Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [417]
GRANT VILLAGE AREA
Though Grant Village is near the south end of beautiful Yellowstone Lake and has a good visitor center, this fairly recent addition to park accommodations lacks the character of the Lake and Old Faithful villages. It's also isolated from other park centers, so guests here are likely to frequent its tiny lounge and eat in one of its two decent restaurants overlooking the lake. Other guest services include a laundry facility, service station, and convenience store.
Grant Village
On the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake (P.O. Box 165), Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. ☎ 307/344-7311. www.travelyellow stone.com. 300 units. $116–$120 double. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.
The southernmost of the major overnight accommodations in the park, Grant Village was completed in 1984. It's not as architecturally distinctive as the park's historic options, but it's also less touristy and more isolated. The motel-style rooms, in six condo-style units, are tastefully furnished, most outfitted with light-wood furniture and track lighting. Nicer, more expensive rooms with lake views have mullioned windows and full bathrooms. Midrange rooms are set farther back from the lake and overlook drab grounds.
OLD FAITHFUL AREA
At the Old Faithful area, you'll spend a night in the midst of the largest and most famous geyser basin in the world. Park management has removed some of the old building clutter and does its best to protect the geothermal features and control the crowds. Here you have more choices of rooms, restaurants, and services—including a visitor center, gas station, and Yellowstone General Store—than anywhere else in the park.
Old Faithful Inn
At Old Faithful (P.O. Box 165), Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. ☎ 307/344-7311. Fax 307/344-7456. www.travelyellowstone.com. 327 units. $106–$197 double with private bathroom; $81 double without bathroom; $290–$390 suite. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Oct to mid-May.
When Robert Reamer designed the Old Faithful Inn almost a century ago, he created the perfect blend of rustic and regal, a grand building that blends beautifully with the native timbers and rock. Three hotels stand within viewing distance of the geyser, including a very nice new one, but this is undoubtedly the crown jewel of Yellowstone's man-made wonders. Seven stories tall with dormers peaking from a steep, shingled roof, it looks like a lodgepole jungle gym inside—and indeed, you can climb the stairs to its internal balconies (though seismic activity has closed the crow's nest in the rafters to visitors). Only 30 miles from the west entrance and 40 miles from the south entrance, this is the first place visitors think of when they want a bed for the night, so make reservations far ahead during the busy summer months. Guest rooms are in the main building and in wings that flank the main lodge. Original rooms are well appointed, with conservative fabrics and park-theme art, but they may not have private bathrooms; the wing rooms offer better facilities and more privacy. A fieldstone fireplace warms the dining room on cool evenings. As in other park properties, the lobby also houses a busy fast-food outlet that serves light meals, and there is a bar and a gift shop. Note: Due to an ongoing renovation, the Inn had a short season in 2005, and plans called for it to be closed for part of the summer of 2006 as well. Call for current information.
Old Faithful Lodge Cabins
At Old Faithful (P.O. Box 165), Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190. ☎ 307/344-7311. www.travelyellowstone.com. 96 cabins, some without private bathroom. $57–$85 double. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Closed mid-Sept to mid-May.
The cabins that once littered the landscape