Reader Participation Day: What Do You Think of Lodging Rates in National Parks?

Published Date

December 9, 2009

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?

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Reader Participation Day

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Submitted by [email protected] on December 14, 2009 - 10:12am.

Richard, I just checked Ahwahnee Hotel prices at https://smsworldbeg.dncinc.com/yosemite/BookingEngine.aspx

Your price quote above is for a specially discounted rate for off-season use. I just queried Deleware North Corporation for a reservation at the Ahwahnee for a standard room for the night of Dcember 30, 2009, and was quoted a price of $469.00, which when tax is added into the room price will exceed $500.00.

Owen Hoffman
Oak Ridge, TN 37830

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