The Ahwahnee

If you love things of the past and a nice slow pace, this is the spot for you. The hotel is well maintained for being almost 100 years old and has a quaint feel reminiscent of times past that we don't get to have these days. Almost stuck in a time capsule, though there's electricity, a great chef and heat. The rooms are cozy, antiquated and have phenomenal views of the park. You can step outside and go for a stroll without even needing to get in your car. If you stay in a suite as we had in times past, you could sit by the fire, or on your balcony, or even in a sitting room starring through lead paned glass windows that open up to magnificent views that make you feel like you're in a book. The dinning hall doesn't photograph well, but boy do you feel Royal sitting under candelabra chandeliers listening to a live pianist while dinning. The chef does phenomenal with simple yet tasty creations. They have large fireplaces in the hotel lobby and cozy seating areas to gather or to read alone in. It's all so magnificent if you want to disconnect. I cannot say enough about it. There are things to remember & be cautious of. They have no wifi and even the business center - a closet with a couple of chairs and a counter as a desk, does not have great connectivity. The power sometimes goes out and the generator doesn't always kick in, so the restaurants may close. There's not much parking. Cocktails are not great, but they do fine and service is lackluster, but that I could overlook. Basically, if you want modern, clean lines, great service, this historic hotel is not for you. If you appreciate nature, history and want to disconnect, you couldn't find a better fit. So to each is own. We literally came back because I have such a hard time not working or checking in, and the Ahwahnees lack of connectivity not only allowed it, but forced it and I am so grateful! I write this review with fear almost, the three stars it currently has is greatly under valued, which benefits me when I go there as we don't want it overcrowded, but it's undeserving of such a low rating. It would be five stars for me if the staff was kinder and more hospitable, but I supposed most of Yosemite lacks that. Memorable is the best way to describe the accommodation.

My experience at The Ahwahnee was ok until I discovered an overcharge two days after checkout. I had booked a three-night stay under two separate reservations due to a change in room type--two nights in the Prime View Double and one night in the Library Suite.During checkout, the front desk informed me that the hotel had not properly transferred my reservations, resulting in a higher than expected bill. They assured me that the manager, who had the authority to override the system, would address the issue later that day. I was told I would receive an email with the corrected bill, which should be around $460.However, after two days without any communication from the hotel, I reviewed my credit card transactions and discovered a charge of $1,001--far exceeding the expected amount. The rooms were prepaid, and my only additional charges were for one dinner and breakfast at the bar. Without any directly way of contacting the hotel, I have disputed the charge with my credit card company.While the hotel staff was courteous and friendly, they failed to follow through on their commitments. This is not a singular event during my three night stay. For a four-star hotel, this level of service is extremely unprofessional, and I am deeply disappointed by my experience at the Ahwahnee.

this review is based on our overall experience at the Ahwahnee. a beautiful hotel, but a disappointing experience. first of all, any fans of the shining will love this place! the hotel was used as a basis for inspiration for Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of the novel. the hotel has a beautiful exterior and interior. however, it was the hotel staff that unfortunately soured our experience. while we did not stay here and only came for dinner, our first impression was not at all what we expected. when we arrived, the only parking available was valet parking. we assumed that the valet was only for a certain portion of the lot- not the entire parking lot. upon us attempting to park, a valet attendant sped past us and obnoxiously waved his hands at us. while we were driving around the parking lot, he waved us down again in a rude manner. this is when we realized valet was MANDATORY- with a fee of $30 dollars to have your car parked. valet was extremely rude and dismissive before and after we picked up the car. when we picked up the car, the valet attendant drove extremely fast for the small parking lot we were in. overall, while this hotel is beautiful, the experience was lacking. if you're going to advertise as a luxury resort, all staff needs to ensure that they are up to that standard.

Because it's only one of 2 hotels in the Yosemite Valley & are a destination, they are in the position of not having to give a toss & they don't. The staff are not the sharpest knives in the drawer & most seem like sullen teenagers forced to work at summer camp against their will but they are in their 20's. The only group that is firing on all cylinders seem to be the valet staff, imagine the draw for them are the gratuities. The place is historic but tired. Poor old thing needs some cosmetic help. But that will be pushed waay off into the future as this is a cash cow, even in winter it's busy so no redecorating happening soon. Stained carpets, sad furnishings. And WiFi is non existent. I just checked in an hour ago & am hoping the restaurants aren't mediocre but am not placing any optimistic bets. After hearing about this place for decades, it is a let down.

Gorgeous historic hotel located in the heart of the Yosemite Valley. This hotel is almost 100 years old! The rooms even have an actual key. There are hotel rooms and cottages. We opted for a cottage but most rooms have a view of half dome.We stayed for 1 night with was our way of getting into the Valley without reservations. To get into Yosemite in the summer, weekends, and holidays you must have reservations. Reservations are available starting 1/1. It's been years since I have been to Yosemite so I didn't know that was required. The hotel is under major renovations so many of the services were not available including the bar, historic tour, and the pool. We did enjoy breakfast in the dining hall. There is a buffet option only. The hotel is quaint. Our cottage was so cute. The rooms aren't sound proof which was t a big deal for us. I appreciate that this historic hotel was remodel to something modern or out of character.

The Non Stop View of Upper Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Valley made our room Five Star.Before the engine of our vehicle had a chance to cool from returning we already made another reservation.

Staying at the historic Ahwahnee has been a long time in the making primarily because the price is so steep! For the price you pay, you feel like you should be getting a 5 star hotel but this is not, more on that later. But, I always consider the whole experience which includes the location (A+ being in the middle of the park!), the service (A+, the front desk staff was great check in/out), the dining room staff/service (A+, friendly, accommodating, gave great advice on what to see in the park, etc). Now onto the hotel.. The Ahwahnee itself is more along the lines of 2.5 to 3 stars, mostly because it is old, outdated in terms of furnishings, decor and aesthetics. It was very hard to get a good nights sleep both nights because it gets HOT in the middle of the night even in November! The fan didn't do too much. Secondly, I was sleeping on someone's blood stain (see photo attached) which didn't help! Stained bedsheets and pillowcases. Minimum with the prices they charge, they can get CLEAN bedsheets and pillowcases but sadly not. I think it is because they are spending all their funds on their retrofit project which has been going on for awhile now. Fridge died in the middle of the stay, didnt keep drinks cold and was warm. We stayed in room 444 which the front desk guy said was his "favorite room and I was in for a surprise". It came with a gigantic shared balcony and views of Yosemite Falls (not running right now). The balcony was definitely the highlight of our hotel stay. On top of the steep stay, it does not include a free breakfast nor parking. Valet parking $30/night. Again for the price, think valet parking should be included for free. That would be a nice touch. Overall, 4 stars for the experience but could be a whole lot better.

Originally booked a cottage but when we checked into the room, we noticed the mattress was absolutely FILTHY with what looked like blood stains and perhaps bedbug remnants (we didn't notice any active bedbugs). We trekked back to the front desk, showed them the pics, and the lady looked annoyed - she didn't apologize for the state of our cottage but reluctantly gave us a room in the hotel after we pushed her to talk to her manager. The room we ended up getting had a much cleaner almost new mattress and decent view. Bathroom had what looked like black mold. Also, it's mandatory valet-only, which if you have an electric car with only your phone as key, creates challenges. Overall, the checkin staff was rude, the rooms were rundown and dirty. No cell service - wifi is very very slow. Would NOT stay here again.

The location of this hotel is perfect because is located at the center of the park and by several trails.It's a historic hotel so it's pretty outdated and has a bit of a spooky feel to it. I believe the movie, The Shinning filmed was here. Your room key is an actual physical key that you have to insert into a keyhole and turn. lol. Was pretty cool. Check-in was fine and staff is friendly. You don't get any service out here but they do have wifi. The rooms also don't have thermostats. They do have a fan however for the hot days. Bathroom is a bit odd because there's a vent at the bottom of the door with large slats that doesn't give much privacy to the person using the bathroom. They allow you to take your bikes in your room which is awesome and they also have valet. It is a pricey stay and if you prefer something more modern, I wouldn't recommend staying here. Downstairs has a restaurant / bar but it stops serving real food around 9pm I believe and it's just drinks or a charcuterie board and dessert. You can get water near the stairs / elevator which is also by the lounge area in the back. Bathrooms are up the stairs on the second floor which also has a balcony where you can see the first floor

Although the location is beyond outstanding and the ambience is wonderful, I have been pretty disappointed with the accommodations. I did online check-in and when they asked about special requests I asked for tea. No tea. My husband went down and asked at the desk and they said some would be brought up. None ever came. The room is a premium price for what they described as a premium view...there is a waterfall in the distance but the immediate view is the top of a utility building and construction equipment. After coming to Yosemite for so many years and hoping to someday stay at the Ahwahnee, it has been a big disappointment.