Anyone else miss the old saloon

[DeathValleyDazed]

I understand and support Xanterra demolishing the vintage Furnace Creek Ranch and building The Oasis as a replacement but that does not stop me from waxing nostalgic for the prior squeaky floors, torn upholstery seats, ancient grease aroma and the gas fired warm up circles at the old facility. This photo may bring back memories of good times for you?

http://www.salamandersociety.com/deathva...Saloon.png

The two sided outdoor fireplace just outside The Last Kind Word Saloon is warm and inviting but does not keep warm the amount of people that the old gas fires did.

[Desert Fog]

I prefer the old style over the new.  It now looks like something you would see at Knott's Berry Farm.

And the bar fights at "the Last Kind Words Saloon" will never be the same...

Arrested Butler after a bar brawl in Death Valley’s Furnace Creek Ranch

[Bluegreen kayak]

I miss the old tabletops with an illustrated map of the Death Valley area on them. On my first visit there, after my sister and I had gotten lost or turned around multiple times, we had a meal there and enjoyed pointing to the places we had seen, and getting a better feel for the place. The food was cheaper too, but still good. I had an expensive plate of salmon at Last Kind Words; I wouldn't have minded the price if the meal had been better than average, but it wasn't.

[MojaveGeek]

Well the Valley is not the place to go for fine dining, is it? Anyone else recall Panamint Pizza in FC? When I first started going to SPW with my daughter, I'd buy one for her on the way in from LV. That would be her dinner for a number of nights, and I'd eat in the SPW restaurant. The waiters never minded if she'd take a small plate of jello when I hit the salad bar, and I've give her some of my food if she wanted, and of course we'd share a slice of cake for dessert (noting that the although the popular saying is 'There's two S's in "dessert" because we always want more" we always wanted more of the one S desert).

She really liked the water fall that oozed down the stones. That was cute. Does it still run? Last time I went in there it was dry.

The staff were great but the food quite mediocre for the price. With what I was paying for the room - a lot for me back then - I just started bringing more of our own food to eat. We used to go out to the old Sand Dunes picnic area and fire up the camp stove.

[Candace66]

...And the bar fights at "the Last Kind Words Saloon" will never be the same...

Arrested Butler after a bar brawl in Death Valley’s Furnace Creek Ranch

  OK, I never heard of that incident before!


All I have to say is, I won't miss that dreadful 49ers Cafe! 

I ate there once, the food was terrible and overpriced.  Gave them another try, no improvement. 

Then I discovered that about $3 more would buy lunch at the FC Inn.  Great food in lovely surroundings, and I could get in wearing my usual attire!  I always thought they had a dress code (perhaps they used to), so I never even tried to go in, until I learned they weren't so snobby after all.  At least not at lunch time.

I haven't tried any of the eateries in FC since they refurbished.   I wonder if the golf course is still serving great cheeseburgers?  (Or will be serving them again, once some semblance of normality returns.)

[Kauri]

The staff were great but the food quite mediocre for the price.  With what I was paying for the room - a lot for me back then - I just started bringing more of our own food to eat.  We used to go out to the old Sand Dunes picnic area and fire up the camp stove.

Agreed. We would bring a propane burner and cook on the picnic tables behind the Roadrunner units. In a two week trip we'd eat at the SPW dining room once if even at all. But we would rarely miss the free-for-guests cookies at the front desk, those were delicious!

[GowerGulch42]

Apart from Stovepipe (for a number of personal reasons, I spent my 21st birthday there for one), my favorite eatery in DV is the hidden bar next to the dining room at the big fancy Furnace Creek Inn. Pricey, but classy and cool with awesome hors-d-oeurves and good atmosphere. I prefer to enter via the tunnel from the parking lot. I absolutely LOVE The architecture and design of that whole inn.

[DeathValleyDazed]

 I prefer to enter via the tunnel from the parking lot. I absolutely LOVE The architecture and design of that whole inn.

Last time I checked with The Inn's staff about a year ago I was told that the tours of The Inn were discontinued. The tours used to be offered on Fridays and I believe you needed to RSVP. I was always out hiking during the tour times so never made it.

That tunnel entrance is pretty cool. I've given myself a tour of the lower levels of The Inn but never saw all that's available by on official tour. I've got lots of images from "below" The Inn so I'll try to dig them up and show them here.