highly recommend

We absolutely loved the Cedar Chalet. It’s a lovely, well-maintained home that was just perfect for our family visit to Yosemite. The place never felt crowded, despite our large group of four adult siblings and their spouses. The beds were comfy, and the large kitchen made it possible for several of us to pitch in for meal prep. We loved having the cozy fireplace on chilly evenings and appreciated the plentiful seating in the living and dining rooms and on the outdoor deck. The hot tub was also a welcome feature after long days of hiking. We were grateful for the convenience of staying inside the park (avoiding long entrance lines!), and being within a short walking distance of the little neighborhood market was another BIG plus! Our only complaint was that the hot tub could have used some fresh chemicals/servicing, but other than that the home was in top shape for our arrival with LOTS of dishes, cookware and basic supplies (tp and other paper goods, dish detergent, hand soap, etc).. We had requested (and then unfortunately were unable to make!) an early check-in, so with four bedrooms to ready, the cleaning crew was likely a little rushed and still did a commendable job.

Location of cabin was quiet and easy access inside the park. Hot tub was greatly appreciated after long hiking days. Not plush or luxurious but more than comfortable.

The cabin itself is beautiful, spacious and well-located. HOWEVER, If you rent this place, be aware it lacks many benefits of a typical VRBO/AirBnB, and comes with additional conditions/expenses. For instance: --Even if you rent this (expensive) cabin, each car must pay the $30 entrance fee to the park (so potentially an extra $120 or so); --During certain months--even if the forecast is 60 and sunny--you are required to have chains for your car. Chains are not returnable at stores, so buy them in advance on-line or from Craigslist (more extra $$$); --Check in time is excessively late (4pm) and check out excessively early (10am), so unlike a standard rental you lose about 3-4 hours of rental time; --You pick up the keys at the office, which closes at 5pm, so only an hour window between check in and closing. After 5pm (again, unlike a regular airbnb) no one is available to answer questions or provide assistance. Keys are left outside, and anything you might need (fire kindling, extra towels) etc. will be unavailable until the next day. (In our case, they handwrote a note on the key envelope that the oven was broken, and that it might be repaired the next day, and that a convection oven had been placed on the counter instead.); --Not even basic condiments are provided: salt, pepper, ketchup, sugar, oil, etc. Not even those of previous guests are allowed to remain. No paper towels or napkins--just one sponge and two sad dishtowels. Disappointing, and a problem for guests who flew in; --The extensive regulatory documents and excessive signatures required are laughably hostile; it's like TSA is running park hospitality. In case you ever wondered how a federal bureaucracy would operate VBRO, here's your chance! (Our cabin seemed to be privately owned, so not sure how that partnership works.) The office staff were quite nice, though the atmosphere and interactions felt more similar to those at a KOA campground. But when you drop $600+ a night on a cabin, should you really feel like you're roughing it? Some notes/recommendations for improvement (from everyone in our party): --Dishes in top rack of dishwasher don't get clean (another review mentioned this); --Only one bath towel per person is provided. No one wants to use that for the hot tub as well. Provide at least two please. --If there's a problem/change with something in the rental (like broken oven) please email beforehand. A 3-star that could have been a 5.