hour from Yosemite park, but I believe it is totally worth the drive.

If I could give six stars I would. I booked a room at Poppy Hill after reading all the good reviews, since we were looking for a place to stay outside of Yosemite that wouldn’t break the bank. They were very nice over both email and phone. When we go there, we were greeted by Mary Ellen’s daughter Amy, who couldn’t be any nicer. To go with that greeting were cookies, crackers and wine. She personally showed us up to our room– the Poppy Room. Very spacious and light, with a private bathroom and nice size shower. It was practically like being at home. Except the bed had a tray on it with chocolates, fresh strawberries and a small bottle of champagne. I had mentioned we were staying as part of our honeymoon and they took it to heart. We then sat out of the deck for a little while before going inside the to the living room and planned our trip to Yosemite the next day with all the booklets and guides they had available.
Breakfast both days was fantastic– we requested 9am both days and everything was set when we came down. Fresh fruit, juice, and a homemade french toast casserole one day with sausage on the side, and a home made frittata the second morning with bacon. All delicious.
I’ve stayed at several bed and breakfasts before. Poppy Hill exceeded them all by a mile.

We arrived at 2 a.m. after a late Friday night drive from San Francisco. Mary Ellen left the key for us at a secret spot so we could let ourselves in. She had laid out a feast to greet us: delicious homemade poppyseed cake, chocolate chip cookies, dried persimmons, and a bottle of wine! A great way to start a trip to Yosemite.
We slept like logs in the comfy bed in the Iris Room, then woke to croissant French toast and bacon, a fruit plate, coffee and juices. We devoured these on the sunny patio while chatting with the other guests, two Irish guys doing a tour of California.
The house is homey, domestic and cozy. Wood stoves, home-​baked goods, antique dishware, lots of Yosemite-​related books to browse. Hobbiton meets Laura Ingalls Wilder. Loved it. Definitely coming back.

Mary Ellen was the consummate hostess. Nice room (Poppy). Very secluded & quiet. Great breakfast. Good access to Yosemite using Hwy 140 which is lower in elevation so rarely an issue with snow.

We were visiting a friend in Mariposa for the weekend and made last minute reservations here with Mary Ellen. This is one of the most beautiful homes I’ve ever seen. The hospitality of Mary Ellen and her son was exceptional! We arrived in late that night and Mary Ellen had left out some wine and grapes for us to have as a nightcap. Her breakfast is amazing and she even sent us off with some homeade cookies for our day trip to Yosemite. I can’t wait to go back and stay again. I’ve told everyone I know about this wonderful place and recommend it to everyone who is going to Yosemite!!!

Beautiful place and the hospitality was outstanding. Mary Ellen even had cake, cookies, fruit, tea and coffee waiting for our late arrival. She also prepared snacks for us when we were leaving and had extra bags for us to take fruit or other goodies that we might want. An amazing place to stay!

My wife and I spent a weekend here at the end of April while visiting Yosemite. We had an amazing time staying at the inn. We really appreciated the hospitality of Mary Ellen and her family, with the wonderful home cooking, the snacks, and fruit, and the charming atmosphere of Poppy Hill B&B.
The breakfast was wonderful. Definitely way better than a cold continental breakfast. We enjoyed the hot puffed apple pancakes, fresh, sliced fruit, juices, coffee and tea, large portions :) and the warm atmosphere.
The place is full of lovely furniture and decorations. Our bedroom had a a gorgeous bed, with a handmade quilt, carefully stitched and a very comfortable mattress, perfect after a long day of hiking at Yosemite.
Mary Ellen was such a wonderful hostess. She really made us feel at home. She even called ahead on our drive up to make sure we had the right directions.
We would highly recommend the place to any one looking for a cozy B&B to stay while visiting Yosemite. We would love to stay again.

My girlfriend and I were so thrilled to have found Poppy Hill and that it lived up to all the reviews.
I personally am a sucker for a great breakfast and had a good feeling about Poppy Hill before we got there.
Mary Ellen was wonderful and like the other reviews she left out a bottle of wine and cookies for us since we didn’t arrive until 11:30pm on a Friday night.
Our room was the Poppy room, it was spacious and felt like we were checking into Grandma’s house and this was before we even met Mary Ellen.
Saturday morning we woke up and headed downstairs for breakfast. We smelled the coffee and the French Toast being prepared. There was fruit and juice already on the table. It was the perfect setting to start our day and prepare us for Yosemite.
Sunday morning we were treated to the apple puff pancakes along with our assortment of fruit and juice. Oh yeah and I almost forgot we got bacon each morning how could I forget that!
We were also treated to see a mommy deer and her two fawns grazing in the yard while we at our breakfast.
The last thing I’ll point out is that it was Mary Ellen’s B-​day weekend while she played host to us and stil treated us like family and made our stay the perfect weekend.
Happy B-​Day Mary Ellen, we will definitely visit again.

Me and my girlfriend decided to go to Yosemite at the last minute for the weekend. After we saw that all the hotels nearby were either fully booked or were filthy, we decided to try a B&B for the first time.
We arrived very late only to see that our hostess, Mary Ellen (more on her later) waited for us to greet us with a cake, strawberries and a bottle of wine. The place is extremely quaint, spacious, quiet, with cute decorations everywhere. Our room (bedroom + attached bathroom) was spotless and had anything that we could think of, including Q-​Tips and good quality shampoo and conditioner!
Mary Ellen asked us what time we wanted to have breakfast. Lo and behold, there she was cooking us a fabulous breakfast: a fruit platter, french toast croissant and bacon. She even packed us some extra food for our hike.
I only wish we could have stayed longer. Mary Ellen is so sweet, accomodating and simply amazing! She made me feel at home. Leaving her felt like you were saying bye to my favorite aunt. Highly highly recommended! 10 stars

My boyfriend and I planned this last minute trip to Yosemite so we couldn’t find any accommodation in the park. However, I think it was a good thing because it made us discover Poppy Hill. It was not my first time staying at a bed and breakfast and I usually prefer to stay at the hotel. Nonetheless, this B&B is out of the ordinary! We left San Jose on a Friday night after work and got stuck in traffic so we arrive very late at Poppy Hill. It must of been passed 11 o’clock and we didn’t expect Mary Ellen (our host) to wait for us. She said she will leave a letter at the door for directions and how to find the room we will stay in. Surprisingly when we arrive, this lady about the age of my grandma, was waiting for us and was greeting us with wine and dessert. The place was amazing! I’ve never seen a carpet so clean (I’m a clean freak). I usually like modern things but I loved every single antique thing in that house. It was not old but it was antique and elegant.
We had reserved the Iris room and it was charming! It had its own private door to access the front balcony and that was really cute. Every room has its own bathroom and that was very convenient so you could have your own privacy. The bathroom was really well equipped with fresh cleaned towels, cloth, Q-​tip, cottons, watter cups, hairdryer, GOOD shampoo & conditioner and shower gel. Detail, but what I really liked also, was that I had a night light in my room. It’s very important for me because I cannot sleep without one.
Mary Ellen asked us what time we wanted breakfast and she was on time. We woke up and saw these plates of fresh tasty fruits (cantaloupe, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, mangoes, plums, etc.). Then she made french toast croissant. Very original and soooooooooooooooooo good! We had enough food for four even though we were only 2. I never had such an incredible breakfast at a B&B. She even pack us some cookies for the day and gave us various snacks. Mary Ellen is so sweet and nice I was really sad leaving her. She just makes us feel at home. I regret we didn’t book earlier and couldn’t stay one more day over there. I’m in love with this house and everything in it, including Mary Ellen!

My wife and I are a young couple with no children. We make it a point to stay at small bed and breakfast type places everywhere we possibly can when we travel, so we have stayed in our share over the past few years. None of these are as dear to our hearts as Mary Ellen’s Poppy Hill, just a short drive from the Yosemite Valley. Her B&B is spacious and beautiful. The house is filled with beautiful wood trim, handmade lace antiques, unique antique furniture pieces, and windows recycled from the old Ahwahnee Lodge cabins. She makes you feel like you are coming home but still gives you your privacy. As a long-​time resident of the Yosemite area, she knows the valley in and out. Her cooking and warmth of heart are both phenomenal. Every evening, she left a bottle of wine and some desert out for us for after we returned from dinner. Breakfast was fresh, delicious, and abundant every morning. The apple pancakes in particular are OUT OF THIS WORLD good!!! My only regret was that her bed and breakfast (and the Yosemite Valley) are on the other side of the country from us. My wife’s only regret was that we couldn’t pack Mary Ellen up and take her home with us. Much less expensive than staying in the Valley, and the incredible hospitality of this bed and breakfast make it well worth the drive.