Yosemite View Lodge - river view room worth it?
 

My husband and I have decided to spend four days at Yosemite the first week in June. Yosemite Lodge is unavailable, although I will keep checking back for cancellations. Yosemite View Lodge does have rooms available, so I want to reserve now to be sure we can get in. We have a choice of a river view room or a mountain view room. I've read here that people recommend the river view rooms, but they are $50 more per night than the mountain view ones, and over four nights that adds up to quite a lot. I don't know how much time we'll be spending in the room, anyway. So, are the river view rooms that much nicer that it's worth spending so much more? Are the mountain view ones nice, too, and if we stay in one, is there somewhere on the property to go sit, relax, and enjoy looking at the river if we want to?

Also, if a cancellation at Yosemite Lodge opens up for only part of our stay, is it worth moving from one place to the other to spend a night or two in the valley? Thanks for any opinions.

The river view is worth it! The rooms are right on the river. Almost like riding the river on your own boat. The alternate side faces the street and offer a bland view in comparison. I have stayed at both places and unless you get a "Falls view room" at Yosemite Lodge [which you probably wouldn't since there aren't many] the Yosemite View Lodge is a better place to stay. You won't want to move once you're there.

We stayed in a room on the top floor of the Yosemite View Lodge which was not a river view room and because of the trees, didn't have a view at all. Our room, itself, was fine and met our purposes because we were only there to sleep. If you like to sit on the balcony in the morning and drink your coffee or at night to relax I would definitely get the river view room. The only place I saw to sit by the river was behind the restaurant, so that may meet your needs if you only want to sit there for a while after dinner.

We were going to try to see if they had cancellations at Yosemite Lodge once we got there, but were happy with Yosemite View Lodge. (we were there 5 nights in May) Another reason we didn't stay in the park is that my husband really likes to have a tv in the room and the accommodations in the park didn't have that--although I have heard that they do now. If we go again, I would probably stay a night or two in the park if we can, just to see what people are talking about since so many say it is an experience not to miss.

You really won't be in the room much except in the morning before you head out for the day and at night after the sun goes down. River view would be nice of course, but if the $200 difference makes a big dent - I'd take the mountain view.

I've never stayed at either, but Yosemite View Lodge is NOT in the park and Yosemite Lodge IS in Yosemite Valley. If it were me, I'd move if there was a cancellation because of the LOCATION!

Also the best time to catch a cancellation is about 10 days to 2 weeks before you get there.

Utahtea

We usually book rooms with a view everywhere possible, one reason because we love morning coffee on a balcony. However, when we stayed at Yosemite View Lodge in july 01, it was really too chilly in the morning. You can also see the river from the pool (right next to it) if you're there midday when its warm enough to swim. But since you'll likely be in yosemite each day, i would opt for the mountainview and spend the extra cash somewhere else.

In the meantime, do check back often (daily) for a possible cancellation in the park.

Thanks for your advice, everyone, it's very helpful. My husband decided that we should splurge and get a river view room, since we don't know when or if we'll get a chance to get back to Yosemite, so I have reserved one. Since it has a kitchenette, maybe we can make up some of the difference by having breakfasts in the room, and brown-bagging a couple of our lunches. Is there a decent store in El Portal to buy some basic groceries and wine, or should we stock up in San Jose, where we'll be spending the night before we drive there (which would mean finding a grocery store and probably buying a cooler)?

I would definitely get your groceries in San Jose. There are some grocery items in the lobby part of Yosemite View Lodge if you need to replenish, but I'm not sure if they had wine or not. El Portal consists of 2 hotels and a very small gas station (with very expensive gas--fill up before you get there). There is a restaurant in each of the hotels--also a pizza place and a bar at Yosemite View. That is all I remember seeing in El Portal. In the Valley there is a market that has probably anything you would want, but when we went there it was very crowded and I wouldn't waste my time in the Valley grocery shopping--another good place to replenish if you need something.