Discover the Adventure
Yosemite Hotels

Yosemite Hotels
Combine Sensational Scenery and Leisurely Luxury

Many people think camping when you mention Yosemite National Park. But we know that camping is not for everyone.

Though we love it, we have a close friend whose idea of camping is having to stay at a Motel 6 in lieu of, say, the St. Francis in San Francisco!

That's why there are two - not one, but two - elegant hotels in Yosemite National Park for you to choose from - because you are not alone!

And even though I love to camp, my absolutely favorite way to visit Yosemite is to stay inside the park at one of the majestic Yosemite hotels - if you want both nature and nurture, this is the choice for you!

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Yosemite Hotels
The Crown Jewel: The Ahwahnee

I could tell you that The Ahwahnee was opened in all its glorious opulence in 1927.

That it was designated as a Registered National Landmark in 1987.

But that all sounds too much like a lecture to me!. Besides, you can find all that out and more by visiting The Ahwahnee. Check out the Info page and the Dedication page to learn all about the hotel's beginnings!

What I'd like to share about The Ahwahnee is the sense of how it fits into its surroundings.

Big, beautiful, and luxurious as it is, it never seems to intrude on its environment, even in such a peaceful and natural setting.

Read on to find out more about why The Ahwahnee is my favorite Yosemite experience!

Stay at the most famous of all Yosemite hotels and be pampered and well-fed before, during, and after you totally immerse yourself in the untamed beauty of Yosemite National Park.

Return to the hotel by three o'clock and participate in the afternoon tea and cookies ritual in the Great Lounge!

And it's not unusual to have the chance to hobnob with some of Yosemite's wildlife critters out on The Ahwahnee lawn! Just keep in mind:

I'd also like to share a little personal story with you. During World War II, The Ahwahnee was used by the U.S. Navy as a rehabilitation hospital. My Dad, who was injured in the Pacific arena, was assigned as an outpatient at the hospital when he met and married my mother - they spent the first three months of their married life living in a cabin near the Ahwahnee during a spectacular Yosemite winter.

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Annual Event Packages Offered by the Ahwahnee Hotel

• Do you have a special date you'd like to celebrate? A birthday, an anniversary, a honeymoon, Valentine's Day? The Romance Package is what you're looking for: It includes two nights, dinner, chocolate dipped strawberries, a keepsake gift, sparkling wine, and a late checkout so you can luxuriate a little longer the morning after.
• If you wish you'd been born in time for the carefree days of the Roaring 20s, you'll enjoy the Yosemite Heritage Holidays Packages: This annual event celebrates the Art Deco styling and the glamor and fun of the hotel's early heydays. Your package includes two or three nights of lodging, a Gala Dinner in The Ahwahnee Dining Room that features a period gourmet menu and a jazz orchestra, a special keepsake, and all Heritage Holidays special events and activities. And feel free to really get into the spirit by dressing up in vintage clothing!
• Are you up for a little wine tasting? Then consider the Vintners' Holidays Package at The Ahwahnee: These events take place through the month of November and into the first of December, and the packages offer two and three nights lodging, vintages from participating wineries for tasting and pairing, wine tasting seminars, a Meet the Winemakers Reception, and yet another five course Gala Dinner in The Ahwahnee Dining Room!
• And last, but never least, is the marvelous and extremely popular Bracebridge Dinner Lodging Package: This event - which boasts a 17th Century English Christmas Celebration - has been offered every year since The Ahwahnee first opened in 1927 except for a brief period during WW II. The package includes two nights lodging, a Bracebridge ornament, and dinner at the Bracebridge Celebration!

These are just a few of the very special ways in which you might celebrate the good things in life with a stay at The Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park!

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Yosemite Hotels
The Wawona Hotel: Elegant Victorian Lady

Next best on my list of hallowed Yosemite hotels when I want to be indulged is the historic Wawona Hotel.

Also a National Historic Landmark, The Wawona might be your choice if you're looking for a more relaxed environment during the summer months when Yosemite Valley is so terribly crowded.

Sitting, as it does, in the tranquility of green meadows and gurgling streams, The Wawona Hotel offers its visitors the gracious elegance of a bygone era!

You'll find the Wawona Hotel above the valley floor, about four miles inside the southern entrance to the park. Things to do in the area include horseback riding, the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, and the Pioneer History Center.

It's also a good place to stay in the winter as it's not far from Yosemite's Badger Pass Ski area. And if it's too cold to sit on the veranda, try sitting in the Sunroom, or by the fireplace, for après ski cocktails!

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Annual Event Packages Offered by the Wawona Hotel

• Speaking of Badger Pass, how about the Badger Pass Stay 'N Play Package! Stay at any of the lodges in Yosemite and enjoy all-day lift tickets, all-day rentals, a group lesson, a tubing lesson, an ice skating session, and a Valley Floor tour.
• Are you a hiker? You'll love the Hiker's Delight Package! Discover the beautiful natural setting of Wawona and the many area trails with lodging and breakfast for two, a picnicker's daypack, a map of the area, and a copy of Easy Day Hikes.
• Wawona's Full Swing Golf Package offers the avid golfer two nights lodging for two, breakfast for two, 18 holes of golf (including cart) surrounded by incense cedars and ponderosa pines, and a sleeve of Wawona golf balls.
• The first lodging at Wawona was actually the log cabin built by
  Galen Clark in 1856. Since the trail into Yosemite Valley passed nearby, Clark's Station began providing meals of fresh venison and trout to hungry travelers.
• A tradition of hospitality was born, and has continued to this day
  at this most historic of Yosemite hotels, the Wawona.

To make reservations at the Ahwahnee or Wawona, follow this link: Hotels in Yosemite National Park.

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Are you more interested in other lodging options than Yosemite hotels? Maybe something a little less expensive would suit you better...

• Yosemite Lodge at the Falls
  Yosemite Lodge at the Falls is a less expensive Yosemite hotel option - it's also a good possibility when you want to stay in The Valley, but find that The Ahwahnee is booked.
• Yosemite Cabins and Tent Cabins
  You'll find several levels of comfort from which to choose when you are wanting to stay a little closer to nature, but still want an easy visit.
• Yosemite High Country Lodges
  Wait 'till you see what's available in the high country! You won't believe it!

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