This hotel is right on the Merced River and only two miles from the entrance to Yosemite Valley. The room had a fireplace, small kitchen with two burners, a refrigerator, dishes, pots, pans etc. The store on site had everything from yogurt and fresh fruit to lunch meat and cookies. This made it easy to have breakfast in your room, enjoy the river, then off to the park. The two restaurants were adequite - the pizza was very good. Service was fine. All in all, a deal for the area.

Stayed at the Yosemite View Lodge in August. Were very impressed by the location and the overall setting of the hotel but unfortunately all we had a view of from our balcony was the pool generator!! As this was our honeymoon asked to be moved but they couldn't/wouldn't! Our room however was spacious and clean. The kitchenette was a godsend for making up picnics and cooking dinner, especially after sampling the yukky pizza in the restaurant. (Good value pitchers of beer though). The closeness to Yosemite is ideal and at the end of the day that is the important thing because we actually didn't spend much time in our room!

The hotel gave a rather "work in progress" feel.

The room block we stayed in was sandwiched between two construction sites, and you'd wake up in the morning to be presented with various building vehicles driving about.

There was also no lift that worked. The lift there looked tatty, and pressing the button did nothing. So we had to take a lot of luggage up to the third floor.

The restaurant left a lot to be desired. We'd have to wait upwards of an hour for our main course to arrive, and this happened on two nights so it wasn't just bad luck one day. They couldn't even bring drinks quickly, having to wait about 15 minutes for three beers. Ironically they had about three people dedicated to just topping up water—so you're fine if you want water, just not food or alcohol.

On the plus sides, the location was nice. The rooms were clean, modern and had plenty of good facilities such as whirlpool bath, kitchen and fridge. Although if someone in the room above you uses their whirlpool bath you'll know it—they're very noisy, and then you can listen to the water draining away for ages.

All in all, a very nice room and location. But it just feels they haven't got their act together on the overall customer experience, and particularly fall down on the entertainment and food side. With the restaurant being the main attraction there, for it to have a poor service like this lets down the entire hotel. Plus it shuts at 9pm, so it's an early night or buy some alcohol from their shop and drink it in your room.

Sorry, but this was a horrible place to stay.

We didn't stay in a river-view room, so perhaps that was the problem - however, our room smelt really damp: we complained and were told that we could upgrade our room for an extra $100 or put the air-conditioning on.

Our room wasn't very clean as there was dust all over the bathroom and hairs in our bed.

Staff were mixed - the girl on reception was very friendly, but one man was rude and didn't even look up when I arrived to answer a question.

The restaurant was also poor, with an hour-long wait before we could sit down, expensive prices and then meals that were lukewarm and cold in places.

The location of the hotel is good for the Yosemite, but this is the only selling point. We paid $90 for the night - surely standards should be higher for this much money?

Please don't stay here - they are ripping you off.