3Ahwahnee( Yosemite National Park, California) Perhaps the best-known of upscale national park lodges, the Ahwahnee, opened in 1927 as a luxury hotel designed to attract people who could provide political and financial support for America’ s national parks. The six-story building is highlighted by the Great Lounge with a 24-foot beamed ceiling, stained-glass windows and massive stone fireplaces. The beautiful dining room is unrivaled. The hotel has 99 guest rooms that range in price from $ 688 for a Classic King to $ 2,249 for the Presidential Suite. Our first overnight at the Ahwahnee was in 1996 when our room cost $ 225.
42 MoultrieScene SEPTEMBER 2025