kapooncha

Planning to go to Yosemite in early June 2019. And I guess I'm "late" in planning so it appears most of the nicer lodging options in the park are taken. Looks like the tents at Half Dome Village are available, nice location but I've heard they aren't that nice.

Any suggestions? Perhaps nicer options just outside the park I could consider?

manneca

Just outside the park is a very, very long way from the Valley. (From 120 it's probably 45 minutes or more, from 140 it's at least 1/2 an hour.) IMO not worth it. Tents are tents. I'm not sure what can be nice or not nice about them. They definitely aren't luxury safari tents. Most don't have baths. I generally stay in the lodge (I can't remember what it's called now). It's a multi building rustic motel type lodging. The expensive hotel is nice, but expensive. There are also some cabins near the tents that are actually fairly nice, but rustic. They would be my pick.

Yosemite generally books up a year in advance for the summer. Cancellations must be made at least 7 days in advance, so you might be able to find something in that window. (Big Trees Lodge is the former Wawona and is a long drive from Yosemite Valley. I'd advise against that.)

Also make sure you're on the right website. Google turns up sites that look like the national park site, but they aren't. And you will wind up miles from the park. Last spring I attended a photo workshop and we stayed at Yosemite View Lodge and it wasn't really much nicer than the lodge in the park. A bit more modern, less rustic, but run down. And the food options in the park and outside aren't terrific either. But Yosemite is my favorite park and I try to get there every other year.

kapooncha

Well apparently, on TripAdvisor, a few reviews have mentioned some of the tents have mice droppings (i.e. rodent problem). That's not wonderful. The rustic cabins near the tents appear to be fully booked.

I checked the expensive lodge and it's fully booked for June 2019, as are all the other options it seems like.

A 30 minute drive from the park entrance really isn't that bad honestly.

abmj-jr

Try the Tenaya Lodge. It is just outside the park entrance on SR41 at Fish Camp. Perhaps the newest hotel near the park. It is 10 minutes from the south entrance station, 15 minutes from the Mariposa Grave of redwoods, 25 minutes from Glacier Point and at least a half hour from the Valley.

There are Choice Hotels in both Oakhurst and Mariposa, outside the park but I have no idea about availability. For the high season, everything will be priced up although they all lost a lot of business this year due to the fires and might be a little more reasonable in hopes of attracting people back.

SanDiego1K

There are private homes for rent within Yosemite from Yosemitewest.com

My husband rented Birdseye Vista with friends. All were very happy. The home had several bedrooms and they fixed their own meals. It was a more comfortable stay than when we stayed at the top lodge the prior year.

kapooncha

Tenaya looks pretty solid. There is also a Best Western Plus in Oakhurst that has availability and better rates than Tenaya. Do you think that's an okay location?

Thanks I'll check that out. I did look at AirBnb but seems like most of the properties are priced quite similar to what the lodges would ask for. So not much in the way of savings to be had. But I'll give it a looksy.

Yosemite West High Sierra Bed and Breakfast - I found this place. Bed & Breakfast that seems to be pretty solid.

Actually, looks like there are quite a few B&B options as well that under $250 per night. So that should work.

abmj-jr

The Tenaya is a higher-end hotel with all amenities and is 5-10 minutes or so outside the south entrance gate to the national park. The Best Western is a motel with limited amenities but is in town where restaurants and such are plentiful. Oakhurst is 20 minutes or so from the entrance station. FYI, there is also a decent Comfort Inn in Oakhurst.

Depending on where you are driving in from, you might want to check out the Comfort Inn and Best Western in Mariposa, which is along the more northern route to the Park from the Bay Area. Oakhurst is on SR41, which is the southern route from Fresno.

rickg523

​Cub's Cabin​​​​​​ - also in Yosemite West
Stayed here with family (two boys 8 and 10). It's about 30 - 45 minutes straight drive to the Valley, but count on stopping along the way. Yosemite isn't just the Valley.
The house (3+2) was very comfortable and private on a good sized lot, two decks, a seating area next to a man made pond with waterfall, a spa and an air hockey table.

kapooncha

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...alifornia.html

Any thoughts on that place? It's in Ahwahnee. Decent enough location?

rickg523

Haven't stayed there, but looks nice enough.
I will caution that in rural areas of California, make sure you check into dining options. They can be limited, and not closes to where you are, with wildly varying quality and restricted operating hours.
This was one of the reasons I went with a rental.

kapooncha

Isn't Ahwahnee very close to the Valley? That's the place to go and eat isn't it?

rickg523

No. As stated in the description the Hamlet of Ahwahnee is outside the park. The description says a 30 minute drive to the South Entrance. From there you're a good hour drive to the Valley. Don't confuse the village with the identically named 4 star hotel which is in the center of the Valley. In fact, you'll pass Yosemite West on your way.
In the village of Ahwahnee itself, I think you'll find dining choices very limited and mostly of the fried and served in a basket type. In the nearest town, Oakhurst, you'll find more choices, mostly coffee shop Denny's kind of places.
Again, I don't know your needs and frankly there may be some better choices scattered about that area. Maybe call the B&B to discuss.

kapooncha

Oh that's far then. What I'm trying to do is find a nice place at an affordable price. This is becoming frustrating.

The rental you listed was nice but $475 a night is asinine. I'd pay that for a hawaii hotel on the beach, not for a national park.

kapooncha

I think I'll do El Portal area. I found a nice place there.

RichardInSF

Yosemite West only has access from inside the park as I recall but it is just outside the park boundary, curiously.

There are also cabins for rent at Wawona that are privately owned. The Park Service would rather you not know about these but some of hem are fine. Google Wawona cabin rentals for a bunch of links.

However as a first time visitor you really want to be near the Valley. I have to say that I think the driving estimates from the south entrance seem low to me. But even if they are accurate, on a multi-day stay, the drive two ways does get tiresome. .