leeam

Hi, my family and I will be traveling to Yellowstone at the end of July 2010. I know this is a year away, however several people I have spoken to recommend I book the hotels now as they fill up 1 year in advance. My family is not into camping and we are looking for nice hotels/resorts in the park. I know I want to stay at Old Faithful Inn and Lake Yellowstone Hotel but not sure where to stay in the Northern part of the park. We would prefer something with an indoor pool (if there is any place with one!) and plan on staying 4-5 nights in the park. We are in the very beginning stages of planning and have never been out there. Any and all help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated! We will also spend 2-3 nights in Jackson Hole if anyone can recommend loding there. We would prefer something with a kitchen in Jackson Hole but the other places that is not something we will need. Again, thank you, thank you for any input regarding loding/restaurants/must sees!

dfr4848

Have you thought about staying in Grand Teton National Park? We prefer it to Jackson, since it's easy to get to both Yellowstone and Jackson from there. Jackson Lake Lodge would be nice with spectacular views of the Tetons. If your budget allows, Jenny Lake Lodge is also extremely nice.

Old Faithful Inn is a good choice.

leeam

Thank you for your suggestions. I had assumed we would just stay in Jackson Hole, but I am going to look into the place you mentioned. Thanks!

chuck_pt

Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins is just inside the North Entrance of the park.

Check xanterra.com for YNP lodging options. You can get an idea of rates and availability and even book online.

Another option in the Grand Teton area is the Signal Mountain Lodge. Stayed in a cabin on the shore of Jackson Lake last year and will be there again this July, wait, will be there in 8 days, what?!

Anyway they have some rooms with kitchenettes. need to reserve early though. Town of Jackson is not too far away, maybe 30-35 miles.

good luck with the planning.

leeam

Thank you for the suggestions. I did book through xanterra, they were very nice and helpful. I definately had to book a year in advance as some hotels right in Jackson were already booking up. I have 2 nights at Lake Yellowstone and 2 at Roosevelt Lodge for July 2010. Also made reservations for the chuck wagon dinner at Roosevelt Lodge! Now I am looking for place in Jackson Hole, probably 3-4 nights. Preferably with an indoor pool. Any suggestions on places and places to eat would be great. Again, know it is far away, but I like to have certain things taken care of ahead of time as the demand for that area seems to be very high!

Love2RV

Good choices. We stayed at Roosevelt Lodge in June and loved it there. Our cabin was small, but clean and adequate, with a bathroom/shower. Nice location for the northern part of Yellowstone. Staying there, we did day trips over the Beartooth Highway and another into Mammoth. Love the atmoshere there - very friendly and down-to-earth.

In GTNP, we stayed at Signal Mountain Lodge. Had a nice little "apartment" right on Jackson Lake, on the second floor, with a balcony overlooking the lake and Tetons. In our opinion, it was the best place we stayed in both parks. (I think the unit was #70). The views were the same views from the lobby of the Jackson Lake Lodge at much less money.

In Jackson Hole, we stayed at the Best Western Lodge. It was very nice, with a pool. I highly recommend it. Our room had a mini-bar with small fridge and a pullout couch. Large bathroom. Just a tip: while you are there, be sure to take the new tram up to the top of Rendezvous Mountain. It is beautiful - the whole area is gorgeous.

Yes, you are smart to be on top of this one year in advance.
Our next trip is to Yosemite in 2011, and I'm already planning that one! Have a fun time planning.

leeam

Love2RV, thanks for your ideas! I was thrilled to learn about Signal Mountain Lodge and will look into that as well as BW Lodge. I will definately take the tram to the top of Rendezvous Mountain. I am also glad you mentioned you did day trips to Beartooth, I have heard that is a gorgeous drive, but was not sure if we could make it from where we were staying. I love planning vacations, but there is so much info. on Yellowstone, I was getting a big confused and overwhelmed - glad to know I can do that trip as well as Mammoth. Thanks!

travelpoor

Hi there! We are planning a trip for next July as well. I'm going through the same thought process as you. I think you must have snagged the last room at Roosevelt Lodge with a bathroom - ugh! We want to stay there too, but the only thing available is the barebones cabin with no bath. I may just book it anyway. I would love to compare itineraries since I'm not quite sure how to do this. Our flight will arrive in Jackson around 12:30, so I was thinking night 1 at Yellowstone Lake Lodge, then 2 nights in northern Yellowstone (probably Roosevelt) and then 2 final nights in the Old Faithful area. We're thinking the Snow Lodge.

We are also planning to visit the Tetons afterwards. There is another thread on this site where the majority recommend a stay in Jackson as opposed to the Teton area. I'm looking into the Trapper Inn (also called the Lexington?). The suites have a kitchen, and the location is ideal. What are your dates?

Jodie

leeam

Hi travelpoor, we hopefully can share some great ideas/restaraunts for our trip next year! We are going the end of July and I was told by everyone, you must book early. We are flying into Jax Hole, will spend 2 or 3 nights there. Unsure of where, haven't looked into that yet as my first priority was getting Yellowstone booked. We are then doing 1 night at Lake Yellowstone. I was going to book 1 or 2 nights at Ol Faithful Inn, but was told by xanterra (the co. that books in Yellowstone) the road from there to go North will be closed at that time of the summer next year. I wanted to head North from there but figured since the road was going to be closed I would head back to Lake Yellowstone and stay another night after we saw the Ol Faithful area. I then will head to Roosevelt Lodge (already made my reservations for the chuck wagon dinner as I hear it is very, very good) for 2 nights. Then head back to Jax Hole for a night and fly home. I have heard from several people the following is worth it: Jenny Lake Lodge to eat, the chuck wagon at Roosevelt, Lake Yellowstone dining room (have reservations for that already) Doornans for breakfast on the Snake River in Moose, WY and Alpenrose Rest. in Alpenhof Lodge in Teton Village. We are staying in Jax Hole as my husband has been there and loves it, thought since we fly in there and is close to the Tetons it would be the right place to stay. We are definately "foodies" and want great/authentic places to eat. I will work on getting more names of places, they do not have necessarily have to be upscale, as long as it is good, good food preferably with views of some sort. Sometimes hole in the walls are best and that is fine too! Good luck with planning, maybe we can both get some ideas!

Beaucoup

Leeam, I would like to add my voice to the chorus encouraging you to stay in Grand Teton NP! A stay at the Jackson Lake Lodge, Jenny Lake Lodge, or the Signal Mountain Lodge will be a unique experience. The "Mural Room" (restaurant) at the Jackson Lake Lodge has an awesome view of the mountains and surprisingly good food (reservations are a must). The "Peaks" restaurant at the Signal Mountain Lodge also has a marvelous lake and mountains view (especially at sunset); the food here, too, is OK. The restaurant at the Jenny Lake Lodge is unparalled in the park! While Jackson is a very nice town with good restaurants and hotels, I believe that you will enjoy staying in GTNP more than in town. Your Yellowstone itinerary sounds perfect.

travelpoor

Didn't know about the road being closed. Which one and how far is it closed? I wonder if it is still bikable so that we can still see the geysers.

We want to do the 2 day/2 night Jackson Lake kayak trip with OARS. Looks like a lot of fun, and my kids will love it!

We love good restaurants as well, although this trip will be pricey and I think we'll probably stick with mostly the inexpensive stuff. I think Jackson has lots of good restaurants.

Check the Trapper Inn in Jackson. I think thats where we'll stay. More later . . .

Jodie

leeam

Beaucoup, thank you for your recommendations! Maybe I will consider GTNP over staying in Jackson Hole. I just assumed there would be more to do in Jackson Hole. A hotel/resort with an indoor pool is a must so it may depend on that.

Travelpoor, I believe the road that will be closed is Highway 281,191,89 (It shows all of these numbers on my map). The kayak trip sounds like alot of fun. I will check the Trapper Inn. Thanks!

Nanafischer

My husband and I stayed for three nights at the Homewood Suites in Jackson Hole. The rooms are not large, but they do have small kitchens with a full-sized frig, microwave and stove. There is a pullout couch in the living room and that room and the bedroom each has a TV. The Homewood is within walking distance of the town. The free breakfast there is adequate. We stayed there on a weekend, so we didn't experience their manager's reception. Those are held from Monday to Thursday and usually include drinks and food. A nice perk.
There is an inside pool at the Homewood along with a whirlpool. They also have deluxe suites, much larger, but we stayed in a regular suite.
I can't compare this Homewood with any other accommodations in Jackson, but I can tell you that we'd stay there again.

travelpoor

Leeam, I called Yellowstone to inquire about road closings next summer. They said there were no closings planned. You may want to double check. The reservationist I spoke with said that the road north of Old Faithful is closed THIS summer, and will be finished by winter.

Jodie

maria_so

i prefer to stay in Jackson Hole than in GTNP just because in the evening, there is more to see and do in town unlike the park. Choices to eat are MUCH better. The park's restaurants and never that good, at least not for how much they are charging. Try having food at Snake River Grill - never a disappointment. For a more casual dinner, The Snake River brewery has great pizzas and great beer.

If you decide to stay in the Canyon area in Yellowstone, DO NOT STAY AT THE CABINS! Those are nothing but an expensive trailer cabin. Beds are terrible, carpet you don't want to go barefoot on.

We stayed at Old Faithful Inn, Cabins at Canyon, Pioneer cabins at Roosevelt (they're small but cozy - can get really cold with just the fireplace to heat you up - you wake up frozen in the morning - but since you're going in summer this isn't much of an issue), then ended up at mammoth lodge (hotel).

What I would suggest is make your way through yellowstone from either south to north or north to south staying a day or two at each place depending on the activities you want to do. Driving around yellowstone is time consuming so you'll want to make your way up and stay in between places.

Good on you for planning ahead! Enjoy your trip. You will LOVE this area!

maria_so

OH YES! make time for the beartooth highway. It is a long drive from NE yellowstone though going though lamar valley. If you can manage it, it's worth the time and energy and on our second visit to the area, we ended up groing through the beartooth hwy to Red Lodge, MN and stayed the night. There's a wine bar that we had a wonderful meal there right on main street but can't remember the name. Fantastic little town though.

I still say if you like good restaurants, staying in JH gives you more choices than the national parks. I've had meals in Jackson Lodge and Jenny Lake - both were typical National Parks "fancy" restaurants. They try but they just quite don't make it. I'm a foodie too so perhaps I'm a little picky. At a pinch and with no other option, it will do but really not worth the $$$ they charge.

maria_so

http://www.snakerivergrill.com/

thought I'd post the restaurant in JH right on the town square.

here's the brewery:

http://www.snakeriverbrewing.com/

travelpoor

How long does the beartooth hwy take round trip? I think I read it was about 150 miles??? If we stay at the Roosevelt Lodge and go east through Lamar Valley, leaving the park and re-entering through the East entrance, is it doable in 1 day or do we need a night on the road somewhere?

My current itineray is night 1: arrive in Jackson around noon and drive up to Yellowstone - spend night in Lake Yellowstone hotel. Nights 2, 3: Roosevelt Lodge. Nights 4,5: Old Faithful Snow Lodge.

Does this itinerary work? How could I fit in the beartooth hwy? We want to leave a few nights for the Tetons and Jackson.

Thanks!

Jodie

maria_so

well, we left mammoth lodge at 7:30 in the morning and got to red lodge which is only a few miles at the end of the beartooth at 2:30. You could make it a full day thing but make sure you drive all the way to the top. The views up there are amazing!

leeam

Maria_so, thanks for your help. I wrote snake river grill down on my list of possibilities for restaraunts! I definately want to do the Beartooth Hwy. but do you HAVE to drive the whole 150 miles around? Can you go part of the way and turn around and come back?
Travelpoor, I will call again to confirm about the road being closed. If it is not going to be, I may keep my same itinerary, I don't know, I'll call and see what they tell me and let you know. I would fit in the Beartooth Hwy. when you are in Roosevelt Lodge as it is in the North. Thanks!