Yosemite: The Ahwahnee

(Continued from Yosemite: On the Bridalveil Fall Trail)

Featured Photo: “Half Dome, Viewed from the Ahwahnee”  Yosemite National Park, California—2023

The Ahwahnee is touted as one of the crown jewels of all the National Park lodges in all of the United States.

Renowned for its stunning architecture and interior—with influences from Native American, Middle Eastern, Art Deco, and Arts and Crafts Movement styles—the Ahwahnee was specifically designed to highlight its natural surroundings, featuring Half Dome, Glacier Point, and Yosemite Falls. The building’s name comes from a local Indian word meaning “deep, grassy meadow.”

The Ahwahnee was also intended to be a first-class hotel, attracting more affluent guests to Yosemite. It has been visited by queens, presidents, and movie stars alike, since opening in 1927. Because the hotel was built in a national park, nothing within the confines could be used in its construction, as it was all protected under federal law. More than 5,000 tons of stone, 1,000 tons of steel, and 30,000 feet of lumber were transported through the mountains to create the hotel—an amazing feat for the time.

The Ahwahnee is an enormous luxury hotel: 150,000 square feet with an irregular, asymmetrical Y-shaped plan. The main building has 97 hotel rooms, parlors, and suites; 24 cottages bring the total number of rooms to 121. The hotel was designed by architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood, who also designed Zion Lodge, Bryce Canyon Lodge, and Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge. The Ahwahnee was made to feel rustic and match its environs; it is considered a masterpiece of “parkitecture”.

The Ahwahnee’s dining room has been similarly described as a crown jewel—an award-winning restaurant that evokes a feeling of grandness and opulence.

The cathedral-like interior is 130 feet long and 50 feet wide, with a 34-foot-high beamed ceiling made from sugar-pine supported by concrete “logs”, floor-to-ceiling windows, and chandeliers, all combining to create “the perfect ambiance for a memorable dining experience.” My sister and I had reservations for dinner; we were probably underdressed.

We had gotten our first glimpse of the Ahwahnee back when we stood at Glacier Point and gazed down into the valley below. That was when we listened to another park visitor decry the less-than-stellar fare being offered in the dining room while renovations were underway. But that first view had been from afar; my sister got a closer look from ground level while on her extended shuttle bus tour of Yosemite Valley.

Having done my research while preparing our trip itinerary, I knew going in that the Ahwahnee was expensive. We could not afford to sleep there, with “standard rooms” starting at more than $500 per night. On top of that, all parking is by valet; apparently there’s an additional charge of $30 per night for hotel guests to park. That almost made the “day-use” parking fee of $15 for non-hotel guests seem like a bargain, with a reduced rate of only $10 if eating there, as long as one had validation from the restaurant.

Valet parking represents a level of elegance—and expense—to which I am unaccustomed. Pulling into the covered driveway at the entrance to the hotel, I braced myself for the requisite hand-off of keys and car to a total stranger. At least it was only a rental car. I traded the car for a claim check, and we watched the valet pull away. We then took a red-carpet stroll through a rustic wood-covered walkway that led to the front door of the hotel.

Once inside, we took stock of what we saw. The lobby was pleasant, but not as lavish as we’d imagined. To the right, just beyond the entryway was the dark-wood reception desk…

…and beside that (not visible to the right of the photo) was a classy (meaning “expensive”) gift shop with a focus on local artisans’ wares.

A plaque had been hung on the wall by the gift shop with a brief summary of the building’s architectural and historical significance.

Farther along the hallway, there was a decadent sweet shop, which we visited later to pick up treats—chocolate bars with huckleberries and ghost gummies for Halloween—to take back home to family.

To our left was the comfortable Ahwahnee Bar, where we would soon settle in for our well-deserved drink.

But as we entered the barroom, I saw the doors leading outside and knew I had to get a photo of the view from the hotel grounds; I had read the hotel’s site was originally selected because it was surrounded by the up-close splendor of Yosemite Valley.

What a wonderful location to sit and relax with Yosemite’s granite walls so near! However, I wanted to get back inside to join my sister in the bar, so I turned to re-enter the hotel. As I did, I noticed the orange construction tape placed near the building. I walked a little further and saw (but chose not to photograph) a tall, yellow crane at the far end of the hotel. These signals of the ongoing renovation would play an important role in what transpired later.

My sister had already taken a seat at a window table in the bar and when I sat down, she said, “Wow! These drinks are expensive!” She handed me the menu and I nodded in total agreement. While $15 for a cocktail is not too far out-of-line, the same price for a pint of beer is extravagant. But we were still hot and thirsty from our adventures earlier in the day, so we surrendered to temptation. We were in the Ahwahnee after all and wanted to enjoy it.

When the bartender brought our drinks, he asked if we wanted anything to eat. Since we were having dinner soon—and because the food prices were equally outrageous—we declined and asked whether we might just get a bowl of nuts or pretzels. He gave us a sidelong look—sizing us up as ne’er-do-wells, I imagine—as he turned to grab a small container of chips, setting it on the table somewhat unceremoniously. I don’t recall which beer I had; I did not take my usual photo. I think I was suffering from sticker-shock.

As my sister and I lamented the hotel’s prices, my mind ran to the total cost of the trip so far, and my stomach tightened. We wondered aloud if we could really afford dinner in the fancy dining room. Still, we lingered with our drinks, looking out at Yosemite through the window by our table.

My sister pointed to a beautiful bird with black and blue-colored feathers, hopping around a nearby bush. Neither of us had ever seen one like it. We quickly Googled to find it was a Steller’s Jay, which is apparently one of the more common birds seen in Yosemite. And as soon as we knew what it was, the bird flew away.

Even though there was still an hour before our dinner reservation, we decided it was time for us to fly also, so we settled our bill—$40 for two drinks, which included an overly-generous tip (just to prove to our server I could)—and we exited the bar to explore the hotel. It was when we walked back by the front desk and along the hallway that the Ahwahnee’s opulent interior came into full view.

The hallway forked to the left and the interior space opened up into what is called the “Great Lounge”, more than 70 feet long and 50 feet wide, with 24-foot-high ceilings…

…and ten floor-to-ceiling windows topped with original, hand-stained glass panels…

…plus, a massive stone fireplace, offering an inviting setting to keep warm on a cold winter night.

There were doors leading out to cement terraces with stone columns, tables and chairs, and a grassy open space beyond. We went out to an exterior area shared with the bar, and immediately understood why this location had been chosen for the Ahwahnee. Today’s Featured Photo was the very last picture I took of Half Dome during our trip and it’s hard to imagine feeling much closer to the granite icon.

Returning indoors, we climbed the stairway to a smaller lounge that provided a splendid view of the stained-glass windows, along with a grand overlook into the expansive “Great Lounge”…

…and a sunlit corridor along the left wall, which led to more interior spaces beyond. Dubbed the “Under Lounge” and “Solarium”, these had been laid out with tables covered with white-linen cloths. We spied the small reservation desk set just before the bright entry to the dining area. It was still a half hour until our reservation, but we decided to scope out where we would be eating.

Going back downstairs, we walked toward the desk, passing a placard that listed the dinner menu along the way, which presented three problems.

First, the meal was indeed a buffet (as conveyed to us by the woman at the top of Glacier Point) and I invariably over-indulge when given such a vast offering of tempting taste treats. Second—and I repeat—the meal was indeed a buffet, which meant the quality of the industrial-sized food portions might be called into question as they simmered for hours in enormous silver trays. And third, the stark reality of the dinner’s expense was presented to me in cold black-and-white—$59 each, before any alcoholic beverages, if any such beverages were even available; note the “wine corkage fee” of $26 per bottle, as in BYOB.

Somewhat disheartened, we approached the well-dressed host at the desk and let him know we had dinner reservations for 6:00.  He launched into a well-rehearsed speech that essentially amounted to this: the dining room was being renovated and they could not guarantee a table with a view; we might even be seated beside a wall that would block the windows completely. This posed a fourth problem (although I didn’t fully realize the magnitude at the time): we would not even be eating in the Ahwahnee’s grand dining room, which was located in another wing of the hotel and was inaccessible to the public during the ongoing restoration.

The “Under Lounge” and “Solarium” behind the “Great Lounge” had been converted into a temporary dining hall. Even if we had a window view, I realized the most prominent feature outside would likely be the tall, yellow construction crane I had seen at the far end of the hotel from my earlier vantage point near the bar. We had come to the Ahwahnee for the grand dining room, the spectacular views, and the award-winning food. It seemed we would not get to experience any of these.

My sister and I quickly conferred, and I asked the host if we could cancel our reservation. He replied that would not be a problem; I imagine he had heard the request before, given the circumstances. We thanked him and retreated from the Ahwahnee post-haste. Nearing the valet stand, I realized that by not eating at the Ahwahnee, I would not get the discounted parking rate. No big deal. I pulled out a twenty—$15 for parking plus a $5 tip—which I stuffed into my pocket, intending to hand it to the valet when we got in our car. He took my claim check, grabbed the corresponding car keys from their box, and trotted off to retrieve our trusty rental car. Two minutes later, he returned driving our gray Chevy Malibu.

He opened the car door and got out, inviting me to take his place behind the wheel. I started to explain, “We didn’t get validation at the restaurant. We had dinner reservations, but…” when he politely cut me off. “I’m sure they already charged you inside for parking,” he said, “They always do that. Hope you have a nice evening.” I was confused and tried to say, “No, they didn’t…” but he was closing the door behind me as I settled into the driver’s seat. My sister had gotten in on the other side and we pulled away from the covered driveway at the Ahwahnee hotel. The $20 bill was still in my pocket.

That was the end of our all-too-brief time in Yosemite National Park. The next day, we were heading home. But before that, we would return to our hotel for one more night. And we also needed to do something about dinner.

(To be continued…)