Sep
10
Winter in Yosemite @ The Ahwahnee Hotel
Filed Under Hotels / Resorts, National Parks, USA - California | Comments Off
In my early years, I visited Yosemite as a camper and while hiking and experiencing all that Yosemite Valley has to offer from a nature perspective, I would often pass The Ahwahnee Hotel. I thought, “some day I will be a guest at that magnificent hotel”, but how?
Maybe I’ll win the lottery becoming an instant millionaire or invent something cool. I’d heard it take years to get a reservation at the property and who plans years in advance these days. So earlier this year, I decided to take the plunge and investigate a visit to the Ahwahnee. And to my surprise, I got reservations for Valentines day booking only a few weeks in advance.
So why have I waited so long to write about my February trip to the Ahwahnee Hotel? Well the seasons of the Yosemite Valley will have a dramatic effect on your visit, and I figured you should read this story now, as summer is coming to an end, so that you can plan a spectacular/romantic winter trip of your own.
And hey! I need to mention that it didn’t break the bank, our room rate was $325 per night. A reasonable rate knowing that chain hotels sometimes charge as much during peak seasons in a resort town. And although it was cold and snowy, the weather only made the experience at The Ahwahnee Hotel better!
Not only did my dream of being a guest in The Ahwahnee Hotel came to fruition, I was not let down. The historical aspect was interesting, the property itself was amazing and the park had many winter or indoor activities to compliment our stay.
The Ahwahnee was opened in 1927 and was designated as a National Historic Landmark on June 2, 1987. The property evolved from dream of Stephen T. Mather, the first director of the National Park Service. Yosemite became Mather’s favorite national park and his love inspired him to create a first class hotel that would be open year round to attract people of influence and money.
Mather ordered the new parks concessionaire, Yosemite Park and Curry Company to initiate the coordination of the project. In July of 1925, Gilbert Stanley Underwood would be chosen as the chief architect. His credentials were impressive, a graduate of Harvard and he had just designed lodges at Zion and Bryce Canyon National Park. A contractor was chosen to build the project and the first stone was laid on August 1, 1926. The primitive roads, weather and difficult access to the park were obstacles in getting the building materials. Trucks were hauling 1,000 tons of steel, 5,000 tons of stone, timber and equipment. The project was remarkable considering the times and challenges to over come.
After set backs and overcoming hurdles, the grand opening commenced on July 16, 1927. Ten days before the opening, workers noticed strong fumes coming from delivery truck near the main entrance. As a result, the main entrance was moved to another location and the old, undesirable entrance is now the Ahwahnee Bar. Stephen T. Mather must have been impressed with the speed of the construction, the beauty of the resort and success of attracting the wealthy to vacation in his favorite National Park.
In 1943, the Navy converted the resort into a relaxation hospital for Navy personnel. This must have been amazing for the World War II men in uniform. I’m sure the stays at the resort were superior to Zoloft for post-traumatic stress disorder!
On our recent trip, so many items stood out as spectacular. As you turn from the lobby, one enters the Great Room with fire places towering over your head. Plenty of seating areas with exterior vistas of the towering granite edifices—and I enjoyed scouting out small sitting rooms and libraries; each one with impressive antiquities and views of the outside. I loved the high tea service served each afternoon in the Great Room.
The resort has an amazing grand dinning room serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Make reservations early as dinner seems to book up fast. The menu has a variety of selections and each towering window showcases the magic of Yosemite. Food was very good, but not great.
The hotel has 123 guest rooms and 4 parlor rooms. As we entered our sleeping room, we found the Native American design to be attractive and the bed and sofa to be very comfortable. We had a sitting area and we could look out our window at the cascading Yosemite Falls. There are a variety of rooms to select from, in the main resort and or the bungalows a short walk away. The resort offers room service and turn down service. If you need your morning cardio machine fix, take a walk outside instead. There is no spa or workout facility; but there is a swimming pool.
No spa but some lovely shopping opportunities. The hotel has a unique gift shop for sundries and a retail store for clothing, pottery and jewelry. During the evening, activities include slides presentations and one can take a free historic tour of the public areas every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoon.
While we loved just lounging in the great hotel public spaces and enjoying our sleeping room, we did manage to get out and enjoy some winter actives. We ice skated one evening at the Curry Village ice rink, we enjoyed a hike to Mirror Lake in the snow. We experienced a relaxing bus tour, attended lectures in the visitor center during the evenings and visited the Ansel Adams Gallery one morning.
If you always wanted to stay at The Ahwahnee Hotel, do it. I just checked for the same time we visited. For February 9 – 13, 2009, there are rooms availabe at $380 per night.
See Additional Photos of mine CLICK HERE
Links: Yosemite National Park / Ahwahnee Hotel
