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All the United States California Yosemite National Park The Ahwahnee Hotel

The Ahwahnee Hotel

The interior of the Overlook Hotel in "The Shining" was based on this Yosemite original.

Yosemite National Park, California

Added By
Meredith Hutcheson
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Lobby of the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, formerly known as the Ahwahnee.   Ralphman / CC BY 2.0
Lobby of the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, formerly known as the Ahwahnee.   Ralphman / CC BY 2.0
Look familiar?   Allie Towers Rice
No, you go first   Sarah Murray
The Ahwahnee Hotel   Paul Sullivan
Backside of Ahwahnee, apx. 2007.   ribola / Atlas Obscura User
Ceiling in the elevator   gpers / Atlas Obscura User
On Display   gpers / Atlas Obscura User
Looking into the large sitting room from mezzanine   marykiky / Atlas Obscura User
Outside hotel   marykiky / Atlas Obscura User
  breaingram / Atlas Obscura User
  Findingbalance18 / Atlas Obscura User
  Findingbalance18 / Atlas Obscura User
  Findingbalance18 / Atlas Obscura User
  Findingbalance18 / Atlas Obscura User
Stained and leaded glass windows at the common room   pauldbentz / Atlas Obscura User
Mural room   pauldbentz / Atlas Obscura User
Stone and timber at exterior balcony   pauldbentz / Atlas Obscura User
Rough hewn beam ceiling at the main dining room   pauldbentz / Atlas Obscura User
Original Snapshot of The Ahwanee.   antonette / Atlas Obscura User
In woods directly behind the Ahwahnee   ribola / Atlas Obscura User
No Sock drying   gpers / Atlas Obscura User
Railing on suite balcony, that Imade and installed, 2007ish   ribola / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Opened in 1927, this classic example of “Parkitecture,” or a building designed to fit in with the natural landscape surrounding it, was the inspiration for the interior sets of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.

While the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, was the inspiration for Stephen King’s bestselling book, and the iconic exterior shots in Stanley Kubrick’s movie adaptation were filmed at the Timberline Lodge in Mount Hood, Oregon, the queasily overbearing interior sets of the movie, were heavily influenced by Yosemite’s Ahwahnee Hotel. Inside the lobby, visitors will find the cavernous ceilings, Native American-inspired patterns, and even the frightening red-doored elevators from the movie.

Today, the hotel also features an excellent gallery of old-school winter sports photos, some of which were taken by Ansel Adams. The large first floor has couches and desks that are open to the public. Unfortunately, no big wheels are allowed.

There has been a recent dust-up over the hotel's name. Due to a trademark dispute between a contractor (who is essentially holding the intellectual property, which they were mistakenly given the rights to in 1993, for ransom) and the National Park Service, the hotel has been forced to change its name as of 2016 to the Majestic Yosemite Hotel.

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Film Hotels Literature Places To Stay

Know Before You Go

Located near Yosemite Village on the valley floor. 

Community Contributors

Added By

merhutch

Edited By

pauldbentz, Qbeing, Isilven, kittyv...

  • pauldbentz
  • Qbeing
  • Isilven
  • kittyv
  • breaingram
  • marykiky
  • antonette
  • Findingbalance18
  • ribola
  • Michelle Cassidy
  • gpers
  • mounfield732

Published

March 25, 2016

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Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Park_Service_rustic
  • http://www.timberlinelodge.com/the-shining/
  • https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/Yosemite-names-lawsuit-ahwahnee-curry-village-14096772.php
The Ahwahnee Hotel
1 Ahwahnee Drive
Yosemite National Park, California, 95389
United States
37.746296, -119.57438
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Indian Village of the Ahwahnee

Yosemite National Park, California

miles away

Horsetail Fall's Firefall

Yosemite National Park, California

miles away

Crane Flat Lookout

Buena Vista, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park

California

Places 3
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Nearby Places

Indian Village of the Ahwahnee

Yosemite National Park, California

miles away

Horsetail Fall's Firefall

Yosemite National Park, California

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Crane Flat Lookout

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miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park

California

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