parkcitygal

Our family of 4 (two kids, 10 and 8) are heading to Yellowstone for the first time at the end of May. We'll be driving in from the Salt Lake City area. We will be spending two nights in West Yellowstone and then one night in Jackson Hole. What is the nicest hotel you stayed in while you were there? Also, what location would be best to stay in? Thanks for your help!

Sabrina

Several years ago we were there during the Christmas holiday season and we stayed at The Red Lion Inn at Jackson Hole. IT was very nice. There is also a churck wagon type covered wagon tour that your children might enjoy while there. I believe they go up into the mounatins where they have a cookout and entertainment. We did this during the winter and enjoyed a sleigh ride tour.

ksknfla

Has anyone stayed at Lake Lodge Cabins? We'll be in the park for 4 nights in mid-September. Any thoughts?

bob_brown

There are quite a few motels in West Yellowstone with AAA three star ratings.
I stayed at the Fairfield Inn.
You pay more in the summer than the properties would go for elsewhere.
Some of the motels have indoor pools, albeit small ones.

tlbooz

In West Yellowstone I like to stay @Gray Wolf Inn. Suite rooms. Laundry, pool,whirlpool & spa. On the cheaper side, Lazy G is nice. Owners are very personable. Clean & well kept. No pool or laundry.

Get groceries before going to West Yellowstone. Only one grocery store, limited selection.

hugglynn

We stayed at the Holiday Inn in West Yellowstone. We actually had a larger size room that had a jacuzzi spa and a refrigerator. It actually a decent place. We needed that jacuzzi to unwind after spending a JUNE day driving through snow in Yellowstone. In Jackson Hole, we stayed at the Rusty Parrot Lodge (www.rustyparrotlodge.com). Absolutely fabulous, with gourmet dining (optional, although fabulous breakfasts are included as are unlimited tea, lemonade, afternoon cookies, etc!) and first class service, I can't say enough good things about this place and the staff. The owners are world travelers who know how to treat their guests.

bob_brown

Seems like I have answered this Lake Lodge cabin question before, but I don't remember for whom.

The Western Cabins at varius locations in Yellowstone are acceptable. The so called Pioneer Cabins at the Lake Lodge and elsewhere in the park, and the Roughrider Cabins at Roosevelt are not acceptable to me.

Some of them were built 80 years ago and they show it.

The Budget Cabins at Old Faithful Lodge and Mammoth are dumps, pure and simple. Rather than being rented, they should be condemned. I would rather have a tent, a good sleeping bag, and foam pad.

Sorry to sound strongly on this issue, but the cost/benefit ratio of those places takes full advantage of the location. Were they in any other location, they would not be rentable.
(I doubt if they would sell at the Grand Tetons.)

Xanterra makes a mint on those things.
There should be a GAO audit of its books, particularly income versus operating and labor expenses.

brookwood

My wife and I out of ignorance booked a low price cabin at Mammoth Hot Springs a few years back. Our first overnight visit there was also our last.

We walked in and saw one small bed, euphemistically called a "double" and one chair. Her comment: Where are you going to sleep?

The cabinet looked like it had come out on a covered wagon that had survived an Indian attack, and the bathroom had a pitiful shower and a stained lavatory. At least the toilet flushed without stopping up. We did not need to worry about the shower leaking onto the floor because there was an ample number of drain holes. Had there not been, poking another one would have been no problem.

I hope that "abode" has been repaired or destroyed.

cmcfong

We stayed at Signal Mountain Lodge. It is in the park on Jackson Lake with a great view of the Tetons. There is a good restaurant called Dornans nearby. The food at SML is OK but not wonderful. The rooms are cabins and would be comfortable with kids. This is several stars down from the Rusty Parrot, but would work well with a family vacation. We toured Yellowstone and hiked GT from this base.