The Ahwahnee is the grandest hotel in America's national parks, a monumental lodge of stone, timber and stained glass set beneath the soaring granite walls of Yosemite Valley. Opened in 1927, it has welcomed presidents, royalty and film stars, and its interiors inspired some of the most famous hotel scenes in cinema. Staying here puts you in the heart of one of the most celebrated landscapes on Earth, with Half Dome and Yosemite Falls on your doorstep.
The Ahwahnee is the grandest hotel in America's national parks, a monumental lodge of stone, timber and stained glass set beneath the soaring granite walls of Yosemite Valley. Opened in 1927, it has welcomed presidents, royalty and film stars, and its interiors inspired some of the most famous hotel scenes in cinema. Staying here puts you in the heart of one of the most celebrated landscapes on Earth, with Half Dome and Yosemite Falls on your doorstep.
Location: Yosemite National Park, California, USA
The hotel stands on the floor of Yosemite Valley, at around 1,200 metres, in Yosemite National Park in California's Sierra Nevada. The valley is a mile-deep, glacier-carved canyon, framed by El Capitan, Half Dome, Glacier Point and some of the highest waterfalls in North America.
Fresno Yosemite International Airport is about two and a half hours away by road, and San Francisco roughly four hours. Park entry may require advance reservations at busy times, so check the latest rules when planning; hotel guests' reservations typically include park access.
Yosemite Valley has inspired generations of artists, photographers and conservationists. John Muir championed its protection, Ansel Adams made it famous in black and white, and climbers from around the world come to test themselves on the granite walls of El Capitan and Half Dome. Staying in the valley means you can explore all of this on foot or by bike, without needing a car.
Rooms and suites at The Ahwahnee
The hotel has around 120 rooms, in the main building and in a cluster of cottages in the grounds. Rooms are decorated in a rustic, arts-and-crafts style with Native American-inspired patterns, and many look out towards Yosemite Falls, Half Dome or Glacier Point. The cottages, set among the trees, offer more privacy.
The Ahwahnee is a historic building, so rooms vary in size and layout; request one with a valley view when booking. Suites on the upper floors include the former living quarters of the Tresidder family, who ran the park's concession in the hotel's early years.
The hotel has hosted many famous guests over the years, including Queen Elizabeth II and President John F. Kennedy, and its interiors are said to have inspired the design of the Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick's film The Shining. Wandering its halls and lounges, filled with Native American art and historic photographs, is part of the pleasure of a stay.
Facilities at The Ahwahnee
The public rooms are the Ahwahnee's glory. Architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood designed the building from steel and concrete, cast and painted to look like timber, so that it would resist fire while blending into the landscape. The Great Lounge, with its huge fireplaces, beamed ceiling and stained-glass windows, is one of the grandest rooms in any national park, and the dining room, with soaring granite pillars, timber trusses and towering windows onto the valley, is unforgettable.
Dining ranges from the main dining room to a bar with lighter meals. There is an outdoor swimming pool, and the hotel's location makes it easy to walk, cycle or take the free shuttle around the valley. Every December, the hotel hosts the Bracebridge Dinner, a festive feast held since 1927.
The mountain moment
The defining moment is standing in the meadow below the hotel at dawn, as the first light strikes Half Dome and the waterfalls thunder down the valley walls. In spring, when snowmelt is at its peak, Yosemite Falls roars so loudly it can be heard across the valley.
For the most famous views, drive or hike to Glacier Point, high above the valley, for a panorama across Half Dome and the High Sierra, or stop at Tunnel View, where El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall and Half Dome appear together in one breathtaking frame.
Why The Ahwahnee is one of the best mountain hotels
The Ahwahnee earns its place because it is the defining national park lodge, a masterpiece of architecture set in one of the world's most spectacular mountain valleys. It is expensive, and the rooms do not match the grandeur of the public spaces. But nowhere else lets you wake up in the heart of Yosemite Valley in such style, and its history, setting and atmosphere make it a once-in-a-lifetime stay.
It is also an ideal base for exploring the wider Sierra Nevada, from the giant sequoias of Mariposa Grove at the park's southern entrance to the high country of Tuolumne Meadows in summer, and it pairs perfectly with a stay at Lake Tahoe or Mammoth Lakes, also in our California collection.
When to go to The Ahwahnee
Yosemite is open year-round. Spring, from April to June, is the best time for waterfalls, as snowmelt peaks. Summer, July and August, is the busiest season, with high-country roads such as Tioga Road usually open. Autumn brings fewer crowds and golden light, though some waterfalls may be dry. Winter is quiet and beautiful, with snow on the valley floor, and the festive season at the Ahwahnee is a long-standing tradition. Book well ahead, especially for summer and the holidays.
Questions, answered
- Where is The Ahwahnee?
- In Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California, beneath Half Dome and close to Yosemite Falls.
- Was The Ahwahnee renamed?
- Yes. From 2016 to 2019 it was temporarily known as the Majestic Yosemite Hotel during a trademark dispute; it has since returned to its original name.
- How far is The Ahwahnee from San Francisco?
- Roughly four hours by road. Fresno Yosemite International Airport is about two and a half hours away.
