Tenaya Lodge

We didn't get to use the amenities the way we'd hoped, but the staff's response was thoughtful. When I shared my concerns, they checked in with us and immediately offered to move us to an Explorer Cabin. You couldn't ask for better service. I'd booked a relaxing weekend at a resort and spa, so arriving to find young children everywhere was a shock. It seemed like families with young kids made up about 90% of the guests. The indoor pools and two hot tubs were packed with kids, leaving no room for adults. Children ran along the halls outside our door and above us, waking us up. With such thin walls, we couldn't sleep past 7am, which I imagine is when parents had to get up too. There's nothing wrong with places for young children, but the spa-like, relaxing atmosphere implied by the hotel felt misleading. That point seems missing from other reviews, which is why I wanted to mention it. Great for young families, but not for adult couples hoping to relax.

This has been one disappointment after another, and I won't be coming back. I brought my husband for his birthday weekend and paid a ridiculous amount, expecting a wonderful stay. On the first night we found mosquitoes, beetles, and ants in the room, with more surprises showing up through the night. We even returned one little beetle friend outside. There was also somebody else's hair on the sheets, and the toilet wobbled because it wasn't stable. We'd reserved dinner and asked for a birthday surprise. The waiter checked my husband's ID, but the paperwork had the wrong birthday filed, a long story, and he didn't get a dessert celebration. This place wasn't worth $600+ a night. A huge disappointment.

Yosemite was awesome, but we won't be back to this place. We booked a premium king through Expedia for one night, our first stop on a California vacation, and were given two queen beds instead. At check-in, nobody told us the room had changed. When we called the front desk, they said Expedia's inventory was wrong and that they give Expedia guests whatever is available. It was annoying, since we hadn't reserved that room and it wasn't comparable in value. They moved us to a standard king, but it didn't have the nice view we had booked, and it was in a VERY loud part of the hotel. It felt intentional because we hadn't wanted the two-queen room. The replacement was worse value. 0/10. I attached a photo of the “view”. 🤦‍♀️ We definitely won't return. :/

The cottages worked perfectly for us. They were away from the crowd at the main lodge, but still just a short walk from breakfast. Every staff member we spoke with was friendly and helpful, and they went above and beyond to accommodate us. I'd highly recommend this place if you're looking to stay near Yosemite.