The Ahwahnee
History
According to legend, Lady Astor, American-born and England's first female Member of Parliament, visited Yosemite Valley in the early 1920s. She registered at its venerable Sentinel Hotel but was horrified when she saw her unheated room and primitive amenities. She promptly checked out and returned to town. In response, Stephen T. Mather, director of the National Park Service, ordered Yosemite's concessionaire to replace the Sentinel with a first-class hotel, and thus The Ahwahnee, Yosemite's first world-class hotel, was conjured into existence.
Lady Astor's wishing may have made it so, but not without difficulties. After numerous design changes, construction delays and contract disputes, the hotel was finally opened on July 14, 1927, seven months late and substantially over budget. Today, The Ahwahnee is a National Historical Landmark and one of the most distinctive resort hotels in North America. It's well known for its great granite facade, striking beamed ceilings, massive stone hearths, richly colored Native American style and finely appointed rooms.
