Yosemite Cedar Lodge

Hotel · Mariposa County

Yosemite Cedar Lodge

Hotel · Mariposa County
9966 CA-140, El Portal, CA 95318

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Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null
Yosemite Cedar Lodge by null

Highlights

Nestled just a stone's throw from Yosemite National Park, Cedar Lodge offers a laid-back retreat with spacious rooms, inviting pools, and easy river access, perfect for families and adventurers alike.  

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9966 CA-140, El Portal, CA 95318 Get directions

yosemiteresorts.com
@yosemitecedarlodge

$$

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9966 CA-140, El Portal, CA 95318 Get directions

+1 209 379 2612
yosemiteresorts.com
@yosemitecedarlodge

$$

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Last updated

Jul 11, 2025

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chuckr978

Google
Enjoyed my visit to Yosemite. The Cedar Lodge is very convenient to the Arch Rock Entrance and is 1 of 2 resorts close to that entrance, so there is kind of a monopoly there. However, The beds were comfortable, the room was nice sized. The fridge and Microwave worked and the pools were clean. and the rates were very reasonable. The staff was also pretty helpful - Now the not so good - We were in building 6. WiFi was spotty at best This was mentioned in many other reviews and you are in a Verizon Dead zone here. So contact with others was difficult. We ate in their restaurant one night found the food good and prices reasonable - Wild mushroom ravioli with single trip to the Salad bar for $25. the second night we ate in there bar and grill (fast food option) 1/2 pound burger with fries $16 so very reasonable. Would stay here again

Sky Fly Pinay

Google
Room was clean. Bed was comfortable. Pillows were small So you might want to bring your own big pillow. The body wash dispenser was empty and the AC was loud whenever it came on. I love the fact that they had an indoor pool but wish that they had towels available. The breakfast buffet at the restaurant on site was overpriced at $21 per person. Location was perfect ❤️

Myra Gallion

Google
I was so happy booking Cedar Lodge during my trip to Yosemite. Everything was such a wonderful experience! Our hotel room was clean, cozy, and relaxing. The entire hotel was designed so beautifully with bear statues and bear decorations. It was adorable. The hotel has a game room, 2 pools, a delicious restaurant, a mini market, a gift shop, and even a beautiful river right across the street! They even have cute tables and gazebos that you can relax on throughout the entire hotel. Staff was very helpful and friendly as well!! If you’re going to Yosemite, I recommend you book cedar lodge.

Dana

Google
The coffee machine did not work. There is not enough laundry room in the hotel complex. The refrigerator does not work well. There is a small shop with drinks and snacks. The cleanliness in the rooms is average. In most rooms there was a sufficient set of towels, there was also a pack of napkins, a hair dryer. There are no disposable toothbrushes.

Milena Dlugi

Google
We just stayed there couple of nights this past week. We were pleased with everything. We loved our room, very clean and spacious. Great outdoor pool and restaurant. All service employees were wonderful. This is great location to the park and would choose it again for the stay!

Paul Kern

Google
This is a wonderful hotel. The staff are very nice and helpful, the rooms are spacious and clean. We left wishing we had time to stay another night. It has an indoor and outdoor pool, a restaurant and bar on sight, and the transportation to Yosemite stops here. They also have quite the gift shop.

G9048XGjohnj

Google
Great hotel for a family stay, just a short and beautiful drive from the entrance to Yosemite. We chose a room with a full kitchen and the price was comparable to area rooms without kitchens. Site offers indoor and outdoor pools, plus access to a small beach on the Merced River across the street. Two different restaurants on site: one more like a bar & grill, one more like a traditional restaurant. Internet a little glitchy, but we weren’t there to spend much time surfing the net. Friendly, helpful staff also. I will recommend this hotel to my friends coming to Yosemite.

Matthew Cheung

Google
Convenient location just outside of El Portal, but it is outside of Yosemite National Park so you would have to line up to get in. Took me 30 min around 9am in the line, plus another 30 min of driving. Pretty surrounding right across from the Merced river, and there is a small public pinic area with river access. The room is spacious with 2 beds plus a sofa bed, but is very dated with old furnishings and appears darker and dirtier (maybe not actually, just seems that way) than we would like. The main beds are fine but the sofa bed is not comfortable and you can feel the wires. The water pressure is poor so expect a frustrating time to shower and wash up. There are 2 AC/heater units which work well, but one had a gap to the outside around it that cannot be sealed. They have a full range of service of average quality. There are 3 pools, 2 outdoor and 1 indoor, a hot tub (which was out of service). There is a site down and a causal restaurant. Had the causal pub/grill for dinner which was ok, portion was generous but quality is not high. Had the breakfast (buffet only) which as OK but rather expensive for the quality of food. We were glad that food is available but don't expect too much. There is a games room with a ping pong table, some board games and a pool table. The gift shop is stocked with lots of supplies, making it a useful stop.

Cameo R.

Yelp
It was a great stay. No problems. very kind staff and accommodating . It is outside the park but it's only a 20-30 minute drive so it's perfect if you're trying to save. BATH TUB WAS THE BEST PART!! It was huge. It has dishes, microwave, heater, fridge, toaster, stove. Perfect!

Victor A.

Yelp
I'm not sure if most of these reviews were prior to the remodel but this stay is nothing less than 4 stars for the price. The room was adequate in size and clean which gave 6 people more than enough room. Two queens and pull down full size bed were satisfactory in comfort. Small electric stove and microwave all worked fine. Kitchenette had pots, pans, and silverware for quick easy meals. We used the smaller pool which was much nicer instead of the main pool. Fire pit and cabana style seating was nice. Small convenience store in main lobby was perfect for a poolside drink or item you may have forgotten. Customer service was friendly and professional. We even had our car battery die and a maintenance guy gave us a boost. We left feeling we got more than our moneys worth. We totally recommend this place and would book this again.

Arlene L.

Yelp
Great location, approximately 10 mins away from the entrance of Yosemite National Park. Has room for a big group. Hotel has an in-house restaurant which is a plus. It's quite a drive to go out and dine. Ordered grilled cheese, burgers with fries, and wings. Recommending wings. So delicious. Two outdoor pools. S'mores night by a camp fire is a nice touch. Just buy 1 bag of s'mores ($20), enough for a family. Housekeeping definitely needs improvement. Hotel may benefit from some upgrades.

Kimberly L.

Yelp
I took a weekend trip to Yosemite with my boyfriend and we decided to find lodging just outside of the park instead of camping. We were both pleasantly surprised! The room was very clean the bed was comfortable. The hot tub didn't work, but it was fine. We swam in the river across the way. The only thing we had a complaint about was our dining experience. Moreso the wait than the food. We got wings and fries which were pretty good. We waited over 40 mins for them though which we think was an excessive amount of time for wings. Other than that, we loved it! We'd definitely stay here again.

Mark M.

Yelp
Here's a review I made for my YouTube channel about Cedar Lodge. This sums it up perfect! https://youtu.be/69M-l3Iijzg?si=j73PMgUw117_lK-4 We are looking to head back that way in the new year.

Janice J.

Yelp
This review is based on our recent stay on August 1-3, 2023. The Room: The room we got was one of the recently updated ones. Furniture and carpet were newish, and the room was decently clean. The Bathroom: Instead of replacing the sink and tub, they used some type of wall paint to coat the sink in matte white to hide blemishes. This place provides the bare minimum. There are only 8-10 channels and no kids channel. Beds: I slept fine on the full size bed. Mattress might have been new(er). The mattress on the pull-out bed needs to be replaced. I could feel the springs on my back when I laid down next to my daughter to help her go to sleep. There's a mini-fridge, but no microwave. Front desk employees were sometimes helpful, but not the best at being attentive. Cedar Cafe: On the day of our departure, we decided to eat at the Cedar café for breakfast. The only option was a breakfast buffet. We had a 6 Hour drive ahead of us and hoped to make it through without stopping, so we decided to go ahead and eat there. We really didn't know what to expect in terms of food quality but thought that for the price they were charging for this buffet, the food would be decent. The free breakfast buffet at the Holiday Inn is much better than what we got here. They charged $21.95 for adults and $16.95 for children (11 years and under). My 6 year old had a bowl of Fruit Loops. Also, you have to pay for WiFi.

Sydney F.

Yelp
We stayed here for our Yosemite trip. There's not much in the little town of el portal, but it is a very convenient location about 45 mins from the park entrance. There is a store, restaurant, and pool on site, all of which come in handy. The restaurant was simple bar, fried food and not the best but there's not many other choices around. The hotel room itself was clean and plenty big. There is a tv with basic cable channels. The wifi costs $10/day for 2 devices and worked great BUT you had to re log in every 20 mins which got very annoying. The staff was kind and helpful. The rooms are pricy at $250 a night but I guess the close proximity to Yosemite allows them to charge that much. Overall, our stay was good and we would stay again if we're in the area.

Robyn N.

Yelp
We stayed two nights while visiting Yosemite and this place was great. Our room was clean and comfortable. We had dinner in the restaurant - the fish and chips and nachos were both great size portions and tasty. We got a balcony room and I loved reading in the morning before the kids were up overlooking the mountains. A little dated, but had everything we needed to have a great stay.

R T.

Yelp
Stayed two nights ...the outside of the lodge looks great well kept ...but inside the rooms are dated and need some love.Some minor issues showers was either freezing cold or boiling ...hardly any control to water temperature.Internet wifi but so overloaded its unusable at nighttime.No cell coverage at this location.No data.Cable TV was out one night ...still using 1980's sattelight tv. To their credit the establishment gave us a partial refund for the shower inconvienience. Would stay there again but dont expect up to date room furnishings

Steven S.

Yelp
My wife and I stayed two days at this property. There appeared to be a major "disconnect" between housekeeping and maintenance here. When we checked in I noticed water on the bathroom floor. I did not think much of it until later when there was more water on the floor. Using a flashlight I saw dirty water was coming out of the base of the toilet. In servicing the bathroom housekeeping should have noticed this issue and told maintenance. I placed a call to the front desk and reported the problem. A maintenance worker showed up and checked out the problem. What he told me I already knew, the wax ring had gone bad. The solution he offered was to move us to another room. This was not acceptable as my wife was already in bed. His next solution was to have us use the toilet in another room. This solution was an absurd way to handle it. He left and returned a short time later, replacing the wax ring. He wiped up the dirty water with towels, and brought us more towels. The floor was NOT cleaned, just the water was wiped up. The sink in the kitchen area had a problem. The handle for the faucet was so loose it was difficult to adjust the water temperature or the flow rate. The GFI plug at the bathroom sink was not firmly attached to the wall itself. The receptacle only worked when the wall plate was pressed toward the wall. There were a couple more issues to report. Everything was detailed in a letter to the general manager. The letter was left at the front desk when we checked out on Sunday the 19th of May. I asked that the GM contact me via email prior to my posting a review. It is now 10 days later and no response has been sent to me. The property is close to the entrance of Yosemite NatNational Park. That is just about the only good thing we have to say about our stay.

D K.

Yelp
First time here! Boy did the Forestry Dept. have the weather wrong! Packed for 59-63 F temperature but when we arrive at lodge it got 90 degrees! Pack for all seasons. At first the place looked ok, but once inside room, it smelled moldy like it had to closed for a whole. I did see a day to into rooms that were empty and spray the room maybe change the fragrance? They advertise restaurant but it was not in service for dinner or breakfast!! Tje had a "bar & grill" that reminded me more of a truck stop bar and the bartender lacked personality!! Breakfast was your typical McDonald's breakfast: coffee and English muffins breakfast sandwiches! They owned other properties and even recommended the other place called " The River" restaurant & lounge. We had breakfast buffet there instead. On our second day, with no warning we came back after visiting Yosemite to a construction crews demolishing the pavement in front of our room! Awful! The only good was they gave us a 50% discount for the trouble.

Ryan L.

Yelp
We had a wonderful stay here. Room appeared to be remodeled, really the entire place seems to be fairly new, though I know it isn't. WiFi doesn't work well in this area of CA at all, we enjoyed a couple of days phone free which isn't a bad thing! Got to chat to several of the cleaning people, including a young man named Miguel, he was busting his ass cleaning, even saw him at his second job next door at the grill, busting his ass bussing tables. Every employee I came across from office to cleaning crew were so nice and enjoyable to talk to in Spanish or English which was cool. Very helpful on things to do and where to get things. Some of the older photos I see here by others wasn't at all what our room looked like, our room was nice and clean. We enjoyed the game room, the spa, the pools. Then you can go across the street to the river, where there are BBQ's set up and a nice swimming area there too. If you miss a meal from the 2 restaurants there, the office has an area that sells all kinds of stuff to eat. From frozen dinners to Marucha soup, to canned goods, to beer. Kind of like a 7-11 inside the office which is pretty large and SOOOO convenient! They even have a kit for sale for smores, which they host at a fire ring next to one of the pools. My boy absolutely loved this! Anyway, huge KUDO's to all employees during our stay the weekend of July 27th/28th 2024!.

Spencer Q.

Yelp
Cleanliness: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Comfort: 4/5 Noise: 4/5 Overall: Great place to stay right outside of Yosemite (45 minutes). And yes you have to pay for the internet but only $10 a day which isn't horrible. The extended review... Cleanliness: 4/5 - The linens and towels were clean. I was better than I expected. Service: 4/5 - Front desk was friendly and helpful. Comfort: 4/5 - The size of the room was much bigger than I expected and was quite spacious. There was a couch and a little coffee table to lounge on before hitting the hay after a long day of hiking. Noise: 4/5 - Thankfully not that noisy.

Sara G.

Yelp
Good hotel to stay in while visiting Yosemite. I honestly think its way overpriced for what you get, but when you are 20 minutes from Yosemite, I guess you can charge whatever you want. An average night here is around $250 a night during the peak summer months. Our stay at Cedar Lodge was comfortable. The rooms were pretty spacious and the beds weren't too bad in terms of comfort. There is no service in this area, so you can buy wifi from the hotel for $10/day for 2 days, or buy a 3 day pass for $30. There are a lot of nice amenities that I didn't expect to find here. They have two pools, a restaurant, a bar/grill on site, and a gift shop in the lobby. The gift shop had lots of cool Yosemite souvenirs and a small selection of groceries. Cedar Lodge is right along the Merced River, and there is a little spot to hang out at the river with picnic tables. Overall a good hotel to stay at in the Yosemite area and would stay again.

Dani S.

Yelp
Absolutely the worst hotel ever! And it's super expensive. For $200/night. You can get bed bugs, rashes , smelly stained carpet, dirty bathrooms and bad attitudes. No cell phone reception at all, and they charge you $10 extra/night for WIFI. Deadzone and they know it and will charge you for it. Stayed here for 2 nights on a recent trip and it was an absolute nightmare. The hotel looks like something out of a horror film, the carpet looks like a murder scene, or have been pooped on by a million animals. The sheets are paper thin and see through. The blanket has not been washed for a thousand years. Everything stinks badly in the room. Bathroom is so old, that things are cracking and chipping away. AVOID! Absolutely terrible!

Jack N.

Yelp
We loved the staff and location near YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK. Check in was easy and they had a small store where we could get some supplies. We had room 104 on the backside of the lodge facing the construction area. The room was not very clean and the bed was not comfortable at all, but we were tired every night and didn't have a problem getting to sleep. The heater was noisy when it came on and the noise from construction started at 7am. We had the Junior Suite which has a separate bedroom and two televisions. The TV quality was the worst we've ever seen, something from the 70s, not 4K, HD but 480 SD. Yikes, how do you run a business like this. Best part was the proximity to Yosemite. It was better than a tent, but at 2K a week, was not worth the price.

Jackie G.

Yelp
Our stay was comfortable and we enjoyed all the amenities. Felt safe and slept good. What more can you ask for after a long day in the valley. We had dinner and drinks at the bar and grill, it was exactly what we needed. I would do it again. Thank you Cedar Lodge!

Deidre Q.

Yelp
Cedar lodge's proximity to the entrance of Yosemite is worth the price. You could stay in anywhere else but your drive would be anywhere from an hour to two hours depending where you stay plus the line to get into the park. The staff is amazing and super helpful. I planned my wedding reception here in their master suite, which is basically a 3 bedroom/3 bathroom house with full kitchen, washer/dryer, private backyard with a pool, jacuzzi, and deck. Tony, the manager, helped us plan everything from helping our guest book their stay, to rent tables and chairs, and even help us figure out who has booked in our party. The night of our wedding we booked a king bedroom suite with a spa bath that can fit two people. Let me tell you, that room was amazing. It had a electric fire place, updated tv where you could log into streaming services like netflix or Hulu, and a stand up shower just in case the spa with the Jets wasn't in the plans for the night. My husband has been coming to this Lodge since he was a kid and recently has been bringing me since we started dating and every time i have had no complaints. As long as Cedar lodge is here we'll continue to come and stay here.

Irene B.

Yelp
The sheets were not clean and apparently have not been changed after the previous guests. The tv was not working and they had to send someone in to take it out and bring one that works. There was no cable and only about 10 channels you can watch and some were blurry, one channel had a frozen image. WiFi is $10/day and two devices can use it. There are coffee, sugar cream in the room but no coffee maker. The tv guy brought in a coffee maker and new beddings after I called. If he was exposed to covid, then that would be our tough luck because the sheets he carried were not wrapped. He was admirably quick and efficient. They do not have microwave in the room. You have to go to the lounge and use the microwave along with all the other guests. Touch, touch, touch with no alcohol or spray to clean the microwave door is a very active invitation to kiss covid hello. In retrospect, it was interesting that the front desk took my word instantly that the sheets were dirty. He didn't give an excuse, explain, or ask questions. He said he will send new beddings right away. The lure of this motel was the price of $89 before ++. I could kick myself for endangering myself because it was not worth it. There's no next time for me. The room did not smell fresh, clean, and disinfected.

Michelle T.

Yelp
We were looking for a place to stay near Yosemite National Park. My husband found Cedar Lodge Motel through the Hotels.com website. I didn't read any of the reviews so I was coming in with an open mind. Cedar Lodge Motel is just off of Highway 140 and you really can't miss it as you're driving into the area. Hotels and motels line Highway 140 so keep an eye out when you're driving down the road. You'll notice some large bear sculptures both outside of the property and across the street near the stream. Those are the best indicators for when you've found Cedar Lodge. We had a floor level room which was convenient when transporting our luggage in and out of the room. The room itself seemed clean when we walked inside. However, due to Covid-19 concerns, I began to disinfect the room myself. I sprayed the beds down for possible bed bugs and lice but when I pulled the pillow back, a large dead bug was stuck to the bottom of it. When I pulled the covers back, someone's long black hair was on the sheet. The pillows also had some black markings on them. Therefore, I slept sans a pillow! So, we slept on the second bed in the room as it seemed to pass the visual inspection as well as my disinfection process. I wiped down all of the furniture with Lysol wipes and for the most part, it was clean. The refrigerator was a different story so I disinfected and cleaned it as well. I wiped the bathrooms down as well and sprayed everything down. I was on a mission to keep us safe as possible. There is absolutely no cell reception in the area so if there's an emergency, you'll have to call the front office. We didn't bother with their WiFi as we read that it was super slow. We had our own WiFi hot spot but our signal was weak as well. But they did have HBO programming so we were able to watch movies to pass the time. The best thing about Cedar Lodge Motel is that it's conveniently located just outside of Yosemite National Park. There's a creek across the street with a gazebo for you to sit on as you take in the beautiful scenery. So in reality, you get what you pay for as you're pretty much just sleeping here for the night and it serves purpose. I wasn't coming to Yosemite to stay in a 5 star hotel. I can rough it to a degree but I cannot bend when it comes to cleanliness and insects. Of course, you are surrounded by the elements but you're definitely not looking to find any under your pillow, let alone some else's hair as well!

Amber H.

Yelp
Unpleasantly surprised. Rooms have not been updated since God was a boy and smelled musky. Restaurant was mediocre at best and most of the staff did not speak English. We were charged a lot more than what was posted on the back of the door. Obviously the people that work there also live there. We tried to have a peaceful day by the pool but with all the employees children that was not possible. Brought my concerns to management's attention but it fell on deaf ears. Next time we visit we will chose another location.

M O.

Yelp
Room was big, and beds were comfy! Room & bathroom were clean. It was super quiet...until our neighbors for the evening arrived. It sounded like 50 people doing gymnastics in there. We called the front desk, and someone was there to tell them to knock it off immediately. They didn't, and after that call, they sent the manager to have a talk with them. We REALLY appreciate the staff taking this seriously! We also used the indoor pool. It was clean and WARM. Hot tub was quite hot, but not unbearably so. Will stay again!!

Ryan G.

Yelp
This hotel is much bigger than you'd expect. It sits right off of 140 coming in and you can't miss it. It's about 15 mins outside of Yosemite National Park and the drive over is beautiful. On site, you'll have a bar and restaurant, gift shop, pool and hot tub (the only thing currently closed). Staff was friendly enough. We aren't the type to spend most of our time interacting with them, like it seems other may have. We honestly set our expectations low and were just wanting this as a place to sleep between our days at the park. I was blown away with the cleanliness and the size of the room. We may have been upgraded too since the hotel was fairly empty? If you are looking for a home base during your trip to Yosemite, this is a good option.

Janice S.

Yelp
They didn't clean the room during the entire stay, I guess that's why they stocked the bathroom with a million clean towels. The onsite restaurant had good burgers while the breakfast place was a joke, needs a massive renovation. The lobby has a gift shop on the side with cold drinks; I found a cool Yosemite t-shirt hidden in the ranks.

Kevin S.

Yelp
A great little spot outside of the Yosemite Gates about 20 minutes to the parking lot to start the halfdome hike. Pull your car right up to your room, easy and comfortable with a great air conditioner since it's hot as balls down in the valley in summer. PS maps will take you 5 miles past the hotel. When you see Cedar lodge on the right don't listen to your maps you are there!

S I.

Yelp
So, we saw a lot of bad rooms. It was really dirty. I think they care and they are trying, but our room smelled like pee. Some good people there - but a bad hotel experience. You have to pay extra each day for WiFi too.

Clint C.

Yelp
The valley has no cell service and they charge $10 per day for wifi use which feels like extortion. This would have been 1-star but the indoor pool was heated well.

Rodger S.

Yelp
We have traveled all over the world. We had the worst experience ever at this motel. I woke up in the morning to find bites all over my chest, back & neck. More than 50 in all! When we got to San Francisco, I went to a hospital & the doctor identified the bites as coming from bed bugs. He prescribed 3 medications that I began taking. This incident seriously damaged our vacation, as the bites itched terribly. DO NOT STAY HERE!

Steve K.

Yelp
For the price, probably one of the worst stays ever. It's a tourist trap and everything is overpriced. There is no cell service and no free WI-FI. The WI-FI costs $ 10.00 for 24 hrs. The restuaraunt is only open for breakfast from 7:00 to 10:00, it opened 20 min. late & it cost $25.00. You can get a full breakfast @ the base camp eatery in Yosemite for $ 11.50. The rooms have a refigerator but no microwave, they have two in the lobby. They have coffee in the room & lobby, but if you don't have a cup for the coffee in the lobby they charge you a dollar for the cup. I had to call the front desk because there was no remote for the t.v. and the beds seemed to be old & lumpy, also you don't get maid service to empty trash or clean room unless you ask. They have a grill that is open but the menu is very limited, more like a snack bar. You would be better off & get more for the money if you rented a motorhome. I will never go back.

Jacqueline T.

Yelp
We booked our trip to Yosemite a month ahead of time (for October), so there weren't many options of where to stay. This is about 30 minutes outside of Yosemite Valley. It definitely would have been nicer to stay in the park. Our experience was not great overall. The first night we got there the water didn't work in our room. At first I was told they would fix it the next day. Then the next morning we had to move to a different room. The room wasn't ready yet though, so we couldn't use it until that night. I spent the rest of our stay (3 days) trying to see if we could get a partial refund. Every person told me I needed to talk to someone else. None of them followed up for us. The customer service was awful. Finally the last day when we were checking out, I think we talked to the head manager and he was incredibly nice and apologetic. He refunded us for the night we didn't have water. The rooms weren't the nicest either. Ours also had hair all over the shower and in the bed when we checked in so it didn't feel like they cleaned very well. We also had someone come in and clean our room when we had the do not disturb sign on the door. I appreciate the last manager we talked to, but because of everyone else's terrible customer service, I would not stay here again unless there were no other places to stay.

John B.

Yelp
Pool was nice no towels provided. Location good. The rest was well below par as from my notes below: Beds are pullout couch quality Pull out bed is Campground bunk quality Sink drains slowly. Toilet flush was super slow and took 4 flushes to get everything down Black mold on bathroom ceiling Ac was on full blast and extra blankets were hidden In the room 30 inch TV is ridiculous with no cable just broadcast TV with static and wavy picture and all.

Scott H.

Yelp
This is a functional hotel if you have very low standards in lodging. The rooms are reasonably clean and the beds are acceptable. There's a heated pool and a hot tub. Front desk staff are nice. But... The hotel is old and run down. They obviously have no interest in modernizing, because people are still willing to pay to stay here. The restaurant is terrible. They serve a buffet breakfast that costs like you're eating at a 4-star hotel. But the buffet food quality wouldn't even meet expectations if it were free. People stay at Cedar Lodge Motel because it's convenient. If you pay less than $90, you won't be too disappointed.

Tommy C.

Yelp
Pros: Cheap rate $108 for a holiday weekend night. Not too far from Yosemite arched rock gate. Easy parking. Small shop on premises (with booze). Cons: Everything else is over priced. Lack of quality dining nearby. Dated room. No hair dryer. Coffee machine was nasty. Iffy staff. Decent place lay your head for a night. Set your expectations accordingly. You can take a warm shower with their low flow shower head, behind a mildew smelling shower curtain. They provide soap and shampoo. I brought my own towel & blanket. I couldn't find any bed bugs. This is 2 steps above camping and 1 step above bates motel. There is an indoor pool but we didn't go in. It was more crowded than the Ganges river. I didn't mind that there is no cell or data connection but even the TV in the room had lots of static.

Nikki L.

Yelp
Great stay in room 304, king spa suite. The room seemed recently renovated. Included a nice mini fridge, mini coffee maker, a huge spa tube, a separate large shower, king sized bed, nice TV, plenty of storage in cabinets. The river is across the street, there's a path lined with beautiful trees, wood carved sculptures, and stairs down to the river to view. The staff was so friendly every time we were in the lobby. This place is great for couples and families. I would stay here again, got a deal on booking.com. If you are looking for somewhere right outside of Yosemite, this is a great stay. The drive into the park was less than 20 minutes. This drive on the 140 was really beautiful.

C S.

Yelp
We are scheduled to stay here four nights but will be leaving in the morning. Our family of four is in a double queen room. Each queen size bed has two pillows the size of throw pillows as in the picture attached. For four people in the room we were given half of one roll of toilet paper. Additionally the wi-fi costs $9.99 for two users per day and the "restaurant and lounge" offers nothing for anyone with dietary restrictions. You're looking at chicken or fish chips with fries, burgers, mac n cheese, etc. If I could give 0 stars, I would.

Gill S.

Yelp
My review will echo some of the other reviews in regards to amenities. Yes the wifi is god awful. Yes the TV feels like a ghost transmission from the 90's. Yes the coffeemaker couldn't melt an ice cube. Yes the restaurant food tastes like dollar store, freezer burned chicken tenders warmed under a red light. Yes the microwave in the lobby barely gets the job done. After mentioning all of this, the pros outweigh the con. I only had a 40 minute commute to the park. I saw no bedbugs on any mattress or curtains. Parking was a breeze and I was able to park right in front of my doorway. The convenience store is actually convenient. I didnt think the price for gallon water jugs, chips, or ramen packets were outrageously priced. I wasn't excited, but they have a decent selection of stuff. The staff isn't friendly, but they aren't rude. The AC worked, the hot water in the bathroom worked, and the beds were decent. Booking hotels off of hotels are always a gamble. I dont want to spend thousands on a nice hotel when I will barely be in it. I also dont want to get rashes or sleep in filth. This place at least got the essentials right. The amenities are always an extra bonus in my mind. NO one is gonna be happy about a cheap motel, so 3 stars at least means a safe place to rest up. Ive stayed in way worse, so I can happily say this place is a valid option if you want no thrills. Besides, Yosemite Valley should be the main source of entertainment!

Mike T.

Yelp
The only thing this place has going for it is the location just outside of Yosemite National Park and an air conditioning unit. The rooms are grimy, the beds are old, the TVs are from the 90s and maybe have 10-15 random channels. The pull out sofa bed was the most embarrassing excuse for a bed I've ever seen in my entire life. It literally didn't have a cushion and felt like someone laid a comforter on top of metal springs and called it a bed. I'm not even exaggerating in the slightest and ended up sleeping on the floor because it was so bad. Then there's the whole zero phone service and $10 charge per day for Wi-Fi on each device which didn't even work the first night we were there. I can't believe they charge $200 a night to stay here. If Yosemite weren't so close this place would have filed for bankruptcy or been one of those homeless housing centers funded by the government

Rose F.

Yelp
After reading the other reviews, I was tempted to cancel my reservation, but the stay was fine. Not the best, far from the worst. Is it the Four Seasons? No, it's an overpriced motel, but a few min from a spectacular Nat'l Park. Location is the draw here. Stock up in Mariposa so you don't get gouged by the lodge market. Buy wine at the little market in El Portal- they have screw top bottles so you don't have to buy a corkscrew from the market. There is construction, but they don't start until 7. Didn't buy WiFi, tune out for a few hours! The (dinner) food is basic, at best, but edible. We brought our own breakfast and made our own coffee in the room. The view from the road facing rooms is lovely, but there is some traffic noise. We saw scrub jays, woodpeckers, and hummingbirds. Didn't use the pool.

Nap T.

Yelp
The best customer service. My son left his pillow the first time we stayed there. We were able to go back the next day and they had it behind the front desk. If anyone has a little kid, they know how important it is for them to have their stuff. We stayed there again and I left my prescription sunglasses. I didn't realize until I got home in Southern California. I contacted the hotel and spoke with a couple people there. Amy Wass so so helpful, she actually took them to the post office and had them sent to my home address.

Stephanie S.

Yelp
So disappointed with the hotel and our stay. Upon checking into our room we noticed the floor was beyond dirty. You could tell the floor hadn't been vacuumed, there were leaves and wrappers from food on the floor. The dishes in the kitchenette were dirty... They were doing construction during our whole stay and they did not mention it to us, so there was banging and so much noise during the day. It would have been nice to know ahead of time. They also turned off the water to our room without letting us know. So we had to wait over an hour to take a shower and start the day. I also would like to mention we made a reservation a month in advance and I had realized they never charged the deposit so I called to check and they said they had cancelled the reservation. I was not even notified of this. I had to make a whole new reservation and was lucky the room I wanted was still available...even though this whole stay was terrible. I do not recommend staying here, I would pay a little more to stay somewhere else next time to avoid a situation like this.

Ed L.

Yelp
From the very start, it was doomed to be a great stay. $10 /day for wifi was unexpected. The guy at the desk had no idea how to wear a mask properly. Maybe his chin was cold or he didn't know where his nose was. After a serious sanitizing we went to the room. The first thing we saw was dirty towels lying across the sofa arm drying by the heater. The bathroom was not clean and the floor towel was still on the floor. After demanding another room, we went to the restaurant. Holy mackerel!! Exxon could learn a thing or two about how to make oil more oily. At the new room we found things so so. The tv had 24 channels of blurry badness. No cell reception (not the hotels fault), extremely firm mattresses and a wicked loud heater. Will not stay here again.

James C.

Yelp
I booked their best room (I thought) with a jet tub for two recovery days after a 6 day backpack in Yosemite. I also chose this property to check out the railroad history of the area. This place is Over priced by about 2X. Customer service was terrible. Most of the front desk staff spoke little English. Our key stopped working on our second day. Apparently this happens about every two weeks with this room, but Managemet won't fix the lock. They needed to reset it with a master key to get us back in! The jet tub worked, but was ancient. The adjustment knobs did nothing and the drain stopper fell out. I had a lot of trouble getting it to hold water. All the ice machines in our building were broken. I had to go to the far side of the next building to get ice. It was partially melted by the time I hit back to the room. I believed them when they said they had WiFi. Big mistake! Their WiFi is an abysmal satellite connection provided by an outside vendor charging $9 per 12 hours for only one device! Not even fast enough to upload pictures to Facebook from the backpacking trip! The front desk said nothing about WiFi on check in. We had to call to get the details! The only redeeming factor to this place is its proximity to historic El Portal. If I could give this place minus one or two stars, I would. Stay away from this place!!

The Bottomless Pi T.

Yelp
I've ridden by this motel many times on the YARTS, but this was the first time I've stayed here. There are two motels just outside Yosemite, I think of this one as the one with all the carved bears. The room was clean and quiet, which are probably the two most important things to me. The room had AC, a fridge and a coffee maker. Now for the minor issues. There was no clock in the room. There was no binder in the room with information about the local area. There was an empty spot in the entertainment center where a microwave would be. There is no free wi-fi, you have to pay for 12 hours. It doesn't have enough bandwidth to watch movies. If you want to watch TV, there aren't many channels. There is no ESPN or any other sports channels.

Victor G.

Yelp
If you are okay with mice droppings in rooms then you should stay here. According to one of their employees, "It's expected" It was our first time coming into Yosemite Valley and have never stayed at any of the hotels/motels in the area. It was our first time staying at Cedar Lodge. We were only there for 2 nights. We made the decision to stay at Cedar Lodge based on the ability to accommodate a large party. We stayed in room 516 which is a 3 bedroom and 3 bathroom accommodation. It was the perfect size for our group. Our first night was good. The few problems we encountered dealt with not being able to control the heat in the bottom floor as it was cold and the spa water was lukewarm. The carpet was old and very outdated as was the decor and most of the furniture. The water pressure coming out of the master shower was very low. The bottom floor was very spacious. Our second night was not so good. After spending most of our day in Yosemite we came back to rest. I noticed in our master bedroom pull out bed some small black things on the bed. My son had been sleeping on it. After careful examination I noticed they were mice/rat droppings. I then began to examine the rest of the location and noticed there were droppings ALL OVER. My night stand, The upstairs restroom, hall way, stairs, laundry room, inside the back of the fridge, on the kitchen counter where all our food was at, inside the framing of one of the pull out couches, and under the couches. I walked to the front desk and asked to speak to the person helping me in private as I didn't want to cause a scene with other guest around. Informed her that I Found mice droppings. When I spoke to the young lady she stated well, we are in the mountains and that's kind of expected. I asked if that made it acceptable, and She said no. Two young men came in. One was a heavy set white male wearing a tie. The other was a bearded male. Both appeared to be under the influence of marijuana as they both had blood shot eyes and had a strong odor of marijuana. Is it hotel policy to allow their employees to be under the influence of any substance? I took them to all the areas that showed evidence of droppings. I started with the laundry room downstairs. A lot of droppings there and possible entry point. Showed them a secondary entry point behind the sink in the downstairs restroom. Showed them more evidence behind the refrigerator. There were a lot of droppings inside the motor housing unit. Showed them droppings on stairs. Showed droppings upstairs restroom. There were droppings in the master bedroom pull out bed where my middle son was sleeping. Several droppings on the bed and under the bed. There was one dropping on my night stand. I asked the gentlemen to bring me sanitizing wipes so that I can begin cleaning. I asked if they had Clorox wipes, the young man with the tie said they didn't have that brand, they had a knock off. I said okay no problem. When they left I then began to look at the kitchen counters and found more evidence in the corners and behind the microwave. Later, my middle son found more droppings on the downstairs pull out bed. There were also under the couch. It was 10:38pm and the guys had not come back with the disinfectant wipes. I did ask the young lady i spoke to when I made the initial complaint to be moved to a different room and she said they may not have any rooms. The young men apologized when they were and the room and reiterated that they had no rooms available for us to be moved. So we were essentially forced to sleep in room infested with mice droppings. No one ever came back to clean during our stay. Apparently a manager was going to talk to us the next day but never did. We were allegedly going to get a discount but never did when I checked out. Will NEVER stay here again. 1. They have a serious rat/mice issue 2. They don't really clean their rooms Both are prime reasons to never stay at this motel.

Chelsea D.

Yelp
Probably the WORST motel ever. I regret coming here to go to Yosemite. Room was extremely STUFFY. I was paranoid to even brush my teeth with their sink water. I used a water bottle to rinse my mouth after brushing. I didn't even shower there after the first night. I feel so dirty and grossed out because I didn't get to shower after the first day. I'm disgusted with even having my stuff in this filthy establishment. They shouldn't be charging people much for a runned down motel that is NOT cleaned. Room service never came to clean up our room which we waited for. My sheets have green stuff on it EW. You can hear the upstairs people laughing LOUD. The walls are paper thin. They still charge you for WIFI. Never ever staying in this rathole ever again. This place needs to be reported to the BBB. My boyfriend told me he went to go pee in our bathroom and lifted the seat and there was literal POOP under the seat cover from someone else ! That's Fkn DISGUSTING. This place needs to be shut down ASAP

Ryan C.

Yelp
We were worried about staying here based on the reviews but we were had a last minute cancellation from our hotel. We were so happy and worked that way. Loved this place. Friendly staff and cozy. And dog friendly!

Eric B.

Yelp
Oh boy... in case you don't know, this is the hotel at which serial killer Cary Stayner was employed. In fact, the Cedar Lodge is where he met three of his victims and he even murdered two women in Room 509. Now in all fairness, if you stay in the Cedar Lodge today its very unlikely that you'll be murdered by the handyman. On the other hand, it's almost a certainty that you'll be eaten alive by bed bugs. You'll show the bedbugs to the staff and they'll perhaps offer to reduce your already inflated fare by 50% -- a mere $90 for the privilege of being devoured by blood-sucking vermin! On top of that, most of the itchy welts only show up after a few days -- a painful and parting reminder of your ill-advised stay at this fleabag dump. On top of that, our room smelled like a homeless person's discarded weave with notes of wet dog farts. WiFi costs $10 -- is limited to one device... and is feeble and slow. Nothing here is complimentary -- you're only here because the park is full and the hotel owners know this. The food at the '50s style diner was edible, if a bit pricier than you'd expect for microwaved freezer food. The beer selection at the bar (and in the store) was decent, though, and priced fairly. In short, the rooms smell bad, the food is gross, the price is ridiculous (you can stay in a resort in Mammoth Lakes -- on the other side of Yosemite -- for the same price). If you can't stay in the park or make it to Mammoth Lakes, just do yourself a favor and sleep in your car.

Jake X.

Yelp
I stayed here this past weekend for one night. The 3 bedroom suite cost approx. $500 plus tax and was totally not worth it. The only thing going for this place is the location (but that is only because there are almost no other places nearby) and certainly offset by the fact that the there is still a great deal of driving involved to get anywhere. That said here are just my top reasons to avoid this place: 1. This place is just plain dirty: From the ceiling to the floor (and everything in between and I do mean everything - furniture, linen, countertops, cabinets, appliances) is dirty, grimy and unkempt, to say the least. Everything smells and is terribly worn down. This aspect is not limited to the rooms but extends to much of the property - the pool, the restaurant, the gift shop, the check-in area. 2. This place does not feel safe: I realize this is subjective, but for me, I thought there was a ton of foot traffic on the property through the night (we were on the ground floor) and the doors don't lock properly unless you apply some force and the door chain bolt did not reach the other end so it was useless. 3. Wifi costs $10 per device and is super slow: This may not be an issue for a lot of people, it was for me.

Ankita R.

Yelp
We stayed here for the weekend during our visit to Yosemite NP. The location of this place is amazing. Its around 15 minutes drive from the NP gate. The motel check in was very quick. The room was spacious and clean. They even had a gift shop with a grocery store on site. Overall had a good experience.