What do you think of the price of a room in a national park lodge? Too much, too little, or just about right? Are some folks quite literally being priced out of a national park stay?
Those seem to be timely questions, what with last week's question concerning which is your favorite national park lodge and this week's story about how lodging rates compare to the rate of inflation. Is $105 per night for an unheated tent in Yosemite Valley reasonable? Is $91 a night for a "Housekeeping Camp" unit in the same valley, one with three concrete sides, a slab concrete floor, and a canvas roof and curtain a good deal?
How should location be factored into the cost? After all, Yosemite Valley is a pretty special place and it has a limited number of "pillows," as they say in the business. Head to Yellowstone National Park and for $113 a night -- just $8 more than that unheated tent in Curry Village -- you can sleep in a Frontier Cabin, one with two double beds and a private bath with shower, at Roosevelt...which also is a pretty nice place.
These are tough questions with hard-to-reach answers. Among the many factors that have to be considered are room rates in gateway communities, upkeep of the facilities, a reasonable return for both the National Park Service and the concessionaire, the cost of employees to clean those rooms, and, of course, inflation. And don't forget the lodging tax -- a double-digit tax in some areas -- that many communities are adding to your bill.
When you consider all those factors, are you satisfied when it's all said and done?
Comments
I can't speak to other park's lodging, but I feel both the Ahwahnee Hotel and the Yosemite Lodge are priced about twice as high in the "high season" as they should be. The Park Service has the ability to control these prices, but the concession operator in Yosemite, Delaware North, is an extrememly powerful multi-national corporation, and the Park Service tends to buckle under pressure, and to cater to the desires of the concessioner--whose primary motivation (no surprise) is to make as much money as possible. I believe the Park Service should re-establish control over lodging prices in the Valley, and bring those prices down.
I agree with Kate Wilder, the prices at the Ahwahnee Hotel, at $500.00 per night for a standard room and over $1000.00 per night for a suite, seem far beyond what the average park tourist can afford. These prices seem outrageous to me, unless the objective is to preserve a historic facility in the park that is managed as "exclusive."
Of course, these high prices at the Ahwahnee might seem reasonable compared with $105.00 per night for a spartan Civil War-style unheated tent cabin at Curry Village (bed, sheets, and wool blankets provided, and space to hang clothing is very limited; wash facilities and showers can be some distance away).
As Kate says above, the NPS has the responsibility of approving all concessioner prices. However, I don't think the NPS has much control at all over Delaware North. In fact, the massive out-transfer of NPS permanent staff that took place in Yosemite during the 1970's (and blamed on the aftermath of the infamous Stoneman Meadow Riot of July 4, 1970), is probably more connected with the political influence of high-level Curry Company officials, who reacted quite negatively to the down-turn of park visitation and an NPS emphasis on resource protection over the promotion of visitor use.
Owen Hoffman
Oak Ridge, TN 37830
I would love to stay at the Ahwahnee, but will not, due to the inflated prices. There is no reason this place should cost so much. Another fine lodge, not on NPS land is the Timberline Loge on Mount Hood, which has peak rates at $290, and the Ahwahnee has rates that start at $399 at peak. This is elitist!
How about the most expensive cabins I've heard of for an NPS authorized concessionaire?
http://www.gtlc.com/lodging/jenny-lake-lodge-accommodations.aspx
Who the heck pays $599/night for a rustic duplex cabin? I actually cringed when I paid $150 for a night at one of the Bryce Canyon Lodge cabins, although it was a really nice cabin.
I live near Glacier N.P. IF I want to stay in Glacier (or the surrounding area) in the summer we have to camp. My friend is 74 y.o. and I'm pushing 60. ....... and I mean CAMP ! .... on the ground, in a tent. When I retire (if) will we STILL be camping??? Cabin/motel/hotel rates are getting way out of control for the "common folk" who ALSO own the National Parks.
I find the cost to be quite high for what you get.
Camping: What happened to being able to pitch a tent for $15.00? Now you can't even do that at some parks without permits and per person charges in addition to your permit charge, and you may not even be able to get a permit since they only give out a certain amount.
Cabins: $150.00 for a cabin that is so slanted you are falling out of bed at night? That was a sad experience.
Lodges: I can understand some being more expensive when there are several to choose from, but when you only have one or two available, it prices me out of staying. When possible, I stay right outside of the park, which is inconvenient, but affordable.
Other lodging: Again, $150.00 a night for a room with no bathroom? At that point, camp out with an air mattress.
So sad when parks have no nearby lodging. I know when our family was first stating out, we could not take out children. They would get carsick after a two hour drive into a park. How sad they had to miss out.
I'd like to see some hostel type places to stay.
KLP,
What a great idea! If the Park Service wants to get back to the people, instead of some elitist money grubbing concessionaire, they should encourage the International Youth Hostel Association to run more places in parks. I know that they have a place at Point Reyes National Seashore. Do they have others?
I stayed a night at that hostel. It's affiliated with Hostelling International. They also have one at the Marin Headlands in Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Apparently it's pretty swanky since it was a former officers quarters at Fort Barry. The Point Reyes Hostel by comparison was a dorm for ranch hands.
http://norcalhostels.org/marin/features
They've also got a location within Redwood National Park:
http://norcalhostels.org/redwoods/
Yosemite Bug is affiliated with Hostelling International. They've got bunks for $25/night for nonmembers and $22 for HI members. They also have cabin and tent cabin options. It's not inside the park though.
http://www.yosemitebug.com/lodging.html
I would note that it's not likely that the NPS allows someone to build a new hostel. These are almost always existing housing that were then converted after the NPS took over.