While this is a beautiful hotel with a great location, we had a very poor experience during the Wawona and Oak fires. We had reservations for two days and the Oak fire filled the valley with smoke - unhealthful air rating for our hiking and you had problems even seeing half dome. We called the reservation line to cancel our $600+ a night room and they refused saying they were upholding their cancelation policy (full forfeiture) which required us to drive to the hotel. The staff at the desk were very understanding and we were allowed to cancel after driving the additional 60 miles into the valley.
Beautiful, historic, comfortable and very much worth the cost! We stayed here one night just to experience the hotel and were not disappointed at all. The dinner is amazing, the views spectacular, the room was bigger than expected and the beds were like sleeping on clouds. I would very highly recommend.
My husband and I stayed on the fifth floor in July. This was a bucket list item for celebrating my 70th birthday. There were issues during our stay at the hotel. And I expressed these concerns during our checkout. I was told we would receive a survey but I never did, so here you go: 1. Hotel bar- the first thing we wanted to do was order a Long Island ice tea and take it to our room. The drink was terrible and tasted more like lemonade. 2. Room- the bathroom sink had some left over hair on the rim which was disgusting to me. 3. Bathrobe- I put it on only to realize the trim at the bottom of the robe was dirty. I asked for another one. 4. Bathtub- I love my baths! I couldn’t take one because no hot water would help fill the tub 5. Rat or bat poop on balcony- each morning we’d go outside on the balcony to have our coffee and each time there was poop (a lot of it) on the floor just outside our balcony door. 6. Last chance at hotel bar- we decided to try again at the bar and order a long island ice tea. The bartender said I can’t make that-it’s not legal to make that drink in the hotel because of the amount of alcohol it takes. I was confused as the bartender from the day before made them although it tasted like lemonade. Very confusing so I ordered the Yosemite sour. Paying $587 (a total of $685 after taxes and additional service charges) a night for what we expected to be a pristine room and amenities, proved so very disappointing. Yosemite itself is so beautiful however staying at this hotel for the cost was not worth it.…
Even though it is an historic hotel, the bathroom has been updated and the room was very comfortable. Expect no air-conditioning but, the air temp cools nicely in the evening. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, worth the extra $$$.
Do not get discouraged if you find The Ahwahnee booked solid. People cancel every day and because we are retired, flexible and only about 5 hours away, we were able to obtain a reservation. We were on the lowest floor but were able to see Half-Dome from our window. How cool is that? We chose not to have daily housekeeping since we know how to make our bed and hang our towels. The room was lovely, clean and had a small sitting area where the wife could write out her postcards. The grounds are beautiful and the hotel public spaces make The Ahwahnee the most wonderful historic hotel we have ever stayed in. The service is exceptional. We would like to particularly thank our waitstaff Andrew and Nicola during breakfast and Josie during dinner for their friendly and attentive service. The buffets offer many food options, including vegetarian selections for the wife. Interestingly, no OJ at breakfast, just like Death Valley earlier this year. How difficult is it to drive to Fresno? Arriving a little early, the Front Desk was able to accommodate us were delightfully pleasant and welcoming. Staying at the hotel we were able to use the WiFi, which as an amenity is rightly restricted to guests. Place this hotel on your Bucket List!…
Love this structure & it’s history. In fact, tried unsuccessfully to book a room for 3 nights. In place of staying overnight, we visited their lounge yesterday & spent over $200 in food & drink. Apparently THAT spend level does not earn you respect or service from the front desk staff. If you’re not lucky enough to score a room reservation, you are treated like a 2nd class citizen. You can’t have a WiFi passcode, you can’t have the best tables. In fact, Ezra at the front desk suggested that we should “Go down the street” to 2 other places” to get WiFi because apparently spending $200 was not good enough to use the hotels internet for 15 mins! How short sighted! Mgt team get it together & train your staff. Not only should we be treated respectfully, but we should be viewed as potential FUTURE guests. Not now. Not for this traveler. Quit taking for granted that you’ll always have customers who are willing & able to spend $600 with substandard service. BTW, the food & drinks were exceptional! Too bad service didn’t come close.…
I've been wanting to come here for 30 years and finally made it! Made reservations a year ago, and it was worth the wait! This historic hotel has a spectacular view of Half Dome, and is a great base for your Yosemite trip. The rooms have been upgraded and are lovely. We had both breakfast and dinner in the dining room, which is all buffet right now due to Covid, and a nice lunch in the bar. Food was all very good. Dinner is accompanied by a talented pianist providing enjoyable background music on a Steinway. Great views of the mountains from almost all sides.
We were lucky enough to secure a two night stay at the Ahwahnee Hotel in a cottage, not a hotel room. I have to tell you staying in a cottage made all the difference in the world. The room was clean, large, very nice. You had a sense of staying in Yosemite by yourselves. Please note it was not Four Seasons nice, but it completely surpassed our expectations for Yosemite. We had a double vanity, refrigerator, large closet, and outdoor patio. We were steps from the river and hiking trails. It was truly one of the highlights of my lifetime travels because of the location. I highly recommend making reservations a year in advance, but what I noticed is that if you check the reservation site regularly, you can find a reservation. Just be diligent, meaning look at least once a week. It is well worth your time. Also, make your reservation directly with the hotel. We booked in May to see the waterfalls!…
This is a beautiful property with the opportunity to create a better experience. I agree the views and location AMAZING!!! The dining room - incredible - no one is building a place like this anywhere! After shelling out the significant nightly sum to stay here - do you really have to charge $59 per person for dinner buffet and $32 per person for breakfast? Since you have to be a hotel guest to eat here due to staffing shortages it seems like there should be some options that meet your guests' needs. While you can eat in the bar for dinner, this is the only option for breakfast. I would like to think that we could enhance the experience by providing more options for dining. The rooms are fine - a significant step up from the Wawana! NPS should be held to similar hotel standards when charging so much for the accommodations.…
We were staying at Yosemite Valley Lodge but decided to check out the Ahwahnee for dinner. Much to our surprise, the restaurant wasn’t even taking a wait list and only seating Ahwanee hotel guests due to staffing shortages. We were able to eat in the bar, but pickings were slim. Drinks were fine and the beer pretzel didn’t disappoint but if you want a nice dinner, then you have to be sleeping here
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