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yosemite - where to stay

yosemite - where to stay

Old Jul 25, 2010, 2:53 am
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yosemite - where to stay

many thanks to the posters who have helped us plan our california trip. Would now like some advice on where to stay around Yosemite. We aim to stay for 2 nights, coming from monterey and then onwards to San Francisco. The problem is that the hotel options within the park seem somewhat underwhelming. Is it an option to stay somewhere pleasant and quiet outside the park and then drive in for the day?
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Old Jul 25, 2010, 3:05 am
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Originally Posted by malcolmcampbell
many thanks to the posters who have helped us plan our california trip. Would now like some advice on where to stay around Yosemite. We aim to stay for 2 nights, coming from monterey and then onwards to San Francisco. The problem is that the hotel options within the park seem somewhat underwhelming. Is it an option to stay somewhere pleasant and quiet outside the park and then drive in for the day?
The Tenaya Lodge is supposed to be quite nice, but it's a bit of a haul. I'd stay again in the park at the Lodge at the Falls. It's not luxurious, but you can see the falls from your window (if you get a good room). IMHO, its worth it. And you save an hour drive. I stayed at the Ahwanee too, and wouldnt do it again.
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Old Jul 26, 2010, 7:36 pm
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I have stayed at Yosemite Lodge (at the Falls) and it was fine. It is more like a motel. Best thing about staying there is you have access to the shuttle bus that takes you to many places in the park. You can see Yosemite Falls, is across the parking lot from a park restaurant and ranger talk area. I would not hesitate to stay there again. If your visit is short, the valley floor in the park is the best place to stay.
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Old Jul 27, 2010, 2:18 pm
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It would help if you said what you don't like about the lodging within the park, plus how far you're willing to drive to/from the park (just Yosemite Valley? other places?). Of course you can stay outside the park. Also, what time of year (I haven't followed your other posts)? You find the Ahwahnee underwhelming, too expensive, or what? We stayed in Camp Curry tent cabin the last time we were in the park, but it's not for everyone. Yosemite Lodge is, I think, as good as many hotels you'll find outside the park, unless you need a pool, etc., and you can't beat the location. The Wawona is historic, pleasant and quiet. Not fancy, and also not cheap, and isn't in Yosemite Valley, but is near the redwoods. If you get a room with its own bathroom, why commute from outside the park?
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Old Jul 27, 2010, 3:05 pm
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I agree -- not sure what the underwhelming in the park means. I stayed at the PArk Lodge at the Falls. It was pricey for what you got, if you compare it to a Hampton Inn room for room, as it's more motel style. However, it's right at the falls and unless you're really, really pinched for cash, I think its your best bet for visitng the park espescially on a short visit where burning time driving in and out of the park will cut down on time to visit sites. REmember, the roads there are not 70 mph roads. Count on 25-30 miles per hour for alot of the distances to "local" hotels.

I also stayed at the Ahwahnee, because it is famous and supposed to be great, and to be able to say I stayed there. The rooms are like any park lodge -- spartan. The lobby is nice, and so is the setting, but you can get that without paying 2-3 times the nightly rate of the lodge at the falls. I would not stay at the Ahwahnee again unless I desperately wanted to be in the park, there was a special on, and I couldnt get a room a the lodge at the falls. Or perhaps if you were there for their special holiday meal, called... BraceBridge or something like that.
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Old Jul 27, 2010, 3:43 pm
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It is an option to stay outside the park - but that really is defeating the purpose imho. Curry Village is good, especially if you can get a wooden cabin but that is getting harder as they are closing off sections due to rockfalls and the wooden cabins are especially hit by that.

I did not like the tent cabins one bit, not because I don't like tents and I have stayed in far worse, but there are people in the tent cabins that really oughtn't be out in public as they have no camp etiquette. Yosemite Lodge does the job. Ahwahnee you are paying a lot for the name but I liked the bar and the restaurants.

If you have the patience then keep ringing the Yosemite line and checking online too. We have had a lot of success doing that especially when the phone line says "no" but online says "yes" so check both. It is also best to ring up about 7 days before you want to stay as I think that is the last day people can cancel and get a full refund, so they may be cancelling just as you ring - that has happened many times for us in the past and we are doing the same at the moment.
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Old Jul 27, 2010, 11:13 pm
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We are going in mid september. The reviews on trip advisor mention rooms without bathrooms, in need of renovation etc. I think anyone reading the reviews of all of the Park hotels would be distinctly underwhelmed. Not at all worried about prices - clearly this is supply and demand. We like our comfort and I was hoping there would be somewhere along the 4 seasons line a short drive away. After all this is the USA!
Clearly there isn't and we now have to consider if the park itself would make up for the hotels or should we consider giving Yosemite a miss and head for the wine country or spend some more time in Monterey or similar where there is no shortage of good hotels.
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Old Jul 28, 2010, 1:05 pm
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Originally Posted by malcolmcampbell
We are going in mid september. The reviews on trip advisor mention rooms without bathrooms, in need of renovation etc. I think anyone reading the reviews of all of the Park hotels would be distinctly underwhelmed. Not at all worried about prices - clearly this is supply and demand. We like our comfort and I was hoping there would be somewhere along the 4 seasons line a short drive away. After all this is the USA!
Clearly there isn't and we now have to consider if the park itself would make up for the hotels or should we consider giving Yosemite a miss and head for the wine country or spend some more time in Monterey or similar where there is no shortage of good hotels.
Are you sure you want to even visit a national park? It has spectacular scenery, but you might have to sacrifice some comfort and at a price you don't like. Would the scenery and tranquility make up for the lessened comfort? Depends on the person. No Four Seasons nearby. Sounds like you're more resort/big city folks. The only places with rooms without private bathrooms inside the park that I can think of are the Wawona (some rooms with shared bathrooms, some with private bathrooms--it's an historic hotel-- and rooms without are clearly noted), and Camp Curry (the tent cabins, with central showers/toilets). Ahwahnee and Yosemite Lodge rooms all have private bathrroms. This is the USA, of course, with lots and lots of places with big, modern rooms if that's what you want. There are very few places like Yosemite left. It's one of my favorite places in the country, and to me the scenery in "the wine country" (I assume you mean Napa) doesn't begin to compare with it, but national parks aren't for everyone. Good thing (Yosemite gets crowded enough as is).

Last edited by SoCal; Jul 28, 2010 at 1:11 pm
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Old Jul 28, 2010, 1:15 pm
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The Awahnee is pretty much better than most Four Seasons - none of the resort type facilities but the actual rooms better.
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Old Jul 28, 2010, 1:37 pm
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There is nothing wrong with wanting comfort, even luxury, when you visit outdoor scenic sites. The ides that one must stay in rustic, even primitive accomodations to get "full enjoyment" out of a place like Yosemite is palpable claptrap.

i recommend staying in Oakhurst, a few miles from the South entrance of the park, at Chateau de Sureau, a member of Relias et Chateaux. Wonderful accomodations and stellar cuisine at proprieter Erna Kubin's on-site restaurant.

Yes, you must drive a certain distance to reach Yosemite Valley, but then, the Yosemite experience is much more than just Yosemite Valley.
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Old Jul 28, 2010, 1:48 pm
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Closest thing to a Four Seasons you are going to find is either the Ahwahnee in the park (we just stayed in one of the cottages #703, and it was great) or Tenaya Lodge (but it's outside the park). Staying outside, you would be dealing with rides of an hour or more each way to get in and out. If you are going, you should stay in the Valley.

You should go. From a physical beauty standpoint, Yosemite is the most spectacular place I have ever seen.
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Old Jul 28, 2010, 2:24 pm
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thanks very much people for the information. I am glad that someone agrees with me that suffering is not an essential ingredient of the great outdoors. The relais et chateau place looks really nice but on balance I think I will try the posh place in the valley and hope it doesn't match some of the reviews in TripAdviser.
Thanks again for the advice.
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Old Jul 28, 2010, 2:48 pm
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I can't imagine anyone suffering at the Ahwahnee, though I've not stayed there, just dined in the lovely dining room and walked around the lovely grounds. For some, lack of "luxury" doesn't mean suffering. There is a vast middle ground. My wife probably wouldn't return to Camp Curry-- a bit too rustic for her-- but Yosemite Lodge would be fine and the Ahwahnee great. Even the Wawona would be fine if we had a room with a private bathroom. Nothing at all wrong with wanting luxury, as long as one doesn't expect meadows, etc. to be ploughed over to build a luxury resort in a park. But it sounds like you're willing to make do with the Ahwahnee. You might want to read up on the hotel's history in advance, to help increase appreciation of the atmosphere. It's the nicest lodging in a national park I've seen-- with the possible (possible) exception of the El Tovar at the Grand Canyon. Have fun!
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Old Jul 29, 2010, 7:43 am
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p.s. if money is really no object, the Ahwahnee sounds nice, especially if you can appreciate the hotel's history and, above all, the setting, but if the price might raise your expectations to unrealistic levels, you might consider Yosemite Lodge (it appears they have two types of rooms, so go for the larger ones), and expect an upscale motel, not a luxury hotel. Most people who go to Yosemite don't spend all that much time in their rooms. I hope you're not disappointed in Yosemite. It's gorgeous.
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Old Jul 30, 2010, 11:25 am
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Since I am sure you want to take Tioga pass across anyways I would suggest staying in Mammoth Lakes for at least one night. It's about half hour south from 120/395 junction and has some decent options. You'll also get to cover some interesting eastern sierra sights that way. I would stay there on the second night and then drive back to SF via another sierra pass (4, 108, 88) depending on how far north you'd be willing to drive. Tahoe is less than 2 hrs away so you can even route your return that way.
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