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North Shore Inn at Lake Mead is a fantastic dog-friendly accommodation if you are in the area to visit Valley of Fire State Park or Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Nevada. The inn is located in Moapa Valley, just 16 miles south of the area, which is much closer than the drive from Las Vegas, which is 50 miles south of the area.

FIRST IMPRESSION

Check-in time at North Shore Inn is at 3pm, but we arrived early at around 1:15pm. We thought we could check-in early like all the other hotels we’ve stayed at, but when we approached the front entrance, we were stopped by a man who was cleaning the property (we believe he is the owner of the hotel). He informed us that check-in time was not until 3pm and that they were still cleaning the hotel.

We were caught a little off guard because we’ve never been in this situation where they were basically telling us to come back at the proper check-in time. He advised that we come back at around 2pm when some rooms would be cleaned by then and they would have someone at the front desk to help us check-in.

We really didn’t have anywhere to go since we were driving in from Los Angeles, so we decided to stick around the hotel and walk our dogs around the property. 15 minutes later, we saw a woman pull into the parking lot and enter the lobby. Not long after, the owner came out and told us we were now able to check-in, so we were glad we stuck around.

LOCATION

We mainly chose to stay at this hotel because we wanted to stay as close as possible to Valley of Fire State Park with our dogs. It is a 20-minute drive from the hotel to the east entrance of the park and it’s a lovely scenic drive, so the drive goes by really fast.

There is a Mexican restaurant right across the street and several other restaurants one mile down the road in the town next door called Overton. Most of these restaurants had pretty good reviews on Yelp, but we did not enjoy our food at all at any of the restaurants. Even the grocery store nearby had terrible rotisserie chicken and we didn’t think anyone could mess that up. The best food we had in this town, sadly, was at McDonalds.

ROOM

We were placed in a very convenient room right next to the side entrance on the first floor, so bringing in our luggage was a breeze. It was also convenient for us whenever we had to take out the dogs to relieve themselves.

The room is very basic and feels a bit outdated; however, everything was spick-and-span clean. There was not a speck of dust anywhere and everything looked new. The carpet, wall-mounted heating and cooling unit, bathroom tiles, etc. all looked like they were recently upgraded. 

Our room had two Queen beds, a small dining table, a (very small) flat-screen TV, a microwave, a refrigerator, and a coffee machine. The beds weren’t the comfiest and we didn’t get the best sleep. On the first night, we slept ok, but on the second night, there was a guest that checked in above us who was extremely loud. We don't think the guest was being loud on purpose, but we could hear him/her snoring and walking back and forth all night. We both couldn't believe that we could actually hear another guest snoring upstairs and that the walls were that thin.

The bathroom was clean and the light seemed dim at first, but it gets brighter the longer you keep it on. Plenty of towels and toilet paper were provided as well as shampoo, conditioner, and soap. The sink had a large mirror and the area was very well lit. A very tiny blow dryer (the smallest one we’ve ever seen in a hotel), coffee maker, and bathroom amenities were all located in the sink area. The shower worked well with great pressure and temperature control.

The room was also equipped with a small closet with hangers where we stored our smaller luggage and coats. There was also a ironing board, iron, and luggage rack.

AMENITIES

Free WiFi was available; however, it was almost non-existent. We were able to use the WiFi in the early mornings between 6-7 AM, but any time after that, the WiFi would stop working. It was especially frustrating for Candy since she had a very low cell signal on top of no WiFi. Crystal, on the other hand, had a strong cell signal, so not being able to utilize the WiFi wasn’t an issue. Basically, although the WiFi was free, we only got to use it for an hour each day, at most.

Parking was free and plentiful. There was also a nice picnic area outside if you wanted to spend some time outdoors. 

Due to the pandemic, many of the amenities were temporarily unavailable. During normal circumstances, the hotel amenities include a complimentary breakfast, an outdoor pool, and a hot tub.

* Update - March 2022 - I stayed here again and the WiFi has improved since my visit. I had the exact same room and was able to get some signal whereas last time I wasn’t able to get any. It was slow, but at least I was able to upload Instagram stories and check my emails.

PET-FRIENDLINESS

The hotel is dog-friendly and the pet fee was only $10 per day for up to two dogs. There was no dedicated pet relief area, so we took the dogs around the back to relieve themselves in the rocky areas where there were some pebbles. The picnic area had a sandy/muddy area, but we were told to stay off that section since the ground was fragile and potentially dangerous to walk on. They do not provide any pet amenities, so make sure to bring your own pet bowls, food, bed, waste bags, etc. To get a full list of essentials you should back for your dog, check out our post HERE.

* Update - March 2022 - There is no dedicated pet relief area; however, there is now a dog waste station with bags and hand sanitizer.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The staff was extremely helpful and went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. The rooms didn’t scream luxury, but we appreciated that they were pet-friendly and very clean. The beds weren’t the best, but if you bring your own pillow, you might be able to have a better night’s rest.

Our biggest gripe was the loud guest upstairs. The staff said they would have gladly changed rooms for us, but at that point, we had already packed our car and were ready to go. If we were to stay here again, we would definitely ask for a room on the second floor where there would be nobody staying above us.

Check current rates HERE.

North Shore Inn at Lake Mead
ADDRESS: 520 North Moapa Valley Blvd., Moapa Valley, NV 89040
PHONE: (702) 397-6000