Axel's take on Buck Owens Boulevard: #2 of 7 in Bakersfield, 5.4/10
A practical freeway stop, no longer the obvious country-music base. The strongest hotel reviews and useful freeway access earn second place, despite limited walkable attractions and the loss of the Crystal Palace.
Buck Owens Boulevard combines Bakersfield music history with the practicalities of Highway 99. Temblor Brewing still gives you a brewery, food and an event venue on the boulevard. Crucially, the Crystal Palace closed in August 2025 and remained closed in August 2026 reporting; do not book this location expecting its old dinner-and-country-music experience.
Choose it for an uncomplicated road stop or a specific event nearby. The boulevard and adjoining Rosedale Highway are commercial roads, not a continuous pedestrian entertainment district. Downtown is the better choice for several restaurants and venues in one evening, while travelers seeking quiet residential surroundings should look farther west.
- Best for: nightlife, travelers on a budget
- Skip it if: The Crystal Palace is your reason for staying; You want a walkable entertainment district
- Getting around: GET 82 and 84 serve the Rosedale Highway corridor; some dining is walkable locally, but downtown is a separate trip; take a taxi, rideshare or rental car from BFL.
- After dark: An evening here is venue-led, particularly at Temblor, rather than a bar crawl along the boulevard.
- Rates: Typical Axel rate $126 a night
Where to stay in Bakersfield: every neighborhood ranked
Where to look in Buck Owens Boulevard
- Buck Owens Boulevard near Temblor. Choose this stretch for a brewery meal or scheduled event, not a connected evening walking district. Hotels here: Holiday Inn Express and Suites Bakersfield Central by IHG.
- Camino Del Rio Court. A practical hotel-cluster base near Rosedale Highway; suits drivers combining an overnight stop with nearby dining. Hotels here: Comfort Suites Bakersfield, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Bakersfield.
- Marriott Drive. Look here for a straightforward highway stop within driving reach of boulevard venues, rather than downtown street life. Hotels here: Courtyard by Marriott Bakersfield, SpringHill Suites by Marriott Bakersfield, Hilton Garden Inn Bakersfield.
How to choose
- Choose Comfort Suites Bakersfield if you want roomy family suites, consistently praised staff and breakfast and parking included.
- Choose Hourglass Hotel, Trademark Collection by Wyndham if pool time and courtyard lounging matter more than breakfast inclusion or an elevator.
- Choose SpringHill Suites by Marriott Bakersfield if you need separate living space and an indoor pool; confirm renovation progress first.
What paying more buys
The cheaper La Quinta South brings recurring cleanliness and maintenance complaints; Comfort Suites costs more but offers stronger cleanliness feedback and roomy suites. Above Hourglass, SpringHill Suites adds separate living areas, included hot breakfast and an indoor pool. That further upgrade is less compelling for drivers who only need a bed and free parking. Typical rates with Axel here run from $70 a night at La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Bakersfield South to $153 at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Bakersfield (last 30 days).
The best hotels in Buck Owens Boulevard, ranked by Axel's take
Each hotel scored for what it is by Axel's own review; the rate is one stay Axel priced this week, beside the public rate for the same dates.
- Comfort Suites Bakersfield 8.6/10, simple, budget-friendly all-suite hotel off Highway 99. A strong road-trip stop with roomy suites and consistently praised staff. Why it's here: roomy suites, consistently praised staff and included breakfast and parking for road-trip families. Accept: car-dependent location; remaining renovation work needs confirmation. $114 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Holiday Inn Express and Suites Bakersfield Central by IHG 8.5/10, simple, all-suite highway hotel with breakfast included. A strong road-trip stop for clean, spacious suites, with location the main compromise. Why it's here: spacious highway-access suites with comfortable beds, included breakfast and free parking. Accept: traffic and neighboring-room noise; repair completion needs confirmation. $109 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Courtyard by Marriott Bakersfield 8.4/10, practical 3-star chain hotel near Highway 99. A strong stopover for clean, comfortable rooms, but budget for the extras. Why it's here: comfortable renovated rooms, a heated outdoor pool and a Bistro for highway stopovers. Accept: paid parking and breakfast; housekeeping every other day. $130 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Hourglass Hotel, Trademark Collection by Wyndham 8.3/10, comfortable 3-star highway hotel with boutique styling and a pool courtyard. A strong Bakersfield stopover for spacious rooms and pool time, with a few service inconsistencies. Why it's here: pool-courtyard lounging and spacious rooms at a cheaper-than-most rate. Accept: no elevator, variable breakfast inclusion and occasional service lapses. $114 a night with Axel against $158 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $44 a night less (28%). Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- SpringHill Suites by Marriott Bakersfield 8.3/10, practical 3-star all-suite hotel for Bakersfield stopovers. Spacious suites and friendly service make a strong stopover, but check renovation progress. Why it's here: separate living areas, included hot breakfast and an indoor pool for family stopovers. Accept: renovation progress needs checking; some showers disappoint. $130 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Hilton Garden Inn Bakersfield 8.1/10, practical 3-star hotel off Highway 99. A comfortable Bakersfield stopover, with friendly staff and extras to budget for. Why it's here: an indoor pool and on-site restaurant for a comfortable highway stop. Accept: parking and breakfast cost extra; some facilities have weekday closures. $115 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Bakersfield 8.0/10, full-service highway hotel with spacious rooms and garden grounds. A comfortable Bakersfield stopover, with generous rooms but some older-hotel trade-offs. Why it's here: generous rooms, garden grounds and free parking for a full-service road stop. Accept: highway-facing noise and older finishes; renovation status needs checking. $113 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Holiday Inn & Suites Bakersfield by IHG 7.8/10, practical, full-service 3-star off Highway 99. A solid Bakersfield stopover, with friendly staff but uneven quiet and dining. Why it's here: a cheaper full-service stop with spacious rooms and an indoor pool. Accept: truck, train and pool noise; unreliable restaurant service. $108 a night with Axel against $128 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $20 a night less (16%). Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Bakersfield South 5.2/10, older budget, motel-style hotel off Highway 99. Convenient for a stopover, but recurring housekeeping and maintenance problems make it hard to recommend. Why it's here: a cheaper pet-friendly highway stop with breakfast and parking included. Accept: recurring insect reports, worn bathrooms and unresolved maintenance problems. $74 a night with Axel against $80 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $6 a night less (7%). Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
