Wawona

We stayed here in late September around the time when it was announced that the hotel will be shutting indefinitely for restoration review. There was already a lot of restoration construction happening obscuring the front view of the hotel, but I hope it all continues because this was a really nice place to stay. It felt like a step back in time; nestled on a beautiful hillside it is quite the escape. Rooms were dated but still perfectly nice - no AC, so if you come in the summer beware that it will only be a fan that saves you. Plan on about a 45min drive to the Yosemite Valley Village area. About 10min to Mariposa Grove area.

High on Victorian CHARM! Lovely, authentic furnishings and decor in a historic building and setting. The staff are warm and helpful. Be prepared to step back in time- stairs (no elevator), shared bathroom for some rooms. No AC but a fan was perfect for our September visit. Limited WiFi - our cell signals were weak (ATT). The room and bed were very comfortable- we slept soundly! Robes were even provided for the stay. Dining is excellent! It would be my first choice when visiting Yosemite in the future. * Note- the building is undergoing repairs and will close 12/2/24 - a reopening date has not been announced yet.

If you want to stay relatively close to the center of the action (about 45 minutes to Yosemite Village) and not pay an absolute fortune, Wawona is a great option. Yes, the room was very hot at night, though there's a ceiling fan and an oscillating fan included to help you out somewhat. The bed was comfortable, the towels were fresh and the bathrooms were clean. It's an old property so it's not pristine, but that's part of the charm in my opinion. The staff was friendly and everything was as described. I would stay here again! I only removed a star due to the restaurant. The service was very quick and the wait staff were exceptional, but the quality of the food was quite poor. Avocado toast was in fact avocado white bread - not toasted at all. Overcooked eggs and underwhelming french toast. For $55 all in, I'd expect better quality. The pool was also closed, though it was full and didn't appear to be under construction. I'm always confused when places take on these kinds of projects during the height of tourist season. Not a deal breaker for us, but good to know for anyone visiting in the near future.

I love this place. Very charming. Rustic. It's set in a scenic environment. In the evenings you get to enjoy Tom Bop playing the piano.

We stayed July 20, 2024. Hotel does not have AC (posted on their website) so had to sleep with doors and windows propped open. (A first for me). All other guests in our building that I could see were doing the same thing, doors and windows open. Our door luckily faced outside. We placed the fan outside, blowing in the room to suck cold air in. Hard to sleep because it was stuffy and uncomfortable. Keep area temperatures in mind before booking here. Shared restrooms/ showers (also posted on website) HOWEVER--Hot water not working in our building so had to take a cold shower. After several days backpacking this was not the worst for me, but this is unacceptable for a hotel. Host at restaurant stated dishwasher not working so they were serving meals with paper plates & plastic utensils. We did not eat at restaurant after looking over menu options, prices, and yelp reviews. Pool out of order. WIFI only works in lobby (and sunroom?) not in guest rooms. Scaffolding obstructing views. Hotel in overall state of disrepair. Major maintenance needed. Cracks in walls, room was clean but overall grime in other areas if you look around. Chipping paint to exterior. Shabby furniture in room and not in a chic way. Walls have obvious plaster cracking and repair issues. Transom and window in room difficult to open for ventilation. Staff were so lovely. Board games available in armoires in upstairs hallway. We played on veranda outside of our room at night while trying to wait for room to cool down. I hope this hotel gets the attention and upkeep/ work it deserves.

We had car trouble and were stranded for days at the park due to an error from roadside in replacing our damaged rental. Wawona hotel was our beautiful refuge during this time. The staff were friendly, kind and supportive and we wanted to take a minute to share our experience at this wonderful place. Many thanks to the staff: Cecilia, Sheila, Lincoln, Robert, Preston, Nathalie and many others who went out of their way to take care of us and make sure our stay was comfortable! We had no cellular service in the park and team went above and beyond to assist us in keeping in contact with our rental company and insurance. Each team member was extraordinary in terms of professionalism, politeness and friendliness - we firmly believe that people are what makes a hotel and Wawona Hotel completely nailed that! Decoration and history: The hotel is well decorated with beautiful pieces of history and scenery of Yosemite. The history of the location is well documented throughout the walls and the staff is also well versed on the topic. Amenities: Pros: There is wifi in the lobby and sun room. The bar offers free iced water, as the hotel can get pretty warm (no air conditioning). The pool is under renovation but we heard good things about it. The night sky is beautiful once the sunsets. Walking distance to Wawona Chevron and Wawona store. Culture: The staff and guests at this hotel have a culture of friendliness and openness. Perhaps due to the lack of cellular service for most, you can strike up interesting conversation for hours with the people here. Cons: Not all rooms have private bathrooms or showers. We heard from the front desk that the rooms with bathrooms and showers are booked many months in advice. Food: Pros: The waiters and servers go out of their way to make sure your cups are filled. Staff are friendly and will do what they can to make your stay enjoyable. For example, the barkeeper is very accommodating to whatever drinks you might want. Cons: Note that the kitchen staff are usually limited and so seating and food might come slow. Menu might be limited due to the remote location of the hotel. For example dinner had 3 options of steak, roasted chicken and pasta. Tim Bopp is a wonderful musician and just a character. He will keep you entertained for hours with delightful music and conversation. All in all we recommend Wawona hotel if you are looking to spend a night in the park. The historical significance of this site and the people who bring it to life make the stay very worthwhile.

Wawona, oh Wawona, I really wanted to give you 5 stars but you let me down. Was it the location? Nope - 5 stars there. The buildings? Nope - 5 stars. Plus, now the lighting is with LED lamps so it is nice and bright. Was it the staff . Nope - 5 stars there too. Thank you Michael, Lori, Ann and others who I didn't get their names. Then there is Tom Bopp [https://yosemitemusic.com/bopbio.html]. That's 10 stars, or more. Strangely enough, these was the ubiquitous hotel amenities book in the room, with a list of phone numbers for services and emergencies. There was no cell or landline service, and no WIFI except in the lobby. Come on NPS and Aramark, it's ¼ through the 21ST century already The kitchen, the food; major disappointments. The Thanksgiving meal had been left on the steam table or under heat lamps far too long. The plating was not well laid out. Little splashes of gravy, but not on the mashed potatoes or stuffing. However, the salad was delish. The meal on Sat was basically the same. Mary's chicken was dry and tough. The rib eye was the thinnest cut of meat I have seen called a rib eye. Just not a good experience for dinner. Breakfast was hit or miss. Again, too much time on the warming table. I should have just had the fruit plate. You can't destroy that, or can you? Aramark, the concessionaire, has to hire good kitchen staff who can make the diner's really happy. I'm not asking for exotic foods or large portions, they were too large but that's another story, but food that is well prepared, plated nicely and not left to dry out and toughen. Wawona Hotel is one of our go-to places that is away from the Valley's crowds. Great hikes abound and the Mariposa Grove is right down the street. Regardless, we will return.

This hotel is magnificent- such a great stay to get into the feeling of Yosemite. The rooms are very clean, and the staff is remarkably friendly. You are instantly spirited away to a bygone era, and the feeling stays with you the entire trip. You are right next to the pioneer history center with all original Yosemite valley buildings- which is an added perk. The restaurant is great and the wait staff is exceptional. We stayed in a room without bathroom, but it was fine as the bathrooms were close and always very clean.

Summary: The hotel is within park boundaries, has electricity, and is clean. The beds are comfortable, but there is no AC and most rooms have a shared bathroom situation. You are paying for location and convenience. Service is friendly and there's a restaurant on site which serves 3 meals a day. Plus a great bar starting at 5pm! Detail: Set your expectations appropriately and prepare to be satisfied. This is a hotel in a national park (dare I say one of the most trafficked in the continental states?) that has been running continuously for over 120 years. In fact it's hosted multiple presidents-- at the turn of last century. The hotel is proud of its history-- and rightly so! Antiques and period pieces adorn the lobby and the rooms. This is a hotel that begs for people to congregate outside of their (tiny) rooms. People hang out in the lobby and on the verandas. The pool, when open, is popular. There are tennis courts and a ranger station on site in the summer. Star gazing at the golf course is epic. They have a piano player most weekend nights playing show tunes (it's a little kitsch and he doesn't seem to know any tunes from after 1950) and the wifi is spotty in the lobby. Wifi is non-existent in the rooms, and no TVs anywhere. In terms of amenities-- bring shower slides but otherwise the rest is well appointed. Towels and robes are provided, and hot coffee and tea are available every morning. There's also an ice machine for use to keep your ice chest cold. Service is awesome. This ain't the Four Seasons but staff try to make your stay pleasant. Lee at the front desk helped me get acquainted with the hotel and dinner reservations, the room staff and handymen were helpful, and the restaurant staff were pleasant despite the oppressive crowds and demanding patrons. Anthony, our server most meals was awesome -- he kept us informed of the specials, our drinks (coffee or Negronis or beers) filled, and provided us with some awesome hike recs. We were grateful for his conversation and help each meal in ensuring we got what we ordered, in a timely fashion, and guided us to some great dinner choices. We were bummed to not be seated in his section our last night but he was covering multiple large parties and did wave to us as we left for the evening. Lori was our sever another night and she was pleasant. The dinner restaurant manager did a great job keeping the trains moving and the staff on track. It was impressive to watch. The food is what you'd expect for a national park-- dinner for 2 with drinks and a starter salad and desert will run you $120 with tip. Breakfast for two is around $30. Most meals will take you about an hour and the food comes as it is ready. If you have extensive dietary restrictions or require four star treatment you may need to bring your own food to eat on the veranda. There is no microwave or mini fridge so it's what you can keep in your cooler. That being said, I found the convenience of the restaurant worth it. In terms of dishes: Breakfast: - yogurt parfait: small but delicious, thick Greek yogurt with fresh berries and granola - two eggs: solid hikers breakfast - they do a great job with the eggs and the hash browns are dreamy (with hot sauce added)! The bacon was also great and plentiful - oatmeal: basic, heaping portion - short stack pancakes : delicious and fluffy. Reminds me of the pancakes up at Tuolumne tent cabins. The small portion is plenty for a single person. Lunch: N/A -- brought our own lunches since we were on the trail for lunch each day. Drinks: - Negroni: hard to mess up but perfect after a long day hike. - perfect Manhattan: surprisingly well done-- right ratios and ingredients - solid beer and wine selection too Dinner: - wedge salad -- amazing fresh iceberg with homemade blue cheese dressing and lots of bacon and tomatoes. So good - fettuccine Alfredo with chicken -- solid comfort food with appropriate creaminess. Moderate sized portion - burger -- well cooked, fresh, and solid (got it 2x) - tilapia -- the fish was good but the sides were mediocre; risotto tasted like a boxed meal and the side of sprouts (which was 2 Brussel sprouts) were undercooked. Anthony helped swap this out but be forewarned. - pot roast-- delicious, with great red skin mashed potatoes - chicken with verde sauce - amazing dish that was on special the night we were there. Their chefs were doing a Honduran menu that night and this dish was smothered in the most savory lightly spicy green sauce. I could've eaten two. - steak - solid, a little more cooked than I'd like, but good seasoning and solid sides (mashed potato) - tri-tip special-- very tough and the bbq sauce was kind of off. I'd avoid. Overall we found our stay at the Wawona for four nights an excellent way to spend some time at the park, at a fair price with loads of conveniences, and would be back in a heartbeat.

September Fri-Mon - Parking is all over, complimentary, and not particularly easy to get to. At night you are shuffling in the dark. - Rooms. My dad was flabbergasted that the restrooms and showers were outside of the rooms. I compounded his shock by showing him the little toilet under the stairs that was listed on the map. Later I found the bigger restrooms and showers a floor below. They're pretty nice, and outfitted with bright lights, big mirrors, reliable hot water, and a hairdryer. Consider bringing shower sandals. My parents, being Asian, brought their water heater pot. There were a total of three outlets in the room with a queen bed and a twin bed (and a desk). It looked like every other room had a shower and restroom. I evidently cheaped out at $187/night, although I believe I snagged the last room in all the hotels within Yosemite national park. No microwave or fridge, but I had my cooler and the hotel had a crushed ice machine. We were on the first floor of the two story building; it never got too hot or cold. - Amenities. Wi-Fi was nonexistent in the rooms. There were crowds at the lobby, probably trying to catch the free Wi-Fi and failing. T-mobile signal does not reach here. I had lost reception about 20 minutes prior to reaching the hotel. The one drinking water we were told about is located behind the check in, above a tub of mushrooms. My mom gushed about the delicious, sweet drinking water and talked of refilling all our water bottles before we check out. The live piano and singing at night was nice. The front desk staff is super pleasant. Chairs and tables are arrayed all around the grounds. Coffee and hot water and half and half and milk are freely available in the morning. - Dining. Three meals served a day. My portobello mushroom doused with ranch was great. Overall a neat stay, albeit far from Yosemite valley but super close to the mariposa grove.

Awesome stay and experience. Very historic and nostalgic, surrounded by nature. If you are looking for something modern and hi tech, then this isn't the place for you. Tips: Book way in advance. I was lucky enough to find something 2 weeks ahead of my trip there. Some rooms have bathrooms and some dont. Wifi is available in the lobby only. No cell service.

If possible I'd give wawona hotel a 3.5 rating but since I can't, I'll round up. It pains me to say that wawona didn't meet our expectations as much as we were hoping. We have been wanting to stay here a while but always miss out during peak season, so when I saw they had availability, we made a trip to Yosemite to get to check out this beautiful hotel. I LOVE history and based on how old the wawona is, I was so excited to check out the architecture and try to relive a piece of history. The hotel is totally decked out and is gorgeous. The food is very disappointing. We paid $100 for the dinner buffet with two beers and it was just terrible. All of the food was cold. We thought maybe we just got there at a weird time and the food was old so we waited until we saw them bring out fresh food. Once they did we got in line to get a second plate, just for it to be cold again. This was so disappointing as we had a cooler full of sandwiches and cold snacks in our room but we're dying for a hot meal after a day hiking in the park (it's October so it was cold all day). I couldn't believe we spent so much money on cold food. The rooms are small which is fine and they do provide lots of towels and some robes. We had good enough sleep and weren't woken up much by noise. The staff was 50/50. The first night at check in, the check in employee was great! She went over everything with us and was really nice and pleasant to be around. The staff in the restaurant was a bit rude, it was not busy but they still were rushing around and didn't make it to our table to refill waters much. And when we asked about dessert we were quickly told to just raise our hand when we were ready and then the employee walked away, but we were ready, that's why we were asking. (Dessert is part of the buffet, but not in the buffet line, you get served at the table). The front desk at check out was also pretty rude, which was a bummer because we based our whole trip around this hotel. Some last points, Verizon somehow connects service but no other carriers, WiFi is horrible so if you expect to make contact with anyone you'll have to wait to get back down to the valley.

Charming hotel in the wilderness providing many comforts in an elegant setting. Friendly staff and nice accommodations, at a reasonable price.

This hotel is inside the park, pretty convenient, pretty easy to book, pretty inexpensive. The good part is you can take a bus from here to Yosemite valley twice a day, and be back before 8:00 p.m. . The other good part is that they have a piano in the lobby and live music most of the nights! There is no TV on the premises and not much to do in the evening. But you can order drinks at the bar and spend the night with live music till like 930ish. Some rooms have bathrooms, but some don't, so you can use the common bathrooms and showers. They are very clean, the whole hotel is very clean and well kept, in spite of its age. There is also a general store next door, but it's small and has odd hours when it's open.

Very old historical hotel that will take you back 100 years while the food has a nice range of choices. Online booking is lagging behind, however. The people are as interesting as the place.

The hotel was charming, but covered in scaffolding for renovations. We stayed in a cottage behind the main building. The room was clean, but TINY. No air, just a fan. The shared bathrooms were decent. The biggest perk is the hotel is in the national park, therefore you don't have to worry about a park reservation. We ate in the restaurant and the food was good. We enjoyed the piano music in the lobby in the evening, especially because there are no TVs.

It's old, and that's the charm. Don't expect much. Wifi non-existent in room, but got some in lobby. Had to use bathroom middle of night early November, so put on bath robe provided by hotel and walked the outdoor hallway. Refreshing 50 degree temperature. LOL. Good thing bathrooms are heated. Tip. Bring your own wine because house wine is $60 bottle with tax and tip. Looked up price on Internet it was $12. Night sky was ok. Too many hotel lights to see stars. Tip. Sit on outdoor chairs by lawn for darker area. It was cold in November so wear warm clothes. Nothing walking distance near hotel except general store & Yosemite History Center (really park) both quarter mile from hotel.

Cute and quaint! Great place to stop by while visiting Yosemite! Stayed for one night and did dinner in the dining room. Hot Cocoa was delicious!

Specifically asked the front desk if there was a magic way to cool down the brutally hot room. 'Open the windows'. Well, duh. That wasn't working. I explained I've opened the windows and was fanning cool air by flapping a towel and the door, but still no mention of the fan. They could have informed me of the fan buried in the closet. Or, the staff could have set the fan up to cool the room down. Absolutely blazing and unbearably hot room. The lights outside were left on all night blazing into the room. Also noisy with the windows open. Ridiculously uncomfortable beds. Wifi for park research was unavailable. Didn't get any sleep. Absolutely horrible. I've stayed at hotels of this era with no problems. In fact, a 15th century French hotel was significantly better, too, and actually must cheaper. I highly recommend you look elsewhere. The tents actually in Yosemite Park central area would have been nicer and better situated. Most expensive crappy hotel I've ever experienced in my life. $300+ wasted.

After a day of hiking in Yosemite, we decided to stop by here to grab dinner. The staff was very friendly and they provided prompt water refills and made sure we had everything we needed. The food, however, was hit or miss. The zucchini fries were, although pretty good and thick, $18. As a vegan I appreciated their vegan options but there were none on the lunch menu. Our waitress, Eileen, was so very kind and sweet that she gave me both vegan options on the lunch menu for the price of a dinner burger. The vegan chili was next level delicious. My girlfriend that doesn't care for chili even thought so! I got the portobello burger and my girlfriend got the Wagyu burger. Both burgers were thin and burnt with lots of bread to fill the space. The fries were okay. Our friends got the pot roast and couldn't stop raving about how good it was. I stand by the fact that the vegan chili was the star of the show for me. I appreciated Eileen's service, but when it comes to food in Yosemite, I'm sure there's better places to visit.

Hotel is a bit dated but that adds to its charm. The wifi is sketchy. It is quite a drive to the valley floor but way less crowded than the hotels down at that end. The food in the restaurant was pretty good but the prices were rather high. Breakfast starts too late for anyone to get a good start in the morning.

Five stars this time due to Aramark's positive updates and value for money. We asked for an upstairs room in one of the back cabins with a shared bath. The room was small but quite comfortable with (finally!) lots of plug-in options for electronics, a window that opens to let the fresh air in, a window seat, and a quiet water heater that we left on "2" for east comfort both nights. The bed is soft, which worked for us but may not be comfortable for all. It was very quiet in the room. There's a blanket in the drawer for added warmth and two cosy robes for the trip down the stairs and across an outdoor walkway to the heated bath and shower rooms. You're only outside for one second and then comfy again, although the bathrooms are small. The lobby was wonderful with a well-maintained real fireplace, which we needed for the cold November night. Comfy padded wicker chairs in the lobby and a little hidden bar (look for it by the restaurant because no one was coming into the lobby to take orders). Staff was a mix of mostly friendly folks and one or two who seemed unhappy and didn't put in any effort to be of assistance. I was thrilled to see an updated menu in the restaurant with things like avocado toast, decent salads, and crispy tofu joining the old pot roast and key lime pie standbys. The fried chicken was wonderfully seasoned and very crispy--albeit over cooked. It's great to see that Aramark hasn't given in to the fossilization that was occurring under Delaware North. We'll definitely be back.

My review is for their restaurant. 1) Food - $38 Buffet had salad, fried chicken, baked salmon, pot roast, mash potatoes, and cheese cakes (caramel and strawberry syrups). It was just ok. Pricey buffet given the very limited choices. Cocktails are expensive too and not good - they taste like cough syrup :/ 2) Staff - they are very friendly and very welcoming. They gave you the experience of fine dining in a very nice, vintage and historic place. It really makes me frustrated that the food quality couldn't match the staff's superb services. They definitely need to improve their food and drinks quality. 3) Environment - very pleasant with Yosemite theme throughout - even the ceiling lamps. Very unique experience. Again, that makes it much harder to accept their unsatisfactory food and drinks quality. 4) Parking - plenty of parking spaces 5) Hours - on that night, they closed doors 20 mins early. It was supposed to close at 9:15 pm but the door closes at 8:55 pm. So they may change hours so please be aware of the hours.

5 stars: hotel - STAY AGAIN, particularly whenever Tom Bopp is playing the piano and singing. Tom is why we came and stayed overnight is this historic and beautiful hotel with a wonderful setting. Very relaxing. We would have stayed a second night to hear Tom but sadly needed to return home. He is wonderful! 3 stars: Restaurant - HAVE AGAIN house salad with salmon was very good while the strip steak was good but tough. Garlic mashed potatoes and cheddar garlic biscuits (too small) were very good.

For the sake of your family, heed my warning: avoid the Wawona Hotel (restaurant). Review for the restaurant as we did not stay in the Hotel. The Wawona Hotel is the only restaurant in town, and they know it. This location is the most egregious tourist trap I've travelled to, and I'm writing this review as a public service to hopefully spare others. Shrimp "Wanton": $8 for a single shrimp on a bed of lettuce. One singular shrimp--- we expected to get 7 for the price. It was $8 for one shrimp. Meatball appetizer: $14 for two meatballs. Meatballs are frozen and resemble Ikea or Costco options. You are paying $7 for each single frozen meatball. Steak: $45 Prime Rib (photo attached). 1/3 inch thick and the size of my palm. Full of gristle and long strips of hard fat. Dry throughout, not one drop of juice remaining. Hard, dirty, gristle up and down the steak. Reminded me of my high school lunch meat. Chicken: $28 Elderly father could not cut the chicken it was too hard. Mashed potatoes tasted like instant cooks potatoes. Tofu: $26 for 4-5 pieces of dry tofu. Salmon: $30. Watery, oily, gross. Best option of the bunch, still a rip off. Total price for our food and drinks: $306. We could not believe our eyes. I have never paid so much to receive so little. It is clear the Wawona Hotel is comfortable ripping off tourists on New Years Eve. They've done so quite effectively, and have earned a fat profit. My father said this is the worst restaurant meal he's had in his 71 years on earth. Avoid at all costs, you will be ripped off and wish you never came. Good luck.

The restaurant needs to revise their menu or retrain the cook. A 37$ steak should have the gristle removed before cooking, sautéed onion are not the same a fried crinkle onion sticks, and BBQ sauce is not Southern comeback sauce https://www.aspicyperspective.com/southern-comeback-sauce/ The wait staff are excellent

If you appreciate history, you will genuinely enjoy the Wawona. The porch sags gently, the rooms have quaint windows and the ceiling fans have a patina. You are transported back 100 years and it is magical. However, if you appreciate wifi, a private bathroom (for some rooms), TV, microwave, mini fridge, elevator...basically modern luxury...you may not have as much fun as I did. The wifi is very weak, even downstairs in the lobby, be warned! We booked a room without a bathroom because it was the only one we could find in the park a month in advance, and while I was leery, it's not horrible. The shared bathrooms are like nicer park bathrooms and are just around the porch (there are bathrooms on each floor of the main building so you don't walk far) and the shared showers had shower gel and shampoo, a private cubby to put your clothes, hair dryers. The showers were nice (plenty of hot water!) and generally empty both late at night and early in the morning. The towels were a bit scratchy, but everything was clean and smelled faintly of no-nonsense bleach. Yosemite in general is a bit tough to find food in and it sounds like Wawona's dining has gone through changes. When I was there a week ago, a continental buffet was available for under $20, but it didn't look super appetizing -- standard pastries, oatmeal, fruit -- so we went with the a la carte option -- $8 plates of bacon and eggs which we felt was a great way to start the day. There is free coffee and tea in the morning only as well. We did not get lunch or dinner here. Overall, I liked the Wawona. It is an hour drive to Yosemite Village, but you pass some great scenic spots where you can stop and take photos, so it's not a waste. Ideally I'd book a day here to hike Mariposa and then book in the Village itself to be closer to the main trails.

We enjoyed our stay at the Wawona Hotel. Food was delicious. We were lucky we had a room with a bathroom. The wait for food and to check in was a little long but I believe this may have been due to staffing so we were patient. Rooms were clean. Enjoyed the piano entertainment especially during these waiting times.

We stopped by the Wawona for Breakfast on our way home from a 5 day camping trip in Upper Pines campground in the valley (which was insanely busy). The Wawona was the perfect stop, peaceful and relaxing, the breakfast pricing was very reasonable, our server was Sydney, she was great. It is the oldest hotel in Yosemite, much preferred to the college cafeteria/ food court ambiance in Curry Village. After breakfast, we sat on the Veranda checking email, the WIFI was not bad. I would like to come back and spend a couple of nights, and explore the area. the adjacent visitor center and museum are definitely worth a visit. Mariposa Grove is very close, so the perfect spot if you need a nearby hotel. Keep in mind it is an older property and will not have state-of-the-art plumbing if that is not your thing, recommend one of the new hotels in Oakhurst, no ambiance, no character, but cookie-cutter brand new, just like at home..UGH

Do yourself a favor and use this hotel only as a last resort, and never in Winter! The rooms are drafty and poorly equipped (eg, no tissues, tiny sink, awful shower). The WiFi doesn't work at all, even in the "hot spot" in the lobby. The food was ok, not great, but the slowest service I have ever seen. It took them 1hr and 20 min to serve us breakfast - and the dining room was less than half full! And then they got my order wrong - not once but twice!! They have some nerve charging those prices.

The hotel is extremely dated, and over priced, but hey it's Yosemite.The hotel is enticing and cute on the outside, but the rooms are circa 1900! Room small, beds small, old everything. No outlet or toiletries in the bathroom. Front desk could be more helpful. Restaurant is okay, nothing special.

Sad been coming here for decades...brought our 84 yr old father to relive ou r families past. Dinner was terrible....returned the pot roast twice...waitress advised us the fried chicken we ordered as well was frozen and reheated....sad.

This review is for the Wawona Hotel Dining Room -- as we were not able to get reservations at the hotel for our stay. We did have two lovely breakfasts at the property -- but the second time, the place was packed and the wait was at least 40 minutes...even though the actual dining room was only half full. Our server Laura was fantastic though, so we decided to come back for our final night dinner. Reservations were recommended, but four attempts to call their phone number failed -- no one ever picked up. Deciding to chance it, we drove to the hotel and were informed that the dining room was only available to hotel guests...and our only option was to order take out. Take out? When other hotels are miles and miles and miles away, meaning your food would be ice cold by the time you arrived? And again, the dining room was virtually empty. When we told them we had tried to call several times, all we got was "Everyone's busy here. The hotel is busier than expected." How is that possible? We tried to book the Wawona months in advance and couldn't get in -- but yet the staff doesn't know the hotel is full booked? Surely somebody could answer the phone? Or use an answering machine with a recorded message for those calling in, informing them of the situation? Clearly there's a staffing issue, and an overall mismanagement of the dining facility.

Historic should not equal to not equipped. We stayed in one of the largest rooms on the property with a private bath. No internet, no tv, too high beds and paper thin walls. The sink was too tiny to be used, the curtains around the bath made it impossible to shower without the curtains sticking to us which grossed me out. Had to go to the front desk which was quite a distance away to get toilet roll because they did not put in a new one upon checkin. Front desk was very unfriendly and refused to keep a bag behind the lobby while we had dinner. Dinner was good but we had to wait for almost 2 hours. Save your money and drive further down to Oakhurst. Comfort Inn there is much better than this overpriced hotel.

This hotel is perfectly located within the park boundaries and away from crowds which is why we stayed there. My husband and I stayed for two nights. It is cute, quaint and of course, it is old (obviously, it's historical), and the grounds are very pretty. We "checked in" at 4:00 p.m. but had to wait until 5:30 p.m. for our room to be ready. There is no Wi-Fi in the rooms, and the only Wi-Fi is in the lobby. The rooms are clean and tiny but make sure if you do not want to share a bathroom/shower to book a room WITH A BATHROOM--pay the extra money!! Fortunately, we booked a room with a bathroom, but the walls in the room were so paper thin that you literally have no real privacy when using the bathroom, it's as if the person next door is in the room with you! We could hear conversations from both of our neighbors. With no television or radio in the room it made being in the room worse, thank goodness we were at the park most of the time, but at night we felt like we couldn't make a sound. It was as if we were staying in a walk-in closet. As for the restaurant, we only had dinner the first night there, no other meals. A hamburger and fries cost $24 per person and that was without a drink. After that surprise we decided to eat at the park. The nice things were the grocery store within walking distance (it closes at 6:00 p.m.) and the wonderful hike across the street. We were able to say we stayed in this historical hotel; however, we will not be staying there again.

This hotel had nice staff and great dining. Arriving on Thursday, we were able to check in early and our rooms (without bathrooms) we're nice. The shared toilets and showers were surprisingly very clean and maintained (stayed in the Annex). They don't do reservations for their dining for breakfast and lunch, but you'll need to reserve for dinner. Food was good and came warm (was nervous after reading other past Yelp reviews). On our last night (Sunday) they surprised us with a buffet that was really good ($38 per person, kids eat free). Only thing that was prevalent throughout the hotel and the Yosemite Valley area was that a lot of places were understaffed still, so we had to be understanding of any slow service. There was a nice history area near the hotel, a little gift shop and general store with great souvenirs, and other amenities. It is true that the walls are kind of thin, but people were generally quiet. Would highly recommend for anyone looking for a place near the valley that's quiet, chill, and has a historic charm to it. P.S. go for the lamb chop lollipops during dinner! They were amazing good!

Positives: Thank you Ashley for your efforts in giving your personal step ladder to get in & out of bed. Polite waiter/waitresses. Dani in the office is eager to help, too Negatives: Bed is toooo high! Walls incredibly thin. $38 buffet dinner does not include coffee/tea Other office young lady barely answers question with guests who actually support her paycheck!!! No a/c and so you get to hear the neighbor's fan all night, too.

I much enjoyed my two-day stay at Wawona. Such a beautiful hotel. The staff was friendly and helpful. The potroast I had for dinner the first night was superb -- the best I have ever had (with apologies to my mother :) An unexpected bonus was to hear the performance, both nights, of Tom Bopp in the lounge. He played with skill and a joy that was infectious. One downside: Only a few hikes nearby such as the "Hanging Bridge" hike (not that interesting) -- still, the hotel is worth a visit on its own.

1. Wawona is 1 hour to Yosemite Valley, the main tourist destination in the Park. It is a scenic drive, but not a drive you want to do daily, as it is along a narrow winding mountain road. 2. There is a loading/unloading area directly in front of the Main building of the hotel, in front of the fountain. 3. One can park in the lot in front of the fountain, as you drive in. Limited, difficult parallel parking in the dark on the circular road around the fountain. The only lighted parking is to the left of the Main building, past the tennis courts. 4. The majestic Victorian main building has check in, lobby, and restaurant on the 1st floor, and upstairs 22 rooms with shared bathrooms, and 2 rooms with their own bathrooms. 5. The Annex has 39 rooms, half with shared bathrooms, and half with their own bathrooms, on 2 floors, with wifi in the community Sun Room. 6. 4 smaller buildings, called cottages, are quieter with fewer neighbors, around vast expanses of trimmed grass area, neatly intersected by concrete sidewalks. 7. It took 2 clerks 17 minutes to handle the 3 parties ahead of us, at check in at 3pm on a Sunday. 8. Guests are warned to remove all foods and liquids from the car. You won't recognize your car with the coffee inside after the bears arrive overnight! 9. We hauled 3 wheeled luggages, a day pack, and 2 fanny packs in one trip, going up the 12 stairs at the front of the building, and 25 more steep stairs to the 2nd floor. I was huffing and puffing like Darth Vader! 10. Avoid rooms 201, 202, 203, and 212 facing the stairs, with foot traffic noises, and on the route to the bathrooms. 11. We got room 205 in the main building on the second floor facing the fountain. Our front door and only window faced the porch. 12. The king size bed took up most of our 10' x 13' room. 1 night stand, 2 lamps, 1 sitting chair, overhead lamp/fan and a dresser. Robes and towels provided. 13. Poor value, on a cost per square foot basis. $150 for a 130 square foot room, while Yosemite Lodge at the Falls is $220 for a 300 square foot room. 14. Yosemite Lodge has a sink, toilet, shower, TV, phone, safe and refrigerator, but not our room. No Wawona rooms have a TV, phone, safe, refrigerator, or microwave. 15. Wifi access at the Sun room, 100 yards away in the Annex building. Once I got a connection, my Kindle adjusted, and retained the reception on our veranda. Only good for e-mail and web surfing, not videos, let alone downloads. 16. Avoid rooms 101,118,119,120,138,139 next to Sun room, which is often used for private parties, and close to the highway, and its noises. 17. The ~35' x 15' swimming pool is open dawn to dusk, with depths 4'- 6.5', with ladders, not stairs for entry -not child friendly. No diving. Lounge chairs available. 18. The public veranda, 6'-10' across, stretches around the building. 2 lounge chairs and a side table in front of each room, with picturesque views of lawns, water fountain, golf courses, and sunset over the forests. 19. For dinner my wife had trout, and myself a seafood pasta, each about $23, slow service, above average quality, with the ambiance of the setting sun and fountain in the restaurant windows. Everyone in shorts and sandals -no Ahwahnee dress code here! 20. The 97 degree temps overwhelmed the overhead fan and small desk fan. No cross ventilation, with the door and small window on the same side. We left the fan running in the window, partially closing the curtains, with light shining in from the veranda lights. 21 The veranda lights came on at dusk, staying on the entire night. Good for reading. Some areas on the veranda have no lights. Public veranda -two Wawona campers sat next door. 22 I opened the door, and there was my wife crouched behind the bed, in the middle of changing her top, with a startled look on her face, like I was the Boston strangler! No place to change in private in a tiny room! 23 We heard the neighbors going to the bathroom at night, with the spring loaded doors banging shut, and their footfalls on the creaky wooden veranda floor. 24 Walking 100 feet in the cold outside air to the communal bathrooms in the back will keep you from falling asleep! 1 of 2 mens toilets plugged up due to overuse -an everyday event! 25 The room came with a continental breakfast of bagel, yogurt, granola cereal, orange juice, coffee, various pastries, and a fruit bowl. 26. There is a piano player to entertain folks in the lobby, but he's off Sunday and Monday. 27. Nearby attraction includes the famous giant redwoods, requiring parking in one area, and taking a shuttle to the attraction. 28. A free shuttle bus leaves for Yosemite Village at 830am and picks up returning passengers at 330pm. 29. The flag is raised in the fountain area, with an employee whistling the entire 'Star Spangle Banner'! Free entertainment!

located over 4000 feet above sea level is this lovely hotel that stands majestically in the Yosemite forest. Since 1856 its entertained all sorts visitors from all walks of life. If you're the out doorsy type that loves being connected to mother nature...but need a soft bed and a heated room, complimentary continental breakfast and wifi at a deal of a price...then this is your place to stay! The Pros: LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!. Its far enough in the forest so you already leave behind miles of windy roads. Only 4 miles from the Mariposa Grove and less than an hour from the valley. Choose a room with its own bathroom or you can save some $ and use the shared one down the hall. Don't frown at the idea of the shared bathroom. They're super clean, ample and I must say that the shampoo, conditioner and body wash had an exceptional scent to them. Kinda of eucalyptus/mint smell (body wash). Oh The rooms were cozy and the decor was shall we say fitting for the hotel too. The food exceeded my expectations in quality and quantity. Breakfast consisted from your selection of various omelet dishes & pancakes for a $7 upgrade or dine on the complimentary continental (fruit, yogurt, granola, breads and coffee & juice). Dinner was a real treat! This will cost you tho. Pasta & vegetarian meals range between $13-$16 and if you crave something more "meaty" yer looking at about $23-$35. But all was presented well and was super delicious. Id hit that up again! The Cons: Because its an old hotel the method of heating is relied on an old timey water heater that must be interconnected in the structure we stayed in. So for 3 nights at 6 AM sharp you are rudely awakened by a "CLANK! CLANK! CLANK FIIIIIISSSSSSSSSS BANG! BANG! BANG! etc. That's why the room comes with ear plugs in the top drawer of your night stand. Ill still take it over a rooster at 3 AM. The waiter service was slow and forgetful on the last day. It was probably his off day but Im still chalking it up as a "con". There it is team. I would absolutely come back for a spring or summer experience. The place does have a pool and a golf course across highway 41. Finally, please stand in attention and remove your hat when the flag is being raised and the national anthem is being whistled by the staff in the morning. Its a sign of respect. ;-) See you at the Wawona amigos. Ay los watcho

This review is strictly regarding the dining room at the Wawona hotel. I can undoubtedly say that fine dining at the Wawona Hotel , sadly ,is over. I and my family have been visiting Yosemite since the early 60's. And always kept dates open to dine at the Wawona. It was always such a great experience. But since Delaware briefly had their hands on the Wawona, they dragged this beautiful and historic dining room portion of the a Wawona into a Denny's type of dining experience.. including cheap plastic place matts. I miss the beautiful white linen tablecloths, the gracious eating utensils, the great and knowledgeable serving staff. The menu is just a sad affair of lackluster offerings. I dined there tonight and I ordered a new item on the menu, Tofu and sweet potatoes plus an order of biscuits. The sweets potatoes were not sweet potatoes, they were in fact , regular potatoes and grossly undercooked . The one order of biscuits we asked for came 3 per order . When I pointed out to our messy looking waitress who also had a dirty apron on, she said I was wrong and that they were a special white sweet potato. . I told her the potatoes were under cooked and hard and she just shrugged . The 3 biscuits were only 2. The waitress's explanation was that they made the biscuits larger therefore we only get two per order. I also couldn't help but notice that nearly all the servers were messy looking . This is just very sad . We won't be dining at the Wawona Hotel any longer . For fine dining , we'll head to Tenaya Lodge or the Awahnee Hotel. Sad state of affairs at The Wawona. It's the end of an era .

First of all, this hotel is 100+ years old and historic so before booking do not expect much. Do not expect that there is tv or microwave or fridge. Coming in here, I had a blast! I did not expect much and my main goal for the trip is to enjoy the nature in which there is lesser signal/reception in the area which is great for my goal for my weekend trip, to get a break from the city and for other stuff. I love the food that I ordered (steAk,signatureburger,lamb lollipop,salted caramel cheesecake,goat cheese brishetta) in their dining room and they have a full bar too. The hotel is accessible to the Mariposa grove 10-15 min bus ride and literally in fromt of the hotel, you will just cross the atreet and you can have your easy morning walk in the Meadow loop trail. If you want more "touristy trail" it is an hour awAy from the Yosemite Valley Village. You can get in the nationL park if you book in Wawona hotel and no need for reservation park permit. It was a fun experience for me. If you want a relax, nature- chill type of vacation-- this would suffice your goal.

We just got back from this hotel. This is the worst dining experience we ever have. Our airbnb recommended this place for us for dinner. She told us is a very nice historical hotel. So we decided to check it out. Yes, the hotel looks very nice and we even plan to book a room here next time when we come to Yosemite. But after how the restaurant treated us, we will NEVER come near it and we will suggest anyone we know NOT to come to this hotel. It's Saturday nite, they are busy, we understand. We gave our name, wait around 1 hour to get our table which is ok, they are busy. We ordered a burger and a beef pot roasted right after we sat down. The waitress was a older, fat, white woman wear eye glasses. 30 minutes passed, we asked her to check our order. She said it's coming. No apology . We saw her served the same food we ordered to other tables who came after us. We asked her why, she said because we ordered a burger! WTF ? A burger take that much long to cook. Again, no apology. 45 minutes passed, so we went to the manager and complain. He said he will make sure we get our food. Again, no apology, 1 HOUR passed, we still didn't get our food. We told the asst. Manager we are walking out. Still, no apology. From giving our name at the reception to leaving the restaurant, over 2 hours ! No food ! We were very respectful and polite to all the servers because we used to do that too. I don't know why they treated us this way. Maybe rhey are discriminating us because we are Asian American? IDK. NEVER AGAIN, and we will share our experience to anyone we know and all the social media we can think of.

When Park Ranger tells you that you need to go and spend some time in the Wawona hotel, you just nod, go and don't ask questions... ...No, you dirty minds, I am talking about rangers directing everyone off the road during unexpected snowstorm, of course... Tiny cars, trucks, trailers, and SUVs alike were all pulling into spacious Wawona's parking lot on a stormy day in May. So, since technically I was not a hotel guest but a visitor, I cannot tell you anything about rooms - but I can tell you how incredibly helpful and accommodating their staff is. Consider taking care of few dozen of tired, hungry, wet, covered with snow, cranky travelers, all speaking different languages, all just want to get back on the road... They answered all the questions - over and over, patiently. Dining room was open for lunch (and those sandwiches were delicious), water bottles were refilled and fireplace was warming up all the hearts (and wet boots)... I left after lunch, since I had snow tires on, but I did come back following days to enjoy the grounds, which are charming and delightful, and bountiful breakfast in sunlit dining room, and wifi on the terrace... Nested almost in the valley, Wawona's beautifully kept greenery, white porches and Adirondack chairs make for relaxing times, while enjoying amazing views around you. Definitely one of my favorite hotels in Yosemite.

This is an old hotel in the southwest corner of the park. If you are lucky to get a booking here at Wawona, you will be able to skip the daily backup that occurs at the entrance just a little south of the hotel. Next to the hotel is a gas station and a ranger station. Is only one of two gas stations in the park. What did I learn today? You really need to book 12 months in advance for peak season.

I've always liked the Wawona and appreciate their continued attempts to stick to a bygone era and to help me get away from it all. I also don't worry too much about a shortage of outlets, since aside from my camera, I don't need my electronic toys here anyway. Better still is the distance from the Yosemite Valley and a gorgeous drive in if I really want to fight the tourist hordes. I do however prefer to have a private bathroom, especially one with a claw foot tub. I have like the Dining Room, the expansive grounds, the nice service, decent prices, the golf course across the street, and the big trees if I drive South.

There's no bathroom in the room. The heater bangs randomly throughout the night and sometimes doesn't work. The maitre d is a rude, little man. The dinner menu never changes from the tiny selection of entrees from night to night and there's really no where else to eat (Oakhurst? Only if you like Taco Bell). The wifi is hidden at the back of the hotel in a room so filled with smoke it's uninhabitable. The lady at the desk will promise you a 15% discount for your semi sleepless night and forget about it by billing time. But once you sit down by the communal fireplace with a drink in your hand listening you Tom play the piano you'll be transported away to a wonderful woodland utopia. Tom is one of the most enigmatic. charming entertainers to not have his own NPR show. He plays every damn night and he's been doing it for years. Look, forget all that other stuff. You're in a 19th century lodge in the middle of the woods for a reason. You're not at the Hyatt Regency. You're at the Wawona. Enjoy it for what it is.

The Wawona is unlike any hotel I've ever visited. It's attractive and enchanting, but not luxurious. Most visitors will have to share a bathroom and maybe even a shower. However, it's a charming place. The buildings are very attractive and all have wrap around porches. The ambiance at the Wawona is very interesting... I felt like I might bump into FDR at any moment or maybe see a group of laughing flappers burst into the lobby. The grounds, of course, are amazing. The hotel sits across from a road and a golf course. There is a large, grassy courtyard in front and a pool. The rest of the hotel is bordered by the forest. White wooden chairs are scattered about the grounds and line the porches. These are perfect for reading or relaxing. Parking is an issue and there's no internet (no surprise) except for a communal room in one of the buildings. You should also know that there's no AC, which shouldn't really be a problem. Some of the staff is kind of...odd too. A little pretentious or maybe just really awkward (I'm talking about the restaurant staff mostly). The food at the restaurant is decent but really expensive. All of the food in Yosemite is overpriced, that's just part of the deal. I would stay at the Wawona again. Compared to overcrowded Yosemite Village, the Wawona is a relaxing change of pace and a peaceful retreat. Personally, I would consider sitting on its porches and reading or looking at the view a pretty decent vacation in and of itself.

Stayed at Wawona hotel last week. Summer is just starting and it was already full. Lucky I printed a confirmation for my reservation...looked like they were not able to find it in their system? Anyway..the room I booked (shared bath) was not available!! So they gave me complimentary upgrade to one with prvt bath!! Great!! :) Hotel is really romantic. No phone, internet or tv in the room, cell phones won't work either. You'll be forced to talk to your partner..lol. I loved the furniture. Bed was very comfy. Everything in the room was perfect (Clarks Cottage) This is 20 miles from yosemite valley (curry village, ahwahnee hotel etc), but it's close to Mariposa grove where those magnificent sequoias are, possibly the best things to see in yosemite. What can be more interesting than looking at a 2000+ year old living organism!! Hiking trail to the Mariposa museum was beautiful. (5 miles total from the parking lot and back) Went to main lobby/lounge later where they serve drinks etc. Server was courteous but was trying to rush us!...ordered drinks and shrimp+cheese sampler and he brought the check right away with a thank you for visiting greeting! I told him we might order more. So we order crab cakes and more drinks. Again same thing. We then ordered dessert, it was great..apple berry something. I was done halfway, relaxing in my chair, server shows up with the check and surprise, picks up my dessert to take it away without asking if I'm done or not!! I got it back though. ;) Don't think I'd call it good service. Food was good though. Not that many options for vegetarians. Breakfast buffet was complimentary, and servers were awesome. Very courteous and elegant. Food was great too. Fresh squeezed oj and lots of fruits, pastries etc. Oh yeah...a crazy woman banged on our door twice to shut us up at 11 pm :)) Walls are thin! I'd highly recommend this hotel for couples. Not good for internet/iPhone addicts ...wait...in fact it's good for them!!