Don K.
Yelp
We spent a total of four days/three nights on the Colter Bay Village property: one night in a cabin and two camping. We chose Colter Bay from the GTLC-run properties based just on tripadvisor reviews and online pictures. We wanted to enjoy the outdoors at the foot of the Tetons but also ensure we had some creature comforts like showers and a launderette as this would be half-way through a two-week roadtrip.
Colter Bay has it all. Beautiful, majestic views of the Tetons from the marina, hiking/walking trails, two restaurants, the aforementioned launderette and showers, a general store, an amphitheater and camping or cabins to lay your head. We had a great stay here as a jumping-off point for Yellowstone, hiking in the backcountry and exploring NW Wyoming.
We stayed in one of the shared cabins (there are four cabins to one restroom) that was extremely cozy and quite comfortable. Small in size but large in value ($35/night) it was a perfect solution to affordable, rustic lodging. We then camped two nights at the on-site campground. Very clean, quiet for being completely full, with tent pads, firepits and a picnic table at each site. You have to buy firewood from the general store or gas station up the road and it is not cheap, ours was also wet so useless.
The property, as most in Grand Teton, fill to capacity by mid-day in summer and the campground is first-come, first-served so get there early. We purposely did the cabin one night to be on-site to check in for a campsite (I deserve planning points here!) FYI - we called to reserve a cabin two months in advance and the private ones were all reserved. Don't wait to plan your trip here.
We ate meals at both the food court and the ranch house. The Ranchhouse offers more hearty meals and options and the service (by hired foreign students as with other National Parks) was attentive and polite. The options are a tad pricey but we are a little 'out in the woods'. The food court left a little to be desired, the service was much slower and food was bland. I had a $10 enchilada blue-plate special which was inedible and the table next to us, who had ordered just before, still had not received their food after we had finished.
The proximity to the playgrounds that are Grand Teton & Yellowstone, the amazing views from the marina, with some creature comforts, make this a perfect place to say for a few days or a few weeks. Aces.