Yosemite Awahnee (#0565)

The Great Lounge at the (former) Awahnee Hotel. Though I have never stayed at the Awahnee (far too expensive), I've eaten there a number of times (also expensive), and have fond memories of those times.

The dining room (too busy to photograph) is even more elegant looking than the Great Lounge and the experience of eating there is quite luxurious feeling. During dinner there is a pianist playing classical music, which you have plenty of time to enjoy since each seating allows 2 hours for a drink and appetizers, full-course dinner, desert, and coffee -- all with flawlessly attentive service. One particularly memorable time was when a boyfriend and I took my mother there in the winter and there was a giant fire in the fireplace to accompany it all.

Unfortunately, there has recently been a fairly unpleasant turn of events at Yosemite and the hotel is no longer called the Awahnee, despite the historic significance of the name. The previous contractor that operated the hotel claims that their contract for the hotel included copyrighted ownership of the name, thus the hotel is now referred to as the "Majestic". Just about every park employee that I encountered referred to it with "the Awhanee, oops, I mean the former Awhanee" -- and not saying "Majestic"