Our only previous experience was getting bumped to the “room with a shared potty on the hall,” then my wife putting her foot down, and being moved to Tenaya (for the same price as the sh!thole).
What do you think of Ahwahnee/Majestic Yellowstone?
Back to Tenaya?
Anything else?
This will probably only be for a few nights next June.
Ahwanee was a great place to stay when we went years ago… The rooms felt dated but thehotel and restaurant were special.
We stayed at the Ahwahnee 5 years ago and yes, the rooms feel dated. But I love the vibe of the old hotel
and main dining room and some of the rooms have great views.
I would only stay at the Ahwahnee for accommodations inside the Valley. Otherwise, I’d camp, but getting a camp site is even harder than getting a room at the Ahwahnee. Small rooms, paper thin walls, and dated decor…but still worth every penny to stay in the historic hotel. Restaurant is good, but there’s not a lot of choices in the Valley.
If you can find a room on the dates you will be there, just book it. You won’t be disappointed.
I haven’t been to The Evergreen Lodge since the '60s, I think, when we would stay at Camp Mather and the dads would go to The Evergreen for a pop or two and some bumper pool.
Didn’t they just renovate Ahwahnee? I thought I remembered reading about that.
My kind of camping
Evergreen Lodge did some updates years ago and is awesome. I’ve stayed with my family several times. During the holidays you get more food than you can possibly eat and their local trail is nice but best of all it is neat the gate so getting into the valley is easy. Nice pool, rec center etc. The fires came very close a couple of years ago. I’ve stayed at Majestic in the suites at the top. very small dated rooms but like people say it is about the atmosphere and can’t be beat for that.
Evergreen Lodge did some updates years ago and is awesome. I’ve stayed with my family several times. During the holidays you get more food than you can possibly eat and their local trail is nice but best of all it is neat the gate so getting into the valley is easy. Nice pool, rec center etc. The fires came very close a couple of years ago. I’ve stayed at Majestic in the suites at the top. very small dated rooms but like people say it is about the atmosphere and can’t be beat for that.
Evan, isn’t The Majestic about an hour’s drive from The Evergreen?
The Majestic is the new name for the Ahwahnee. I just got back today after staying there the past 3 nights. My room was definitely not renovated, and although it smelled faintly of cigarettes, it was still a nice place to stay. The wifi is about 2003 speed (frustrating, especially when I was trying to get some work done), but the 50" TV was a nice addition since the last time I was there. My room looked out over the pool and outdoor/bar/lawn area behind the hotel, with of course a huge granite cliff in the background.
The restaurant is still outstanding, and the wine list is still 100% Californian, as far as I saw.
Yosemite recently changed from Delaware North to Aramark as its concessioner. I’m not sure who wanted to change the name from the Ahwahnee to the Majestic, whether it was Delaware North, Aramark or the National Park Service, but people are definitely not used to the name change.
We rented a house just outside the west entrance of the park from https://www.scenicwonders.com. Was easy to get in and out of the park from and we liked being able to get away from the masses of people in the main area of the park. Was also easy to get to Sentinel Dome which is the easiest dome to hike in the park - hiking a dome is obligatory in Yosemite, right?
Yes but you get to see that incredible reveal every day and you can do the meadow before entering. On the other hand waking on the valley floor is unparalleled. Different experiences but both excellent. Check out the Holiday winemakers series they do every year at Majestic.
Delaware had the trademark for the Ahwahnee and didn’t let the park use it after they lost the contract.
Evan, that’s amazing the National Park Service would allow a vendor to take possession of a historic name, even though their contract as concessioner was for 20 years. I guess Delaware North must’ve also owned the trademark for the name Vintners Holidays, since it’s now called The Grand Grape Escape.
I stayed down the hall from Ed this week. The rooms are dated, but comfortable. I was with my family and we booked a 2 bedroom suite. The beds in the suite had the best mattresses I’ve slept on in a long time.
Don’t expect a St. Regis-- I think its rusticity is part of the Majestic charm / experience.
Ahwahnee (now Majestic) is very nice, but very expensive. We usually stay in Yosemite Lodge (now called Yosemite Falls lodge, I think), which is a short drive, or walk, away from Ahwahnee. Tenaya lodge is a long drive from the valley. More of a commercial hotel, but reasonably nice and more modern than the valley lodgings. No matter where you stay, you can still go and hang out at Ahwahnee (I refuse to call it “Majestic”). In the great room, eat in the restaurant, etc.