Why We Won't Stay at Yosemite Valley Lodge Again - Hotel Review, Room Tour, Dining Options

[@marysheeran519]

If you go to Yosemite for the lodging, you don't want to go to Yosemite. Even without the fires, Yosemite is going to be hot in August. I always go in the spring - the latest I've been is mid-June. I used to stay in a one-room cabin without any other attributes but four walls and a cot. (Those were torn down after the big flood.) This time I stayed in the lodge and had a room that was kinda dark, but who cares? It was clean and everything worked, and the hard working staff did an excellent job of keeping it that way. Staffing may have been irregular; this was just after the park opened after its tough winter (it closed again the day after I left) and they were just trying to get systems up and running, but so much was already running. The staff was good humored and helpful. The air was crisp and energizing. There's a spiritual aspect to Yosemite; if you go there, you have to care for it. I agree with one of the posts here: the lodge isn't trying to compete with the Marriott or anything else - and the staff works hard and I think there were staffing issues all summer. (They might have been able to help you out with the ash problem.) The cafeteria was annoying, but I shrugged my shoulders. They changed the freewheeling cafeteria style to having to order via kiosks, so the choices were limited. I didn't like that, but I adjusted! That being said, the food was good, and the staff worked its butts off getting it to you fast. BTW, the cinnamon rolls are warm and huge. You are in and out quickly. The Mountain View restaurant is wonderful. I had a table with a lovely view of Yosemite Falls. The onion soup was excellent, and frankly, I haven't had a better steak. The nearby tables were filled with pleasant people, and conversations were shared. Great service, worth the price. Great lunches, too, at the deli in the Village. August is a tough month to go in; you should be prepared. They do have advice on various websites. There is a spirit in the park beyond the motels and the restaurants, and that goes right to your soul. Climb the mountains, the man said, and get their good news. If that's not your intention, and you're just going to load pictures into your phone, then maybe Yosemite's not a good choice. But try it again! You might get something more out of it. I dare you.

[@foothillstrailhiker2426]

I enjoyed the Valley Lodge. We were there in August 2024. The room would be about 82 degrees when we would arrive each afternoon. We used the fans and brought a box fan with us that we donated. The room cooled down quick and we were very comfortable.

[@disneyfoodie8774]

Great job on this review! Thank you for helping me plan our vacation!

[@WanderfulWorldofTravel]

Thanks! Enjoy!!!

[@stuart1208]

I’ve stayed at Yosemite Lodge multiple times during spring, summer and fall. I have experienced the ash problem and it can be very bad, but I’ve never experienced the heat. All in all, I would happily stay there again. Yosemite Lodge is about staying in the park and not meant to compete with Marriott. The accommodation is quite serviceable after a day hiking. Perhaps August is the wrong time to stay in the Lodge.

[@WanderfulWorldofTravel]

I agree that the hotel is definitely not bad, and a great location. The weather was the deciding factor, and there’s just no way to deal with the heat when you have ash coming through the windows at the same time. It was an unusual heat wave, but trying to sleep when it’s 90 degrees in the room at midnight is rough.

[@ItsMe-jd8ou]

What month in the fallndid you stay?

[@DkPatel-wi9hb]

Good review. Sorry about the smoke, ash and heat. Most of California was experiencing that at the same time. I like camping, but managing time to site see and hike while visiting Yosemite can be quite challenging. This is why I agree with your analysis of the value of staying at this location.

[@LifesSweetJourney]

Oh wow!! This is really good to know. Thanks for letting us know! We will definitely take the fires and air quality seasons into consideration when planning Yosemite. Sorry you had to cut it short!

[@oscarg6260]

Can you further elaborate why the fast food wasn’t good

[@WanderfulWorldofTravel]

Dry, not much taste

[@lizlovestruecrime983]

I worked there in 1999. Not at the lodge but I was in college and stayed at the Terrace employee tents.. In June of that year, a huge boulder fell off of glacier point .i was sleeping and you knew immediately it was a huge rockslide. I literally had to run for my life. A friend was killed. They have since closed that employee housing because of the rockslide. I actually couldn't stay after that I had like PTSD if I heard any kind of noise like gravel like the bus is going over gravel I would like freak out. I ended up going and taking a bus and went up to Yellowstone to finish out the summer

[@russellmacarthur2089]

Great informative video, thank you. So we are going in Sept., did you need a park pass to enter of was your reservation essentially your park pass? I see now they require timed park passes, was that the case for you? And id so, did you leave in your car to go other places like Glacier Point Road & Mariposa Grove and were able to come & go with just the room reservation?

[@WanderfulWorldofTravel]

Our reservation was the park pass. Be sure to have it printed or a screenshot before getting to the gate. After entry, you can drive around as normal. Although parking was a nightmare everywhere. We tried to do everything in walking distance from the hotel or get to trailheads incredibly early in the morning.

[@Schi8694]

I’ve stayed in many NP lodges. They’re all basically the same. Overpriced, including the food. But well worth it for the location/convenience. We’ll be here in Oct for four nights. I’m sure it will be adequate.

[@WanderfulWorldofTravel]

Hope you have a great time!

[@sewage1510]

I appreciated your video tour of the hotel but I do think you should reconsider the title of your video as it seems unfair for you to be casting blame on the hotel for summer heat and wild fires--all of which are outside factors beyond their control. For those like me who don't like hot weather, traveling to Yosemite Valley in August-September you are experiencing summertime at its most miserable. The best thing you can do is spend your day keeping cool in the Merced river. You criticized the decor as being "dated" but to me it looked suitably rustic which is what I think most people would expect from a hotel nestled in the heart of Yosemite Valley. Personally, I would never travel to Yosemite in late summer. Springtime or early summer is a much nicer experience. I just don't think it's fair to blame a perfectly decent hotel because of failing to anticipate how bad the heat gets at the hottest time of the year.

[@michaelalan1270]

the Yosemite Lodge is the ultimate ripoff. To begin with you can't get your room before 400pm and have to be out in the morning. You can't open the sliding door or windows because there are no screens and the bugs will eat you alive. I forgot the price I paid a few years ago but it was around $250 back then. The main dining room is as pricey as a fine restaurant in San Francisco, like $6.50 for a couple of rolls. The other dining room is an enhanced cafeteria and expensive with terrible food. The rooms are decades overdue for remodeling with worn out beds. And the Lodge cabins are worse than tents.

[@WanderfulWorldofTravel]

All valid points. I agree. The cost of the food in the dining room was a surprise. I don’t mind paying for a nice meal, but the cost for what we got seemed a bit astronomically high. And yes, the other dining room does seem like a cafeteria.

[@MarkSpohr]

The Lodge rooms are very old and run down. Dirty frayed carpet. Cracked sink. Furniture old and beat up. Internet is very slow. Heating system doesn't work. Badly in need of refurbishment.

[@WanderfulWorldofTravel]

I definitely didn’t try the heat system! Does it not get hot enough?

[@MarkSpohr]

@@WanderfulWorldofTravel Cold in Spring and Fall.