Yosemite concessionaire's newest camp has room service

by Dan Levy
San Francisco Chronicle - August 26, 2001


Tenaya Lodge, an upscale resort on the edge of Yosemite National Park, has been bought by Delaware North Parks Services Inc., the giant concessionaire that controls lodging facilities inside the park.

The $38 million purchase gives Delaware North Parks a 244-room mountain resort just 2 miles outside the park's South Gate on Highway 41. It's situated on 35 acres next to the Sierra Nevada National Forest at an elevation of 5,288 feet.

"This is an outstanding property, built to reflect nature and highlight its grand surroundings," said Dennis Szefel, Delaware North Parks president, in a statement.

"Tenaya Lodge has consistently won the hearts of its guests by delivering excellent guest service, a tradition we intend to continue."

The seller was pension fund Lowe Enterprises of San Francisco. Bill Murney, senior vice president at CB Richard Ellis Hotel and Leisure Advisory Group, who handled the deal, said Lowe bought the note on Tenaya for $20 million in 1995 from Wells Fargo's owned real estate department.

The lodge, named after a great chief of the Ahwahneechee tribe, opened in 1990 and was renovated in 1998-99.

Guests don't exactly rough it. The hotel received the California State Automobile Association's four-diamond award and features a spa, fitness center, two outdoor pools and other cushy amenities. A concierge can direct you to the falls.