Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [219]
The lodge functions primarily as a dining establishment (the Jenny Lake Lodge Dining Room; see "Where to Dine," below) and caters to an older, affluent clientele. The style is an odd mixture of peaceful rusticity and occasional reminders of class and formality (jackets for men are "appreciated").
NEAR THE PARK
FLAGG RANCH VILLAGE AREA
Like Grant Village in Yellowstone, Flagg Ranch offers travelers the full gamut of services: cabins, tent and RV sites, an above-average restaurant (at the Flagg Ranch Resort), and a gas station. Until a ban on snowmobiling was recently reinstated, it was a popular jumping-off spot for snowmobilers during winter months. However, it's in a stand of pines in the middle of nowhere, and there's not much to do in the immediate vicinity except watch the Snake River pass by.
Flagg Ranch Resort
P.O. Box 187, Moran, WY 83013. ☎ 800/443-2311 or 307/543-2861. www.flaggranch.com. 92 cabins, 171 RV sites. $150–$170 double. AE, DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Oct to mid-May.
A few years ago this resort just outside Yellowstone National Park was showing its age—it was the sort of place where a hunter would rent a drafty room to collapse in after a few days in the woods. Not anymore: It's all fixed up, transformed into an all-seasons resort on the Snake River with log-and-luxury ambience. The newest accommodations are duplex and fourplex log cabins constructed in the 1990s. They feature king-size beds, spacious sitting areas with writing desks and chests of drawers, wall-to-wall carpeting, and bathrooms with tub/shower combinations and separate vanities. The lodge is a locus of activity, with a fireplace, dining room (see "Where to Dine," below), gift shop, espresso bar and pub, convenience store, and gas station.
IN JACKSON
Clustered together near the junction west of downtown where Wyo. 22 leaves U.S. 26/89 and heads north to Teton Village is a colony of chain franchises, including Motel 6, 600 S. U.S. 89 (☎ 307/733-1620), and the not-just-numerically superior Super 8, 750 S. U.S. 89 (☎ 307/733-6833). Also in the vicinity is the more expensive Days Inn, 350 S. U.S. 89 (☎ 307/733-0033), with private hot tubs and fireplaces; and the Red Lion Inn, at 930 W. Broadway (☎ 307/734-0035). High-season prices for the motels start at around $80 and top out over $300. You can find toll-free numbers and websites for major chain hotels in the appendix (p. 660).
Jackson Hole Lodge
420 W. Broadway, Jackson, WY 83001. ☎ 800/604-9404 or 307/733-2992. Fax 307/739-2144. www.jacksonholelodge.com. 59 units. $109–$139 double; $169–$309 condo. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.
Though it sits near one of the busiest intersections in Jackson and is packed into a small space, this lodge is quiet and well designed. The indoor pool is not just for splashing—you can swim its 40-foot length, sit in one of the whirlpools, take a sauna, or lounge outside on the sun deck. If you're traveling with kids, your best bet is the condo lodgings, with two upstairs bedrooms, a full kitchen, and a living room with foldout couch.
Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa 175 N. Jackson (P.O. Box 1657), Jackson, WY 83001. ☎ 800/458-2004 or 307/733-2000. www.rustyparrot.com. 31 units. $275–$385 double; $550–$650 suite. Rates include full breakfast. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.
The name sounds like an out-of-tune jungle bird, but since 1990 the Rusty Parrot has demonstrated excellent pitch, cultivating a country lodge and spa right in the heart of busy Jackson.
Located across from Miller Park, the Parrot is decorated in the new-Western style of peeled log, with an interior appointed with pine furniture and river-rock fireplaces. One attractive lure is the Body Sage spa, which offers all sorts of massages, wraps, and facials. Another is the excellent restaurant, the Wild Sage. The