In late October 2021, my boyfriend Stephen and I found ourselves stranded in Bakersfield, California.
When I say “stranded,” I’m not being overdramatic- we were actually stranded. A few days prior, Stephen and I drove from the Bay Area to Las Vegas, Nevada for EDC 2021. While we were enjoying a legendary music festival, the Bay Area was experiencing a legendary atmospheric river.
While driving back to California, Stephen and I spent almost 9 hours stuck on a flooded highway. After narrowly escaping a flash flood at a Bakersfield intersection, we decided to call it a night and found a local hotel at which to spend the night. A quick Google search led us to the Hourglass Hotel in the heart of Bakersfield.
Booking and Check-In
Since we didn’t have a reservation, I was worried that the Hourglass Hotel would be fully booked. However, Stephen and I were lucky. Not only did the Hourglass Hotel have a few available rooms, their check-in process was streamlined and simple.
After giving the front desk our credit card information, the attendant happily provided us with a luggage cart. Stephen and I loaded up the cart with our belongings, parked our car, and headed to our room to relax. We were also provided with some water and refreshments, which we appreciated after our stressful drive.
Comfy lobby seating area 
Complimentary coffee bar
Room and Amenities
Since we were only staying for one night, Stephen and I chose to stay in a standard King Room.
Our room was spacious and modern. In addition to our bed and nightstands, the hotel provided us with a comfy lounge chair, desk, microwave, and mini-fridge. While we were not provided with an in-room coffee maker, the Hourglass Hotel provided freshly-brewed coffee in their lobby which was only a few steps away.
Lounge chair 
Desk, TV, and microwave
Compared to similar hotels, our bathroom was spacious. Counter space was incredibly generous- to a blogger with a lot of travel beauty products, that’s important! Our shower was roomy and came equipped with a luxurious square showerhead. Let me tell you, a hot shower at the Hourglass Hotel was the perfect way to de-stress after driving through flash floods for hours!
Instead of a standard closet, The Hourglass Hotel was equipped with a cute open-air clothes hanger and storage rack. While we didn’t stay long enough to have any reason to unpack, I loved that they provided separate cubes to store shoes. Had we stayed for a few days, that feature would have been really useful.
Finally, our room also had a cute balcony overlooking the pool area. Unfortunately, our balcony still bore the remnants of the previous night’s flash flood, so it was really dirty. However, I could imagine how peaceful it would be to enjoy a cup of coffee on the balcony in good weather!
Pool
During our stay at the Hourglass Hotel, the pool was sadly closed due to COVID-19. Nevertheless, I’m a travel blogger, so I felt it was my duty to walk around the pool’s perimeter to take photos for my blog.
The pool of the Hourglass Hotel was adorned with modern patio furniture and surrounded by several luxurious palm trees. I’m sure it would be fabulous to lounge by the pool and catch some rays during the summer!
Overall Impression
Even though my stay at the Hourglass Hotel was short, my experience was wonderful. I was beyond grateful that Stephen and I were able to book a room with no notice. Even better, our accommodations couldn’t have been more comfortable.
If you’re traveling through Bakersfield or any of the surrounding area, make sure to book a night at the Hourglass Hotel- you won’t regret it!