Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [443]
INSIDE THE PARK
Most lodging in the park is under the management of DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite (☎ 559/252-4848; TTY 209/255-8345; www.yosemitepark.com). Rooms can be reserved up to 366 days in advance by phone, online, and by mail (Yosemite Reservations, 6771 N. Palm Ave. Fresno, CA 93704).
In addition, more than 125 private homes in the park can be rented through Redwoods in Yosemite, P.O. Box 2085, Wawona Station, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389 (☎ 209/375-6666; www.redwoodsinyosemite.com). Offerings range from rustic cabins to luxurious vacation homes, and all are fully furnished and equipped with linens, cookware, and dishes. Rates range from $175 a night for a one-bedroom cabin to $500 a night or more for a five-bedroom spread; there are usually 3-night minimum stays in summer and 2-night minimums year-round.
The Ahwahnee
Yosemite Valley. ☎ 559/252-4848. 123 units. A/C TEL. $379 guest room or cottage; from $859 2-room suite; from $1,238 3-room suite. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Parking available, or take the shuttle bus (stop no. 3).
The Ahwahnee's accommodations are fit for royalty. Queen Elizabeth has slept here, as have President John F. Kennedy, actor Clint Eastwood, poet Alfred Noyes, and NFL quarterback Steve Young. It's tough to top this hotel, a six-story rock and concrete structure that offers beautiful views from practically every window. The hotel has a number of common rooms on the ground floor. There are three fireplaces large enough to stand in, and the rooms are furnished with large overstuffed sofas and chairs to sink into after a day of hiking. Guest rooms are upstairs, with most suites on the top floor. Suites include a pair of rooms: one for sleeping and another for sitting. The Sunroom Suite is a bright pair of rooms in lime and yellow with comfy lounges and floor-to-ceiling French windows that open out onto the valley. The Library Room's rich decor includes a fireplace and walls of books. Standard rooms offer a choice of two double or one king-size bed, with a couch, plush towels, and snuggly comforters.
The Ahwahnee offers a fine selection of food, most notably in its spacious dining room (see "Where to Dine," later in this chapter). The hotel also has a lounge with full bar and limited food service. Amenities include outdoor pool, sun decks, nature trails, in-room massage, limited room service, express checkout, valet parking, dry cleaning, laundry service, babysitting for children out of diapers, VCRs (on request), and a tour desk.
Curry Village
Yosemite Valley. ☎ 559/252-4848. 628 units. $69 double tent cabin; $85 double cabin without bathroom; $93–$108 double cabin with bathroom; $100–$113 double motel room. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Parking is available, or take the shuttle bus (stop no. 13A, 13B, 14, or 20).
Curry Village is best known as a mass of more than 400 white canvas tents tightly packed together on the valley's south slope. It was founded in 1899 as a cheaper (a mere $2 a day) alternative for valley visitors. It remains an economical place to crash, and it gives you something of the feeling of a camping vacation without the hassle of bringing your own tent. One downside is that these units are basically canvas tents, and this is bear country, so you'll need to lock up all foodstuffs and anything that bears might think is food (even toothpaste) in bear-proof lockers (provided free), which may be a healthy walk from your tent cabin. Curry Village also has just over 100 attractive wood cabins with private bathrooms; about 80 wood cabins that,