Ahwahnee Lodge Yosemite
A great review of the famous Ahwahnee Lodge Yosemite, including details on rooms, facilities, amenities, services, restaurants and bars.
There are many five star lodges and hotels in Yosemite that feature fantastic rooms, facilities and restaurants, yet the Ahwahnee Lodge Yosemite is the most sought after. It is bestowed with the Premier Lodge classification by the park authorities, owing its magnificent façade and architecture and the quality of its 99 luxury rooms and 24 cottages.
The hotel/lodge itself is located right in Yosemite Valley with rooms facing Half Dome, Glacier Point and the West Valley. It is a national historic landmark and features huge log-beamed ceilings and great stone hearths, plus there is colorful Native American artwork all about. To top it off Ahwahnee has a striking granite exterior that blends well with the surrounding granite cliffs and forests. It also has a heated outdoor pool, too.
Ahwahnee history and facilities
Ahwahnee Lodge Yosemite was built in 1927 and is one of North America’s most attractive hotels versus setting. It has a great blend of Art Deco, Native American, and Middle Eastern architecture and comes with large public spaces that feature massive beams and fireplaces, along with tapestries and stained glass.
The rooms are very well appointed, which is to be expected for the most upscale joint in the park. Prices reflect this, however, and you could be looking at as much as a grand a night in the best pad.
There are 123 rooms in total at the Ahwahnee Lodge, including rooms in the lodge itself and 24 cottages elsewhere on the site. The hotel rooms are the cheapest option and are beautifully appointed with nice beds, rich fabrics, and a Native American look and feel. Views of Yosemite Valley from the rooms are spectacular. Next up are the parlors. There are four of them and they are beautifully furnished and have even better valley views.
There are two junior suites – the El Dorado Diggins Suite and the Mary Curry Tressider Suite. El Dorado has a private dining room, cocktail lounge and a chapel. It sleeps four and also comes with a natty sunken living room, a huge picture window, and a Jacuzzi bathtub. The Mary Curry Tressider Suite has a four-poster canopy bed and a rich décor and was home to Queen Elizabeth II when she visited in 1983. The cottages of the Ahwahnee Lodge Yosemite are rustic and well located amid pines and dogwoods. They have the look of a mountain lodge and come with a private bath, TV, phone, fridge and patio.
Ahwahnee packages
The Ahwahnee hosts a number of annual events such as Vintners Holiday and Bracebridge Dinner and it gets particularly busy at these times. Check out the following special packages:
- Bracebridge Dinner: A grand Christmas event and somewhat of an Ahwahnee Christmas tradition that has been held annually since the hotel’s inception in 1927.
- New Year's Eve: Featuring a fantastic dinner and lots of dancing before the counting of the clock.
- Vintner's Holidays: With the eating of gourmet foods and fine wines from California’s best wineries.
- Chefs' Holiday: Held annually in January and February when a slew of acclaimed chefs take to the kitchen.
- Romance Package: The Ahwahnee Lodge Yosemite also offers tailored packages for important events, such as weddings, anniversaries, and honeymoons.
