Yellowstone National Park -- Reccomendations?

[luvdsny]

Can any of you give me some advice on where to stay in Yellowstone? I'm looking for a lodge or some cabins for next summer. I've never looked into this before, so I need a starting point.

TIA

Tia

 

[jsmith]

Inside or out side the park? expensive or not so expensive?
In the park you need to spend at least one night at the Old Faithful Inn-built in 1905 and very cool-the resturant there is outstanding and not overly expensive but you need to book by April for a summer stay. There are cabins at Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot springs, West Thumb and Lake and hotels at Mammoth and Lake-the hotel at Lake is very nice and somewhat expensive.
Outside the park-Jackson hole has a large assortment of cabins and lodges but will be more expensive. There are a number of ranches and lodges west of Cody Wyom ing in a wide range of prices

Let me know more about what you are looking for and I will try to help-my dad is a professional guide for a company that runs tours of Yellowstone out of Cody, Wyoming and I have lived in both Cody and Jackson.

 

[jsmith]

Inside or out side the park? expensive or not so expensive?
In the park you need to spend at least one night at the Old Faithful Inn-built in 1905 and very cool-the resturant there is outstanding and not overly expensive but you need to book by April for a summer stay. There are cabins at Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot springs, West Thumb and Lake and hotels at Mammoth and Lake-the hotel at Lake is very nice and somewhat expensive.
Outside the park-Jackson hole has a large assortment of cabins and lodges but will be more expensive. There are a number of ranches and lodges west of Cody Wyom ing in a wide range of prices

Let me know more about what you are looking for and I will try to help-my dad is a professional guide for a company that runs tours of Yellowstone out of Cody, Wyoming and I have lived in both Cody and Jackson.

 

[luvdsny]

Thanks jsmith. I'm not sure what I'm looking for. LOL It will be me, DH, two kids (ages 11 and 5), and my parents. I want to make sure I hit 'the biggies' and touristy spots but I also want something on the 'nicer' (price-wise) side. I like your advice about the Old Faithful Inn, that sounds neat! Would we stay there the whole time and drive around, or do people split their stays between two or more spots? Is there a place 'in the middle'? LOL I'm telling you, I have NO idea what I'm talking about here.....yet!

 

[janette]

We might tour Yellowstone either the week before or the week after July 4th next summer. When my DH & I went to Glacier we stayed in the hotels in the park. They were very nice and great atmosphere. Yellowstone probably has something similiar.

 

[KarenB]

We spent a week at Yellowstone in 1999. Here is what I can remember as far as planning....

Make ressies early! We called a litle over a year in advance and and had to take our second choice for times.

Went late July..it was hot and dry!!!! Lots of people at popular spots, but found many trails that it was just us! Invest in good hiking shoes!!!

Stayed the first half in Old Faithful Inn...the west wing, geyser view...Beehive Geyser to be exact . Rooms were just redone and beautiful. Connected to the main lodge but not as rustic. Had our own bathroom. no TV!!!!! (main part of the lodge shared bathrooms) I think it was about $150/night. Absolutly beautiful!!!!!!


Second half we stayed in cabins at Mammoth Hot Springs. Not really rustic, sort of like hotel rooms, but free standing cabins. I think the price was about $80/night.

We usually packed a sandwich and snacks for lunches and ate somewhere along our travels. Breakfast we had in the room...usually quick cereal and muffin. No fridge, but kept milk in a cooler.

For dinner we went to Montana for pizza and did laundry, a few nights at the lodge, went to a cookout via covered wagon.

There is a lot to see. We bought a guide book before we went. Most days we had a small plan, but usually left the days wide open, as anything can change. For example, one morning we planned to hike a certain trail adn found it closed due to a frisky bear!!! One morning we woke the kids up at 4:30am, and hit the road before any tourists!!!!

Hope this helped a little. We had a wonderful time!
I could go on and on...PM if you need more info,
Karen

 

[Smee]

Tia,
if you want to stay inside the park, just let me know. We have been there 4 out of the last 6 years and have stayed at each of the places within Yellowstone (except Roosevelt...too rustic for me).
{{hugs}}
Corinne

 

[CindyKansas]

I worked at Yellowstone for 2 summers and loved it. I have visited two times since. I was stationed at Canyon Village both summers. I have stayed at Mammoth (cabins and the hotel), Canyon Lodge (which is just cabins), Lake (cabins, not at the Hotel, It is a beautiful hotel though), Old Faithful (both Lodge and cabins) and also Grant's Village, my personal favorite. It's the newest property on site. Now, the onsite facilities, do not have TV. Did not matter to me, but my DH found that to be horrible. I have stayed at a Best Western at Gardiner, MT., which is just north of Mammoth Hot Springs. I have also stayed at a Best Western in West Yellowstone, MT. Just like WDW, I feel you have an advantage staying on site. Our last trip we stayed one night at Mammoth (the hotel) and then we spent 2 nights at Grant's Village before heading for Jackson. Do make reservations early. And the earlier in the summer you can go the better. Traffic can be a nightmare. I always liked the end of May first of June or September.

 

[judi]

We enjoyed both the Mammoth Hotel and the Cabins, also liked the Lake Cabins (the lake is just beautiful), Old Faithful Cabins and old Faithful Inn. Yellowstone is huge so we would stay a night or two in each area. Less driving and more restful. Have been there three times and still can't get enough.

 

[LuvTigger]

There are lots of places in West Yellowstone too (right outside the park gate, in Montana). We stayed at a really nice Days Inn that looked kind of like a lodge. I think there was an indoor jacuzzi. I was very impressed, as it seemed so "untypical" of a Days Inn! I didn't pay, so I'm not sure how much it was. I think the next time I go I would love to stay at one of the lodges in the park though, we walked thru one (I think the Old Faithful Inn) and it was absolutely beautiful! We had some pretty good food there too.

 

[LuvTigger]

Okay, I found some links, but they're not the greatest. I haven't found anything with pictures yet.

This is from the official national park site:
http://www.nps.gov/yell/planvisit/services/lodging.htm

If you click on the Xanterra Parks & Resorts link towards the top of the page, it goes to a site that gives some descriptions.

 

[luvdsny]

Wowzers!! Thanks everyone! It sounds as though the sleeping options are endless.....and all quite good! Old Faithful Inn is a 'must do'!

Another question: How long do you think we should plan to stay for our first trip? How long did you each visit, per trip?

Thanks again for all of this wonderful info. I'm getting so excited!

Aloha LuvTigger, my brother and his family live in Kailua too.