Yosemite Accommodations in the park
All the accommodation within Yosemite is run by one licensed concession. There are various options including tent cabins, log cabins, lodges and hotels. The majority of accommodation is in the Valley.
Yosemite Valley
Stellar Jay, Yosemite National Park
The Ahwahnee is the nicest hotel in the Park and unsurprisingly the most expensive. In our opinion you are paying an awful lot for location and the rooms are not of the standard you would expect should you pay this sort of price outside a National Park. It does have its own swimming pool and there is a reasonable amount of amenity. Some people love it and you will need to make up your own mind as to where it sits in your particular value chain.
Yosemite Lodge offers motel type accommodation and again in our view you are paying a lot for location. They seem to be part way through refurbishing the rooms and there is more positive feedback on the refurbished rooms so if you choose to stay here our advice would be to try and get one of these. One of the most common complaints is the lack of air conditioning which can be a real problem as summer temperatures in the Valley are high. There is a swimming pool that is free to guests but open to the public for a small fee so it does get very busy.
Curry Village has a range of accommodation including tent cabins, log cabins and cottage rooms. There is a lot of amenity including several eating and drinking options and a pool that is free for guests but available to the public for a small charge. This is the best place to find accommodation in the Park on a budget and it is very popular with families.
Housekeeping Camp offers camping style accommodation in partial tent / concrete units. There are fewer amenities than at Curry Village but again it is a good place to find sensibly priced accommodation within the Park.
Outside the Valley
Giant Sequoia Tree
There is a hotel at Wawona and lodges at Tuolumne Meadows and White Wolf. All these areas tend to be much quieter than the Valley so if you are looking to get away from it all these are better options.
The Wawona Hotel is quite basic and in our view a little tired. The rooms are of variable size and many are not en suite so be sure to check if you book.
Tuolumne Meadows Lodge and White Wolf Lodge are actually both encampments of tent cabins similar to those at Curry Village but much quieter. These is also less amenity so if you want access to several eating options, a pool, laundry, wi-fi etc you are better off in the Valley. If you want peace and quiet it does not get much quieter than White Wolf Lodge.
Finally there are a number of High Sierra camps of pre-set up tents located approximately a days hike apart. These are designed to allow you to backpack without the hassle of carrying tents etc and with the added convenience of being able to shower. These are hugely popular and booking now takes place via a lottery – good luck if you decide to enter!
The accommodation listed above is all of the accommodation actually inside the Park boundaries. Anywhere else that maintains it is in Yosemite will be outside the Park so check the location carefully to see how far away it is.
For more details and reservations on all the options listed above go to