Whispering Sands Motel

Just left WS this morning. We had a most memorable time discovering all that Hanksville has to offer. We were given a modern spacious but comfy room with quality beds in the perfect location. The staff were incredibly helpful in allowing us to move our booking a couple of times due to unforeseen circumstances. They made sure the room was warm for us on arrival and responded to any teething problems immediately. Would recommend this haven.

With Hanksville as our destination, lodging was a bit limited. The Whispering Pines was one of the few motels in the area. Other lodging contained more expenses cabins at campgrounds and other sites. It was surprising that the room rate was around $160 for a motel, but that was the cheapest option in the area. The Whispering Pines is conveniently located on scenic highway 95. In fact, the drive into Hanksville from the east is one of the most beautiful drives, we have ever experienced. It had plenty of off-street free parking with turn around space for larger vehicles. It is a retro motel, so you can park right at your door. It is comprised of two buildings -- one of which is two stories without elevators so consider that when booking your room. We had booked online and the check in was efficient and fast. The room was spacious with a large king bed, plank floors, and a separate vanity from the toilet and tub/shower. There was a lounge chair and a separate desk with chair. It was a clean room and generally clean grounds. It is near a gas station with conveniences including a burger restaurant. Across the street is a more upscale restaurant near the Roadsideamerica.com attraction the Hollow Mountain Gas Station -- an operating Sinclair gas station with its store in a mountain cave. Hanksville is a great central location to take in many of the sites in the area. It is very close to the amazing Goblin Valley State Park. The room had a mini fridge with no freezer section and a microwave. There was a hairdryer but no iron and board. There is a free reliable ice machine. Internet was free and reliable. There was not breakfast but a breakfast food truck was open nearly by. There is also a coin operated laundry. The motel was relatively quiet throughout the evening despite being very crowded.

This is one of the few motels in this area and while its rates are a little higher than normal, it was still cheaper than nearby glam cabins. The rooms are nice with usual ammenities. It was busy, but quiet. Plenty of free off stret parking to even accommodate larger vehicles. Easy access to Highway 95 scenic landscapes.

Nice, basic motel. Very clean, comfortable memory foam mattresses, easy to check in after front desk hours. Good location between Goblin Valley state park and Capitol Reef National Park would stay here again.

Rooms are clean and mostly up to date(showers are a little dated but not bad). Quiet location. Prices are a little high considering no breakfast and office is not open till 3pm. Extra 0.1 stars for friendly motel cat, very cute, would pet again.

Whispering Sands Motel is a hidden gem in Hanksville! This place is incredibly modern, spotlessly clean, and designed for a truly comfortable stay. The rooms are thoughtfully equipped with everything you need, and the bathrooms are especially impressive—modern, spacious, and pristine. The beds were super comfortable, ensuring a great night’s sleep after a long day of exploring. It’s clear the owners take pride in maintaining a high standard, making it one of the best motel stays we’ve had. Highly recommend for anyone passing through or staying in the area!

Cozy roadside setting. The exterior may appear dated the inside has started to be updated. This is a good spot for a rest after a long day on the road, paying in the desert or visiting the National Parks. The gas station behind has everything, EVERYTHING. The room was comfortable with a King bed memory foam mattress, Mini refrigerator, Microwave, Drip Coffee pot with coffee and tea available, Desk and chair area, sitting chair, Big screen tv, Nice Mountain View, Outside room covered seating. The only negative was the negative were the cigarette butts and pumpkin seeds right outside the door. I would stay again.

Stayed here in March of 2025 when on a photography trip there and our room was immaculate. Very comfortable bed, good Wifi and great maid service if you request it. i would very much recommend the Whispering Sands in Hanksville when in that area for a great value and more,

Motels in the desert can be either good or not so good. I was impressed with the cleanliness, friendliness, and location (I was going to Goblin Valley to hike). Checking was easy and the room was really nice. It was very quiet there. I stayed for two nights and was glad that I did. I really do recommend this motel any time you might be passing through Hanksville, but reserve in advance. There were no open vacancies during my stay. Oh, and if you need to do laundry during your stay, they have a washer & dryer available for their guests.

Stayed here for one night and was pleasantly surprised. The bathroom was compact but sufficient. The provided toiletries smelled amazing. Loved how a makeup remover wipe was provided, along with a washcloth just for removing makeup. I was finally able to apply a face mask! And holy water pressure! It was like getting a massage while showering. I especially liked how they provided a laundry room (one washer, one dryer) along with a vending and ice machine. I was able to finally get some laundry done, at $1/load. The bed was super comfy to me but was definitely a soft encompassing feeling.

Friendly, clean, and convenient to several parks. Beds were comfortable, and gas station with a delicious hamburger place was just up the street. Gorgeous views. We had a "cabin" with a wooden ceiling.

(Review based on 3.5 stars) Whispering Sands Motel is an unlikely find that turned out to be nicer than expected. After my husband and I had visited Capital Reef National Park (which is a little under 30 miles away), we ended up staying at this motel. Our room was in one of those single row rooms which kind of reminds me of a carpeted cabin/ studio. This room came with 2 queen beds, one mini fridge, microwave and an additional mini heater under the sink, which we did not use. There was also a basket of breakfast items that included instant oatmeal, bottled water, breakfast bar, fruit cups, tea, coffee and instant hot chocolate and instant apple cider. I thought that was a nice touch and glad that individually wrapped spoons were also included in the basket. The room we checked into was clean. WiFi was pretty slow for the most part. Customer service could have been friendlier, as the owner (I suspect) was a bit curt when we checked in. But overall, we had a good night's rest and then went on our way to. This place is just fine for a short stay.

Honestly a very pleasant surprise. Was a expecting a run of the mill motel/inn here in Hanksville, Utah. Don't know what the prices are during peak season but at $69 a night during the winter for 2 queen beds (super comfy)in a cabin/studio, that's pretty much a steal. The room was clean, had amenities like the XL mini fridge (I know oxymoron but it was bigger the your average mini fridge), microwave, tv, cable and internet. Two things I didn't expect that were very welcome was a heating lamp above the toilet (during the winter months) and the room was pre-heated. With a little one in tow, not having to wait for the room to warm up is a big plus. Am additional plus was the cool little complementary breakfast bar setup with actual items humans will eat. Only downside I would say is the shower/bathtub set up needs an upgrade and be super careful out here in the parking lots/parking spaces due ice on the ground. The receptionist did warn us about it (multiple times). I'd definitely return here again!

When I checked in I asked for a room on the bottom since I had a lot of baggage to carry in. I was told, "No, you have to go to the room you were assigned." In the evening, the smoke alarm went off and wouldn't stop. I went to the front desk and asked for help and they came and removed the battery and did not replace it. The room was freezing so I turned up the heat only to find out the heat didn't work and was blowing cold air in from outside. I went and talked to the manager and she gave me a space heater. The space heater didn't heat very well. The lights flickered and then went out because the space tripped the circuit breaker. I again went to the manager and asked her to flip the circuit breaker. I asked for a refund or partial refund and the manager refused. Horrible service. The manager was very unfriendly about everything and did not care about the service I was receiving.

Booked this motel on Expedia. We were driving from Moab to Goblin Valley State Park to make our way to Page, Arizona and this motel in Hanksville looks like the only place in the area of many little towns that looked decent. We were a couple of hours early and there's a sign posted on the office door that they won't be in until 3:00 pm (check in time) to 9:00 pm. So we decided to explore Goblin Valley. Checked in and I guess we were the only people here besides two other 2 cars in the parking lot (we were here in December). Place was surprisingly clean and comfortable. Cable is a little slow and sometimes lag. Bed was comfortable. They give you a continental breakfast basket.

We spent one night here while traveling in the area. I booked online after seeing this was the better of two available options in town. Tip: check in on Yelp and you can get like $15 off when you check in for your stay. We were pleasantly surprised with the Whispering Sands. We stayed in the main building. Our room was very clean and nice, with granite countertops on everything. We also had a mini fridge and microwave. The beds were very comfy to sit on, but I found them too soft to sleep on; I sank down into the mattress and had a hard time getting to sleep because of it. The hotel has a laundry room (open til 11) and is next door to a burger and shake place. Overall, I think I'd recommend this, despite my problems with the mattress.

As good as it gets within 100+ miles of Capitol Reef National Park. There are other motels salted through the tiny towns in this desert like area, many look like you pay by the hour. Whispering Sands has done the absolute best they can with what they have available. Our room was on the second floor to the right of the stairs, no elevator. The ice machine is on the first floor under the stairs. This is an old building but the rooms are crisp and clean. There are nice touches all over the place including two plastic chairs outside our room to enjoy the view of the mountains and gravel parking lot. The bathroom needs more light but is clean with white towels, the one brown towel is for make-up removal (as noted by the card). There is no continental breakfast per say but there is a breakfast basket in the room, see pic. There is also a nice size mini frig and a microwave (very low to the ground). For $99.00 this should be your only choice in the area.

Stayed a week. The first room I checked into was as the end of a row of single-story rooms. A few hours after checking in, I discovered the door did not latch which necessitated a room change. I was quickly accommodated and put in a room on the ground floor of the 2-story section. The replacement room was substantially nicer than the first; everything was newer and more up to date. Rooms have a refrigerator, microwave, hairdryer, alarm clock, coffee maker and TV. There's A/C but when I turned it on during a couple of hotter days, it didn't seem to work well. The wifi can be spotty and cut out at times. The room was very comfortable and clean. Good linens and toiletries. I love that they give you morning snacks (muffins, cereal bars, fruit cups, cocoa, hot spiced cider) and coupons for 10% of breakfast at Duke's. Housekeeping was friendly and on top of things. I had booked way ahead and had a good rate. I must admit that I would likely be knocking off a star if I'd of stayed in the original room I had checked in to.

We really enjoyed our stay! The rooms were clean and comfortable, the WiFi had excellent service and the check in process was quick and easy!

Honestly wasn't a bad place on the way to Capital Reef National Park. I didn't want to stay in Green River, and had just left from Canyonlands so this was pretty much the only option. Room was pretty affordable and comfortable. I would definitely stay here again if I get back out that way

At first, the hotel looked very comfortable and warm but after sleeping on one of the beds for only 3 hours I woke up to a horrible rash covering my body. The manager admitted that disinfectant was the cause because housekeeping sprays it around the room (instead of washing everything?). After arguing, we were refunded 1/4 of what we paid for the night. It is now 5 days later and I still have the bad rash because it is not an allergic reaction, it is a chemically induced rash. I would recommend spending your money elsewhere.

This place is in the middle of nowhere, and it is clean, relaxing, and quiet. The beds were pretty comfy, much better than some backwoods experiences, and better than most of the beds we have paid for in Moab. I would love to stay here again!

Located in nowhere Utah the Whispering Sands is an older motel but is clean and well maintained. My room was large with a small table and chairs, mini fridge, 40" TV, sofa, and queen bed. I stayed here for one night before heading out on a camping and canyoneering trip in the nearby wilderness and slept very well. Given the remote location I think the price was a little more expensive than justified but it's one of the few options in town, so that makes sense. With your room you do get a continental breakfast at a nearby restaurant. The breakfast was nothing fancy but it was adequate. Would stay here again and would recommend it.

Another stay - everything still in good condition and holding up well. Large mini-fridge in room. Staff super friendly. 1st room smelled of smoke, but they were happy to give us another that had no smell.

After spending a day at Capitol Reef NP, we needed a place to crash for the night before heading over to Canyonlands NP the next day. There aren't too many options in this neck of the woods. Hanksville was our best bet and the Whispering Sands Motel turned out to be more than a decent option. We booked a cabin room. It cost just as much as their regular room but with wood paneling on the walls and ceiling. The beds were comfortable. The cover of the bath exhaust fan was missing but the fan was still functional. The room came with a fridge, microwave, coffee maker, free wi-fi, and complimentary b'fast at the nearby Stan's Burger Shak. There was no automatic climate control. Since we had cranked up the a/c, the room got really, really cold in the wee hours of the morning. Despite this glitch, the stay was quite comfortable and if I find myself in Southern Utah, I'd stay here again.

Our family was doing a road-trip vacation and we were driving through and decided to stop at this motel due to the reviews. The reviews were by all means everything they've said. Rooms were extremely clean, very nice staff, had laundry machines which was a BIG bonus for us, and the pricing was extremely reasonable. This was such a great random find! I'm so happy this was one of the places we stayed! I would definitely recommend this hotel if you need a place to stay within the area or driving through like we were.

My family and I stayed here for one night, after a long day spent hiking and running amok in the desert. When we first drove up, I wasn't very impressed with the exterior appearence. While not exactly drab, it is very plain. I hadn't had great luck with roadside motels, and this one doesn't give the impression of opulence. After stepping out of my car, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that upon closer inspection, it became clear that it was well maintained and clean. Our check-in was quite fast, and the rooms themselves are clean and updated. They have free wi-fi of a decent speed, which they helpfully included instructions on how to connect to with our card keys. There is no pay-per-view or movie channels, but the kids were content with the disney channel. The TV remote is of the hygienic variety - all smooth surfaces and no exposed buttons for an easy wipedown. Clean. My only complaints were regarding the showers and the bed. The shower head is a bit low, and I'm not exactly tall. I had to really stoop to rinse my hair. Also, the shower-head is of the low-flow variety. I like a good blasting when it comes to showers - this was more of a trickle. But the water was hot, and it did get the job done. The bed sheets were clean, and the bed-spreads updated. But the bed itself was... utilitarian. I'm not saying it was as bad as a blanket on a sheet of plywood, but it was hard enough that I woke up with a sore hip. Given the choice of sleeping in the desert in a sleeping bag, the bed was a better choince. But only because the bathroom is right there, and dragging a TV out to the campsite just isn't practical. If I have thrown a blanket down for padding, I probably would have slept better. All told, I give it a better than average rating. I'm a clean freak, and this one is well taken care of. The staff is relaxed and efficient. Everything smelled clean. I really didn't expect as well as we got, but if you've spent the day in the dirt and heat, this place will be heaven.

A nice little old-school motel. The price is the same at both motels in town, so definitely go for this one. The rooms are remodeled and very clean. There are chairs out in front of each room, perfect for sitting and chatting with other guests about their adventures traveling through the wilds of Southern Utah. The price was about $80 for a double. I guess this is the high season. It was certainly more than I would have liked to pay, but like I said, there are only 2 motels in town and apparently they are price-setting. It was the first time I had spent more than a half-hour in Hanksville and I have to say, it's a nice little place to spend a night.

We stayed at the Whispering Sands on our way out to Lake Powell this year. For years we've passed by and called this place the "Tuff Shed" Motel because when it was first built it looked like Tuff Sheds all lined up in a row. I must apologize for ever reducing this place to merely a shed! It's true that it falls into the category of a basic motor lodge, but it's really more than that. They've added to the motel over the years and made it look more inviting. As I opened the room door for the first time, I wondered what I would find inside. I was pleasantly surprised by the real-wood paneling on one wall and the ceiling which gave the room a more cozy, homey feel. I think it must also do a lot to help with sound-carry because we had people staying on either side of us and never heard a peep. An even better test of the sound-proofing was the 4 Harleys outside that left sometime before 7 a.m. but we never heard them. Back to the room....Clean, comfortable and unlike other motels at this price point - the bed was sturdy and the mattress was quality. Everything was immaculately clean. Nice little extras like a fridge and microwave and even little Hershey's Kisses on the nightstand. If you stay at this motel, you get 10% off your check at Blondie's restaurant across the street. My whole family was impressed by Whispering Sands and I think we'll make the effort to make it as far as Hanksville on our Powell trips in the future, rather than the Motel 6 in Green River.

Best hotel in Hanksville. Stay here if you can and avoid Hanksville Inn! Make sure you call ahead, because they do fill up quickly. Even if you can't stay here, still avoid Hanksville Inn.

Headed out on a two-week trip to tour the mighty five National Parks in Utah. Staying overnight at the Whispering Sands in Hanksville was extremely pleasant. We had made reservations ahead of time as we planned on arriving at Canyonlands National Park in the morning and hiking/touring all day before arriving at our motel. We arrived in the late afternoon and were promptly greeted at the front desk by cheerful, smiling faces. The four of us settled into our two rooms, which were very clean, fresh-smelling and each room included a microwave, small refrigerator, air-conditioner, small table and a couple of chairs (along with the standard television, cable, hair dryer, etc.). As the motel is not equipped to serve a continental breakfast, they partner with an establishment very close by (Stan's Burger Shak - yes, it is spelled that way) to provide their guests a hearty breakfast. We also happened to eat dinner there that evening as well! Side Note: If you eat there for dinner, you simply MUST have one of their shakes! Our friends ordered the grasshopper shake (mint) and the other one ordered the mocha shake. Not only was this quite possibly the best shake I've ever tasted, but it truly was over-flowing the rim of the cup and had to be consumed immediately! Kudos to Stan's for great food! The next morning, we walked over to Stan's and were were greeted by a wonderful woman at the counter (it was very early as we had to get an early start, but she was extremely pleasant and helpful). Their continental breakfast was comprised of coffee, water, assorted juices, cereals, muffins, bagels, breads and even waffles if you wished! Thank you Whispering Sands and Stan's for making us feel welcome, providing us a wonderful night's rest and filling our tummies with yummy food to send us on our way! We certainly look forward to returning to stay with you again!

This motel is under new management and has had a nice face lift. Given it's off the beaten path location it doesn't cut corners. The rooms are very very clean and have nice bonus's like a fridge and microwave. The furnishings are well kept and there was a flat screen TV. They have added a complimentary breakfast and offer discounts for local restaurants. I would highly recommend this place.

Cute little motel literally in the middle of nowhere. Clean rooms, updated carpet and paint. Our mini fridge wasn't working, but they were really friendly and immediately changed it out. The price was wonderful for a short weekend. I highly recommend bringing your own food. There's a couple little burger joint type places, but they're honestly only ok. The shakes are pretty good, I just wouldn't stay here going to taste the local cuisine.

A diamond in the rough. Very clean and comfortable bed. Wall to ceiling wood paneling which gives it a cabin feeling. Great find at a great AAA price.

Where is Hanksville you ask? Conveniently located between Arches NP and Capitol Reef NP for us.. Quiet, clean hotel, that had the best beds on our whole trip. They have a laundry area and that was nice to get caught up. Large room, enjoyed the stay.