Three spectacular sisters – Part III Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite

Posted on   July 3,2019   By John Compisi

The first two stories in this series focused on Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks in the southern Sierra. This, the last in the series, highlights the Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite, the absolute jewel in all of the accommodations in or around the three sisters.

Tenaya Lodge is located two miles from the south entrance to Yosemite National Park near Fish Camp, California. The name comes from a legendary Southern Sierra Miwok Chief, Tenaya, who was raised near Mono Lake and later moved to his father’s ancestral lands in the Yosemite Valley. A Marriott resort for its first ten (10) years, the Delaware North Company, has owned and operated the lodge for the past sixteen (16) years. In my experience, they are doing a phenomenal job with big plans to make it even better and available to more people in the next few years. The Lodge is located at the southern end of the Yosemite Valley about 37 miles (1 hr 20min) from the Majestic Yosemite Hotel (formerly the Ahwahnee Hotel).

The resort, at a mile elevation (5,200′) compared to 4,000′ for Yosemite Valley, consists of the Lodge, with 302 rooms, including fifty-two (52) adjacent cottage rooms which were acquired and upgraded over the past 11 years.  To appeal to families, the lodge has a wide assortment of room configurations, 5 pools (including one indoors), a fitness center, gift shop, delicatessen, retail stores, baby sitting, a guest accessible laundry, an arcade with video games and perhaps best of all, it is pet friendly with pet sitting available.  There is NO excuse for NOT coming to and enjoying Tenaya Lodge and Yosemite National Park. For the romantic getaway, the Tenaya lodge has created several adult-only Garden and Contemporary suites well away from the rest of the lodge rooms. To further enhance the adult experience, the lodge offers the Ascent Spa for the full service spa service. Dining options range from casual family-friendly restaurants to the upscale gourmet ‘Embers’.  

The lodge rooms are very nicely appointed with proper mountain charm. The rooms feature flat-screen TVs, minifridges and coffeemakers. The cottage rooms and suites add microwaves, plus fireplaces and private balconies or patios. Some suites also offer separate living rooms with pull-out sofas. WiFi is available for a fee.

Since we last visited the Lodge they have added 50 Two-Bedroom Cabins called the Explorer Cabins. These special Cabins include a wet-bar area with a compact fridge and freezer, microwave and a Keurig coffee maker. The 50 stand-alone cabins are nestled within a forest of sugar pines and incense cedars and surrounded by nature trails.

Upon arriving at the Lodge you are immediately taken with the service focus and the beautiful resort ambiance. Valet parking service and luggage handling are generally smooth. Walking into the lobby, the first thing you see are the high ceilings and the massive stone fireplace. The bar and three restaurants are on your right while straight ahead past the fireplace is a long corridor with meeting and event spaces on the left and right.

The resort offers several adventures including archery lessons, night hikes on Tenaya’s grounds as well as biking through Yosemite Valley and lunch at the Majestic Yosemite Hotel (formerly the Ahwahnee).   Our night hike experience was delightful.  It lasted about 90 minutes and our guide was very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna we came across in the near dark, including gooseberries, sequoias, owls, fish, insects and deer.  The weather was perfect with seasonal May warm days and cool evenings.  We were treated to many constellations visible in the partially moonlit sky.  

Be prepared for changeable weather in the shoulder seasons.  We experienced an overnight change and awoke to snow and did not stop snowing until mid-morning.  It was absolutely beautiful but we had to cancel the hour-and-ten-minute drive to the Yosemite Valley where we were going for lunch and bike riding. We made up for it in true resort style by making reservations for massages and other spa treatments at Ascent Spa.  Good recovery and great massages. 

Perhaps the best things about the resort are its proximity to Yosemite for hiking, backpacking, rock climbing and its on-site activities and amenities, like the pools, horseback riding, lounging, the spa and the restaurants.  Something for everyone including tweens and teens.  It is hard to think of a better time to visit Yosemite, one of America’s premier National Parks.

First offered in summer 2018, Tenaya’s open-air Yosemite Tours have become another popular activity for guests. To accommodate increased demand this summer, the resort has expanded its fleet of luxury roll-top Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans as well as its menu of guided tour options. Visitors can now choose between full and half-day tours to Yosemite Valley, as well as sunset and stargazing tours to Glacier Point. The tours allow guests to discover the epic beauty of Yosemite National Park without having to navigate busy roads or search for parking in the park. The 19-person vans feature panoramic retractable

Our recommendation, if possible, is to visit Yosemite and Tenaya Lodge in late April-early May (we were there 6-8 May) or late October.  Crowds should be lighter and the weather should be very agreeable. 

The Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite is located at: 1122 CA-41, Fish Camp, CA 9362.  The resort is about 200 miles (3.5 hrs) from San Francisco and  approximately 275 miles (4.5 hrs) and from Los Angeles.

Phone:(888) 514-2167

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