Wawona Hotel: The Perfect Balance of History and Charm
12 Mar 2013 12.12.11 PM
If you are looking for the ideal Yosemite experience Wawona Hotel is the place to be. Wawona Hotel is a National Historic Landmark with a rich history, congruent with Yosemite Park itself. It is also the home of a modern 9 hole golf course and pro shop, (the only golf course you will find inside the boundaries of a US National Park). This gives Wawona Hotel the perfect balance of historic charm and modern convenience.
The Wawona Hotel offers a wide variety of amenities too. You will find many of Yosemite's popular attractions just a few minutes away by car. Wawona Hotel is ideally located in an enchanting area of the park, with the majestic Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias just minutes away and the always buzzing Yosemite Valley just a short drive away as well.
Wawona's historic property provides an array of activities such as golfing, stable rides, cross-country skiing or snow showing in the wintertime, a visit to the Pioneer Museum, or simply sipping a cocktail in the lounge while enjoying the nightly piano entertainment by Tom Bopp in the summertime. There is surely something at Wawona that will suite your fancy.
While the hotel is open to guests, the historic Wawona dining room serves daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Wawona Hotel has a wide variety of dishes on the dinner menu for your selection, including favorites such as trout, steak, pot roast, and the meat loaf (which was my personal favorite). In the summer months you are also offered to sit out on the veranda so you can take in the beauty of the surrounding area while enjoying your meal.
Aside from dining there are many activities to keep in mind while staying at the Wawona Hotel. One being the only 9 hole golf course inside the National Park. A round of golf on Wawona's golf course is the perfect way to relax and take in some of Yosemite's incomparable scenery. It is not uncommon to see wildlife while out on the greens such as deer, rabbit, and an abundant amount of curious squirrels.
In the summer months a dip in the outdoor pool at Wawona is always appealing after a day hike or a tour though the park. The veranda's next to the pool are a great place to relax in the sun with a book, or with a cold beverage while visiting with family and friends. The Wowona also has a nice indoor lounge area called the Sun Room which could easily be turned into a conference room for that important work meeting. Oh…did I forget to mention the Sun Room provides complimentary wireless internet access for Wawona guests? This will be a welcome feature for most visitors, even if you say you want the “no cell phone, no internet vacation”. The wireless Internet is a welcome feature to have, and is accessible in both the Sun Room and the golf course pro shop area.
The hotel has 104 guestrooms decorated with its own Victorian charm, housed in six buildings which are within easy walking distance to the main lodge. They offer different styles of rooms as well as different bed configurations in the rooms. Fifty of the rooms have private bath, while the rest share central baths. None of the rooms will have a television or telephone in them, allowing guests to have the relaxing
“no technology” vacation. There are also some rooms with bath that will connect to a room without bath, accommodating families very well.
Rooms with Bath:
Each room is uniquely decorated with its own Victorian style these rooms will feature either 1 Double & 1 Single, 1 Queen, or 2 Doubles. Having the private bath with tub/shower combo is also a very nice perk.
The views from the rooms will vary. Some rooms feature a shared patio with two person wicker furniture, perfect for enjoying the views with a cup of coffee in the morning.
Rooms without Bath:
These rooms as well are uniquely decorated with the historic charm from the hotel and its surroundings. Also some rooms will feature the verandas with wicker furniture for two outside your door. The bed configurations in the rooms are as follows: 1 Double or 1 Double & 1 Single.
The Wawona Hotel has just as much to offer the traveling couple as it does for the family or group travelers. With the wide variety of amenities and picturesque surroundings it is a prime destination for any type of vacation to Yosemite. The staff at the hotel strives to make your stay an unforgettable one and their goal is to have guests end their stay with a strong desire to return again and again.