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$10 Million In Renovations To Yosemite Lodge At The Falls Completed

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All guest rooms in the Yosemote Lodge at the Falls have been renovated with eco--friendly materials and furnishings. DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite photo.

A sweeping $10 million renovation of Yosemite Lodge At The Falls in Yosemite National Park has been completed, with improvements to guest rooms as well as Americans with Disabilities Act access updates.

The work was done with a focus on sustainability, as the concessionaire, Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts at Yosemite, remodeled the rooms with eco-friendly materials and, in some cases, gave some of the replaced bathroom fixtures to Habitat for Humanity.

Along with hanging Yosemite-themed artwork by local photographers in the rooms, crews painted all the rooms using California-based Kelly Moore paints with low or zero VOC. Each room also received new carpet and bathroom tiles made from recyclable materials, as well as ENERGY STAR flat-screen televisions. Lighting was enhanced with steel wall sconces, pendants and floor lamps using energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, the concessionaire said in a release.

Yosemite Lodge at the Falls sourced furniture from U.S.-based Old Hickory Furniture Company to outfit the rooms. "This rustic, durable collection is made using mid-western hickory saplings '“ the hardest wood in North America and a renewable source that continually re-sprouts from the same stump," the release said. "The guest room headboards are designed with an uncut and natural 'live edge,' which makes each headboard unique."

Bathroom eco-friendly elements include refillable bath amenity dispensers to reduce plastic waste, while the bathroom waste baskets and tissue holders are made of bamboo. The new bathroom fixtures, created locally in Madera, are water-efficient. The toilets use only 1.28 gallons of water per flush, which will save 5,000 gallons of water each year, the concessionaire said.

Situated near the base of Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Lodge at the Falls carries a unique history as the site where the U.S. Cavalry was based while the park was under its protection. Built in 1915, the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls complex was modernized in 1956 and again in 1998 to emphasize glass and wood detailing that blends with the natural surroundings. 

Comments

Yes, but will anyone be able to afford to stay there now? I couldn't before.


There are only 13 days between now and Labor Day available for reservation at Yosemite Lodge on DNC's website.


Wonder what the NPS's cut is on this Yosemite lodge...?


Usually, NPS contracts call for the concessionaire to plow a very large percentage back into renovations and maintenance. See the recent article on renewal of Yellowstone's contract with Xanterra.

Given the fact that many of these buildings are historic structures, upkeep is very expensive. Having the concessionaire pay for maintaining places like the Ahwanee, the Yosemite Lodge or the Old Faithful Inn, Lake and Mammoth Hotels in Yellowstone and other similar things takes a large burden off the NPS.


Delaware North's more recently reported revenue in Yosemite was $132.6M according to this Oct 2013 document on the NPS Concessions site.


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