Imperial Hotel & Restaurant

14202 Old Hwy. 49, (209) 267-9172. 9 rooms; $$-$$$. Some gas fireplace stoves. Breakfast; restaurant. Pets ok in 1 room.

This beautifully restored historic brick building opened as a hotel in 1879, closed in 1927, then reopened in 1988. Outside the Imperial Hotel & Restaurant features iron doors and shutters, and the attractively decorated, high-ceilinged interior conveys a touch of artistic flair with contemporary art, colorful fabrics, and an assortment of antiques. A secluded stone patio provides a restful garden retreat, and the upstairs balcony provides a spectacular view of the quiet road through town and the surrounding hills. At night you can hear croaking frogs across the street in Amador Creek (pronounced in these parts “crick”). Six guest rooms are in this building, and three suites with canopy beds, whirlpool tubs, and gas fireplaces are in a 1930s garden cottage that was once home to the Keystone Mine superintendent (the cottage is over yonder, down through Pig Turd Alley, and up God’s Hill).

Off the lobby, the cozy restaurant offers a brief, eclectic menu of delicious Mediterranean-style fare and mostly local wines. The dining room is particularly lovely, with exposed original brick walls and often a rose on every white-cloth-covered table. Adjacent, the completely restored old-time Oasis Bar features antique barstools, original gaslights, and creaky floors and is especially inviting for an after-dinner drink.

Behind the hotel, the Amador City Cemetery dates back to the town’s beginning. A marked self-guided tour is available.