Where to stay in Yosemite Valley

When traveling and staying Yosemite, you have more then a few options. There are the most lodging options in Yosemite Valley. This is also where many of the top attractions people come to see are located, so we will be focusing on lodging in the Valley in this post. There are 2 Lodges, cabins, canvas tents and 4 campgrounds available to stay in in the Valley. Rates for each of these options vary throughout the season so be sure to plan ahead. Reservations are a MUST, especially in the summer. Plan to book up to a year in advance as rooms and campsites go fast in the busy seasons! All of these lodging options are conveniently located on the complimentary Yosemite Valley Shuttle Bus Route. This makes it easy to get around so you won't need to worry about driving your car around the Valley.

The Majestic Yosemite Hotel

The Majestic Yosemite Hotel, formerly known as the Ahwahnee Hotel, is the top place to stay in Yosemite. By far the fanciest. This is a AAA 4 Diamond rated hotel and lives up to its standard with its grand dining rooms and fireplaces, you will experience the luxury the moment you step inside.

• AAA 4 Diamond Hotel
• Open Year Round
• National Historic Landmark
• Advance reservations strongly recommended for dining
• Amenities
• Hair Dryer
• Flat Screen TV
• Refrigerator
• Telephone
• WiFi
• Bathtub
• Pillow-Top Mattress
• Iron and Ironing Board
• Suites available
• Standard, Classic and Featured Cottages

Yosemite Valley Lodge
Yosemite Valley Lodge offers recently remodeled traditional rooms as well as a limited number of family rooms. The proximity to Yosemite Falls makes this a great place if you plan on doing hikes to the Falls. Although there is no air conditioning, fans are provided in each room for convenience. A seasonal swimming pool is also available swim in. In the summer, the outdoor amphitheater hosts ranger and naturalist talks, slide shows and nature movies. Open year round.


Traditional Room amenities

• Private bathroom
• Hair dryer
• Writing table
• Refrigerator
• Coffee maker
• TV
• Select rooms have patio or balcony
• Mountain WiFi (slower connection speeds, no streaming)

Family Room amenities

• 1 king sized bed
• Bunk bed
• Dining table
• large TV with DVD player
• Private bathroom
• Hair dryer
• Refrigerator
• Coffee maker
• Mountain WiFi (slower connection speeds,no streaming)

Half Dome Village
Half Dome Village is a good place to stay if you want more of a rugged experience. The Tent Cabins have wooden frames covered in canvas to get the camping feel without having to set up a tent yourself! Cabins and motel rooms are also available. Open dates vary throughout the year and season.

Canvas Tent Cabins-unheated

• 2-5 guests
• Shared shower/bath
• Wooden frames wrapped and covered in canvas, wooden floors,wooden doors
• Electric lights
• No outlets,TV,phones,plumbing
• Sheets,wool blankets,pillows and towels provided
• Bear proof storage lockers

Canvas Tent Cabins-heated

• Heat turned off Friday before Memorial Day and turned on the Tuesday after Labor Day
• 2-4 guests
• Shared shower/bath
• Available only during winter months (no heated tents in summer)
• Wooden frames wrapped and convered with canvas, wooden floors and doors
• Offer heaters to keep entire tent cabin warm
• Bear proof storage lockers

Cabins with private bath

• Wooden cabins
• Electric wall heaters
• Electrical outlets and lights
• No TVs or phones
• Private deck or patio attached to cabin
• Daily Housekeeping, lines and towels included

Stoneman Standard Motel Rooms

• Simple, rustic motel
• Private baths
• Daily housekeeping 
• Heating
• No TVs or phones
• Linens, blankets and towels provided

Housekeeping Camp

• Open Mid April- Early October
• Nearby sandy beaches
• 3 sided concrete structure with canvas roof and privacy curtain
• Views of Half Dome and Yosemite Falls
• Covered patio
• Bring sleeping bag
• Bear proof locker provided
• Bring padlock for food storage locker and shower shoes for public showers/bathroom

Standard Unit

• Can sleep up to  6
• Bunk bed, double bed, table,chairs,mirror included
• Electrical lights and outlets
• Two additional cots can be added to sleep up to 6
• Can either bring own sleeping bags and pillows or rent blanket,sheet and pillow pack by the night
• No telephones or TVs

River Unit

• Same amenities of Standard Unit with closer proximity to river for enhanced camping stay

Campgrounds

• Each site contains fire ring,picnic table,food locker (sizes vary based on campground and campsite, check online for details), near bathroom with drinking water and flushing toilets
• no hookups, dump station at entrance to Upper Pines
• Wheelchair accessible campsites available
• Wood fires permitted all year
• May-September only allowed between 5pm and 10pm (allowed any time from October-April)
• Charcoal fires allowed any time
• Maximum 6 people per campsite including children
• No limit on number of tents as long as they all fit

Upper Pines

• Open all year
• can be booked online 5 months ahead of time
• $26/night
• 238 sites for tents
• RVs up to 35 ft
• trailers up to 24 ft
• Dec-mid Feb only about 50 campsites open
• Pets must be on a leash

Lower Pines

• Open approx. April-October
• can be booked online 5 months ahead of time
• $26/night
• 60 sites for tents
• RVs up to 40 ft, trailers up to 35 ft
• 3 Double campsites available (7-12 people)- $36/night
• Pets must be on a leash

North Pines

• Open approx. March-October
• can be booked online 5 months ahead of time
• $26/night
• 81 sites for tents, RVs up to 40 ft, trailers up to 35 ft
• Pets must be on a leash

Camp 4

• On the list of National Register of Historic Places due to its significance in developing Rock Climbing as a sport
• first come,first serve
• often full by noon between April and Sept
• $6/person per night
• individual registration per person
• line up early as line usually forms before ranger arrives at 8:30am in the summer
• campground doesn't fill in winter
• 35 shared walk in-sites for tents only
• parking short walk from campsite-free parking permit provided
• dirt road leading to many sites
• pets not permitted

Hopefully these comparisons were helpful in deciding where to stay for your vacation! My family and I stayed in the town of Mariposa, outside of Yosemite due to limited availability of rooms in the Valley. So stay tuned for a post on where to stay outside Yosemite!