Yosemite lodging ideas
 

As many mentioned on this site, lodging inside Yosemite is booked, except for tents. Any recommendations for good, clean accommodations not far from Yosemite? Valley View has been recommended, but the reviews are not that great. Thanks for your help.

When are you thinking of traveling? I was one of the ones who recommended Yosemite View Lodge. I would say it's only OK but far better than any of the other choices outside Yosemite Valley.
We stayed there 3-4 times; it was always clean, beds were fine, food was not.
In high season, I'd say that location trumps everything as does the fact that buses mean you do not have to park in the Valley; the shuttle bus will take you to all sites of interest and major trailheads for free.

If you don't find what you want at El Portal, you might check on the "BUG" hostel near Midpines. There is a YARTS bus stop at the foot of the driveway if you didn't want to drive your car into the park. The YARTS bus also stops in ElPortal.

Yosemite View Lodge is <u>by far</u> the best quality and most convenient hotel to Yosemite Valley. Any others (like Cedar Lodge) either are much worse standard (and have a VERY gruesome history) or are a 60 min to two hour drive away.

Even if the reviews aren't top notch (and some reviews I've seen are head scratchers -- as though they were reviewing a 5 star place in San Francisco) they are better than most alternatives.

The only other convenient locations are Yosemite West and Foresta -- where you can book condos and cabins, not hotel rooms.

When are you traveling? Accommodations in the Valley are almost ALWAYS booked up, but there are ALWAYS multiple cancellations. So what I;d do is book Yosemite View and then keep trying for a cancellation in the Valley.

(No you son't want to stay at the Bug, it is about a 70 minute drive from Yosemite Village - and longer by YARTS)

Under the same circumstances we stayed at the Shilo Inn in Oakhurst. The Shilo is a scenic 20 minute drive to the South Entrance and near the Nelder Grove, a place worthwhile on its own. At the Shilo our room was large, spotless, and a fraction of the price of anything inside the park. Breakfast was included. It's a nice place Oakhurst itself is nothing special but does have conveniences such as a large Raley's market and some OK restaurants. Frankly, we did not find it an inconvenience and had plenty of time in the park to see what we wanted to see and take a couple of nice hikes.

20 mins from the south <i>entrance</i> . . . don't read that as 20 mins from the Valley. I've actually stayed at the Shilo -- not for visiting Yosemite, but for a wedding in Oakhurst. It is fine - if you don't mind driving 1 3/4 hours (closer to 2 hours when there is traffic in mid summer) into the Valley.

I visit Yosemite at least once a year -- it is definitely a place where one pays for location . . . and you know what they say "Location, Location, Location". There is a reason accommodations in the Valley and in El Portal fill up far in advance. Especially in summer there can be bumper to bumper traffic into the Valley, and there are even times they close the entrance because of over capacity.

We still don't know <i>when</i> you are visiting -- but, From the NPS website:

<blue><B>Traffic in Yosemite National Park</B>
Each year, Yosemite National Park welcomes over five million visitors. If you’re visiting Yosemite in the summer, particularly Yosemite Valley, expect extremely high visitor concentrations, resulting in extended traffic delays, extremely limited parking, busy trails, and no lodging or campground availability. Expect delays of an hour or more at entrance stations and two to three hours in Yosemite Valley. If you are planning to visit Yosemite, plan ahead and arrive early.

I am travelling in July 6-10.

The Valley will be EXTREMELY crowded since the 4th of July crowd will still be there and you will be there over the weekend. Book at Yosemite View in El Portal -- that is much too busy a time to be commuting in. I would book it NOW. Then about in March/April start looking for cancellations in the Valley

I agree with janis--except I would start looking for cancellations now (and am for May, found one night already). Two weeks ago I cancelled two rooms at the Ahwahnee/Majestic (big birthday), one for 5 nights, one for 3. Even though later is prime time, cancellations happen all the time.

I booked at Yosemite View Lodge for 2 Italian friends at the beginning of June a few days ago. They had booked in Mariposa (charming though touristy town). We vetoed it. We ourselves often leave Bay Area in the evening, spend the night in Oakdale, Merced or Mariposa, and leave Best Western between 6:30 or 7:00 in the morning to get into the Valley as early as possible.

If you are wondering if Yosemite is worth this hassle, in my view, unequivocally yes. It takes ongoing active work to see its magic in the summer, but if you do that work, it's for me the most beautiful place in the world. I hitchhiked there in 1971 and said to my best friend, "I'm coming here for the rest of my life" and I have. It will be the final place where I rest.

>>except I would start looking for cancellations now . . . <<

True enough -- I just didn't want the OP going crazy checking every day for months so just picked March out of a hat :)

I just picked up another (non adjacent night)for May. I also wanted to mention to OP there is a small motel (10 rooms) in Curry Village AKA Half Dome Village. There are also heated cabins with bath. They too are hard to come by, they too will get cancellations. At the motel, ask for backfacing rooms on the form.

I have this zen feeling about looking for cancellations in Yosemite. I have the website on my favorites and I check several times a day if I think of it, more often if I'm close. It takes about 3 minutes. I'm a psychotherapist so it can be this kind of comforting thing to do between sessions (like other people check e-mail, Facebook, video games or the NYT--though I can't understand why anyone would find that relaxing these days).

It takes patience, a tolerance for disappointment, and for me, the awareness that I have almost always succeeded in getting what I wanted in the end.

Janis does, however, have a good point :)

And the Cedar Lodge in El Portal is indeed supposed to be less nice and definitely has a creepy history.

We stayed at Yosemite View Lodge. It was totally fine. The pizza there was decent in the restaurant and we swam in the pool, all good.

We noticed a huge line of traffic snaking by our hotel after we pulled into our lot. It went on and on. Definitely stay here (not Mariposa) if you can't get into the park lodgings.

To OP: For example, there is a cancellation at Yosemite Lodge (in park) for July 1. I'll keep looking for your dates as I continue to look for mine.

For anyone planning on going to Yosemite on January 15, 2018, you can ride the YARTS bus for free! http://yarts.com/news/free-yarts-yos...ree-gate-days/
Enjoy MLK Jr. Day in any of our National Parks on a free admission day.

ALERT TO OP:

There are cancellations at Yosemite Lodge for July 6,7,8. I would grab them immediately. If there is a moderator with a way to contact OP, could you please do so?

OK--I couldn't stand for you to lose it, so I grabbed it for you ($288.00 deposit). It's a king bed (you can add rollaway if you need) in the Lodge right across from Yosemite Falls. Could not be more central.
Please contact me to let me know if you would like to keep it. It is almost certain that something will open up on the 9th or you can spend that night at Yosemite View Lodge or even in Lee Vining if you would like to go to the High Country..

Please contact me at [email protected] to let me know what you'd like to do.

IMO, it's more than worth the difference in cost, especially if the Valley is not a place you go to regularly.

Bookmarking for good info.

I'm sorry but my husband didn't want me to hold the reservation deposit any more days, so I returned it. Try immediately and keep trying!