Wawona Hotel History

Immersed in nature, Wawona Hotel is the perfect place to settle in during your Yosemite National Park visit. Its lush meadows, flowing rivers, abundant wildlife and beautiful forests have been attracting people to the area from its first native settlers.

The first structure on this site was a simple log cabin, built in the mid-1800's by a former gold prospector. Positioned to ensure a constant flow of foot traffic, it was built along the original trail into Yosemite Valley. Visitors would stop along the way to restock their provisions and rest before continuing their travels. From these humble beginnings, the Wawona Hotel came to be—attracting many famous travelers of the day, including President Theodore Roosevelt.

Today Wawona Hotel is still cherished as one of the most respected and most frequently visited Yosemite hotels. Its authentic Victorian architecture features beautiful white buildings, classic verandas and lush natural surroundings. Slightly less than half of its 104 guest rooms offer private bathrooms. The 54 rooms with shared bathrooms are often compared to European hotels, which offer clean, shared bathrooms nearby. The Victorian decor includes authentic period furniture, comfortable chairs and marble-topped dressers, reflecting the authenticity of a mid-1800's hotel.