Yosemite Westgate Lodge (Buck Meadows) & Yosemite Lakes Review 2005

I wanted to give 5 stars to my stay at Yosemite Westgate Lodge/Buck
Meadows: 633 Highway 120, Groveland, CA 95321 Tel: (209) 962-5281.

Pros: clean, fairly large room with bathroom, cable TV, ceiling fan,
air condition. Access to small swimming pool and laundry facilities as
well as a game room (I didn't use the game room).

Cons: I paid $119 per night (hey it was Labor Day weekend, cut me some
slack). I tried calling (the number above) the week beforehand in order
to reserve a room but nobody ever picked up the phone! Very frustating.
I had to wait until the day I got there before I was able to reserve a
room. From what I understand they usually charge $99 per night on
regular summer night. I think I even tried emailing for reservation but
nobody ever responded.

There was a lot of dust on the ceiling fan but I'm being kind of picky
here. I only found this out because the light bulb on the ceiling fan
was out and I helped the hotel employee to change it.

This was my first stay at Buck Meadows (which is the small hotel
adjacent to Yosemite Westgate). There is a restaurant attached to the
hotel run by Thai's. They offered asian delights: Spring rolls,
teriyaki chicken, as well as traditional american fair: 1/2 lb cheese
burgers, fries, etc.

Staying here I felt like I was in paradise. I was able to enjoy resting
on a Queen size bed, watch HBO, sipping Miller Genuine Draft (purchased
from the restaurant), in a nice cool air conditioned room.

The laundry facility was a real blessing after I decided to stay an
additional day and night in the Valley. I was running out of clothes.
Now I can pack fewer clothes knowing I can wash them on site. Very
convenient. It cost me $2.00 in quarters to wash and dry. I think it
was $1 to use the washer and $1 for the dryer.

Yosemite Westgate Lodge/Buck Meadows is located about 25 minutes from
Groveland which has some grocery stores (and additional hotels), 20
minutes from Yosemite Lakes Gas Station which has gas and snacks, and
about 1 hour from the park entrance. The room I stayed in was much
larger than I needed. Heck there was enough space for another Queen
size bed!

* * * Yosemite Lakes Hostel Review * * *

From 1995 to 2004 whenever I visited Yosemite, I stayed at Yosemite
Lakes Hostel/Tent/Campsite (31191 Harden Flat Rd. Groveland, CA 95321).
From 1995 until 1997 I only had to pay $29/night with my AAA discount
to stay in the hostel. Considering the entrance fee for Yosemite Natl
Park was only $5 at this time, I could really stretch my dollar. The
tent sites were even cheaper at $19 per night.

Fast forward to 2005: Yosemite Lakes now charges $87 per night to stay
in the Hostel. You still have to share bathroom, shower, cable TV, and
kitchen amenities, AND for the second year in a row NO AIR
CONDITIONING!!! I don't understand how you can simultaneously raise
rates every year and cut down on services but they did it.

To not offer air conditioning in this part of the Valley is
inexcusable. No other way to put it. The temperatures regularly get up
to the high 90's in July and August and the only thing they offer
guests are these little 6" room fans and a window to crack open.

As I was watching TV in the main entrance room (which is adjacent to
the office), I overheard a conversation by the hostel employee. A
russian couple had driven completely through the valley and missed the
hostel (well over an hour's drive). The employee was pleading with them
saying that their sign is perfectly visible from the freeway and that
(it was their fault) that they missed it.

The next day as I drove from Yosemite Westgate Lodge to Yosemite Lakes
Gas Station (the Gas station is next to the Hostel), I realized the
sign that was normally situated in the middle was no longer there. I
did a "rubber neck" and saw that there was indeed a well lit sign, but
it was only visible if you were travelling West on 120 (travelling out
of the Valley). If you were going INTO the Valley (like the russian
couple) you would have completely missed the sign (unless you knew what
to look for).

So now I can say even their sign is screwed up as it is not visible
traveling on 120 Eastbound. That poor russian couple drove all those
miles for nothing. Another minus: the Gas station was unable to sell
liquor. Turned out their liquor license had a clerical error which had
a different address listed. This meant that all their liquor sales for
the past 10 years were illegal. Oh well.

I might return to Yosemite Lakes to stay at a tent site if I'm feeling
adventurous and budget conscious. I like to hike the John Muir trail to
Half dome which is a very strenuous hike. It's nice to be able to
stretch out in a nice soft bed in a cool air conditioned room after a
rough, hot, sticky day in the mountains.

I would give Yosemite Lakes 2 stars out of 5 due to lack of air
conditioning, price, and small single rooms (roughly 8'X10').