Yellowstone, Old Faithful Inn question
 

This will be my first trip, so I know next to zero about the area!

The OFI has only backside east wing rooms available when we'll be there. Room description: "facing the parking lot". Will it still make sence to be there? Will we actually see only the parking lot and nothing else?

Will it make more sence to stay in West Yellowstone instead?

Hi Faina,
Don't pass up staying at the OFI, the location of the room is not that important, I barely remember ours. The rooms are pretty bareboned, no TV, radio, etc (unless they've changed in the past few years).

All you will do is sleep in the room. You are surrounded by beauty. The lodge has lots of common areas, my favorite was the balcony overlooking Old Faithful. It was really cool to just be there to see her blow without having to make an effort to time the whole thing.

Don't pass up a change to stay at the OFI!

Faina, I stayed on the frontside of the east (I think) wing - facing the geyser basin. There was a big tree right in front of my window that blocked any view, so staying on the backside couldn't have been any worse.

I recommend taking the backside room, because it is a wonderful experience just staying in the lodge. There is a sitting area on the upper level between the east (I think again) and the main lodge where you can sit with a morning cup of coffee or an evening cocktail and enjoy a fantastic view of Old Faithful.

There is so much to keep you busy, including walking along the geyser basin, ranger programs, etc, that I don't think you'll be in your room much.

Yellowstone is one of my favorite places. I'm having withdrawal this summer and may have to sneak a trip in. Have a great time!

Oh, THANK YOU BOTH! Somehow I've missed the balcony overlooking the Geyser in the Inn description! Thanks a million!

Definately stay there. We stayed there last year and it's a highlight. Forget West Yellowstone- it's a tourist trap.

We've spent 6 nights in various Yellowstone lodges over the course of two trips and never once had anything to look at out the window, but wouldn't change a thing. We were out the door as soon we were ready in the morning and didn't come back until dark. We spent all our time walking around the geyers or looking out our CAR windows.

Stay in the lodge. Just returned from Yellowstone and spent quite a bit of time at Old Faithful. There is one large balcony over the portico in the front that several people were using. I saw another kind of hidden away literally facing OF straight on. Check it out.

We ate lunch in the lodge. Food was okay, but enjoyable eating in there. Not too, too expensive. Around $8.95 for a burger and side dish. We hurried over there after the eruption and beat the crowd. Within 10 minutes the strolling folks arrived and what a line then.

If the lodge is too much or not what you want, the general store has a sandwich-type shop with tables, a counter, ice cream, etc. Had a few tables outside too.

Well, I am a no sayer. I stayed at Old Faithful Inn in one of the smaller rooms and it was WRETCHED.

BED = awful
shower = third world
room decor = early grubby

The shower was so small I could not turn around. At 6-1 and 180 I am not exactly a tubbo. In trying to turn, I knocked the shower curtain down and it hit me in the head. I complained at the desk.

The girl taking my money was concerned -- concerned whether or not I could sign the credit card slip.

The food in the dining room was mediocre to poor. Unless you book by phone in advance, you will eat about 9 PM.

I frankly did not think it was such a great experience. In fact the accommodation was so poor we left a night early and went back to West Yellowstone.

If I stay at Old Faithful again, I will get a Snow Lodge cabin or a room in the Snow Lodge lodge itself.

I would not even think of getting an Old Faithful cabin. Those things should be condemmed and burned. They come in two types: total poverty (no BATH) and improved poverty (shower).

Hi Faina!

Yes yes YES, stay in the Lodge. You can always keep checking back to see if they have a different room, but as most others said, there is simply nothing like it.

In 2003 we stayed in what used to be called The Old House, meaning the very first, oldest part of the lodge. We walked out the door to the balcony / landing that had seating, little desks and overlooked the lobby and HUGE fireplace. We had a little window overlooking other geyers in addition to 3 beds. AND, despite the fact that we shared a bathroom :-O and we're soo NOT campers :D - we LOVED it!!

On our next visit in 2005 (stayed at Canyon Lodge) we stopped by and saw renovations; it appeared they were making the rooms in the Old House into something else. Anyone know?

But definitely stay!

FAINA--- when are you going?

We stayed there last year and just loved it. We ended up with a corner room, which was wonderful because it had two windows. It's great to be by Old Faithful when the buses and throngs of people are gone. Have a great time.

we stayed at the Old Faithful Lodge cabins in 2002 and found no fault with them and would stay there again.

I also suggest calling back from time to time to check on room availabilty, but you really can't miss with OFI. Just be sure to stay in the INN and not the lodge. I used to think they were they same, but they are not at all.

One funny thing I noticed in the lobby---many of the people sitting in the chairs around the big fireplace were sleeping. I wondered if they were hypnotized by that giant pendulum clock...

I've stayed at both the OF Inn and the Snow Lodge next door (well, actually, across the parking lot). I like the Snow Lodge ALOT better. It was still convenient to Old Faithfu, but alot newer. Rooms are nice, so are the bathrooms. So, I'd suggest checking if you can get a res there. If not, stay with the OFI ...

There are 3 faithfuls in the park: inn, lodge and snow. The first week of October lodge is closed, snow not available. This leaves the inn only. I'll be checking if anything different is available.

Kopp: I'm going approximately the fist 10 days of October, Yellowstone and Teton, RT Salt Lake. With another Fodorite.

Oh darn, we'll just miss you then.

And if I could so boldly hijack Faina's thread (it is related, tho), has anyone stayed in a Frontier Cabin at Lake Yellowstone Hotel?

We couldn't get all our nights in the hotel, so the middle night will be in a cabin (unless something opens up).

Rooms look like they've been upgraded, and I read here to ask for a stand-alone unit (which they put on request).

I guess I'm mostly interested in knowing about noise levels. Once at Grant Canyon cabins, the walls were paper thin and you could hear everything -- I mean everything that went on in that next bed!

Thanks, and sorry Faina for the hijack.

I just wanted to make an additional comment or two. My experience was not like bob_brown's at all, mainly because the east and west wings are the newer sections of the hotel. The rooms and bathrooms were a decent size and comfortable. I'm assuming that bob had a room in the older section of the hotel. I did peek at one of those rooms from the common area and it was completely different from my room and bob did give a fair assessment of the conditions.

I've also stayed at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge and while it is newer and modern, I still prefer the OFI because of the history and large common areas.

Dear Kopp, go ahead, hijack away :) I have my answers already!