No one stays at Old Faithful Inn for the amenities: With no Wi-Fi, air conditioning, or TVs in the rooms—some don’t even have private bathrooms—all you can do is watch bison graze unperturbed by the busloads of tourists pulling up, or the namesake geyser spout. The lack of luxury doesn’t seem to deter the crowds, though, who come to sleep under the roof of the original log-and-stone building, which was completed in 1904, and launched the iconic architectural style known as National Park Service rustic, or Parkitecture. Though an east wing was added in 1914, and a west wing in 1927, the lodge remains much as tourists saw it a century ago, with its soaring, open lobby surrounding an enormous four-sided, 86-foot stone fireplace. The pre-existing Crow’s Nest that leads to the roof terrace is off-limits now, but two mezzanine-level interior balconies are coveted seating areas for unwinding with nightly piano performances. While the two wings have better views of Old Faithful and the geyser basin, you can’t beat the Old House for its historic charm.
Yellowstone National Park Lodges/Xanterra
Yellowstone National Park Lodges/Xanterra
Yellowstone National Park Lodges/Xanterra
More Recommendations
Old Faithful Inn, Yellowstone National Park, WY
It’s quirky and creaky, but this historic (1903) lodge is still worth a stay. One reason is the location: You can slip out during the early-morning hours to enjoy rare solitude at Old Faithful, and from here, you’re a quick drive from the majority of the park’s other geothermal features. The other reason is the architecture. Considered to be the world’s largest log structure, the Inn uses tree-trunks in astonishingly creative ways (like the forked log railings of the balconies rising up from the hotel lobby). Rooms in the oldest, most authentic part of the property don’t offer private baths (guests there use shared facilities) but accommodations in the newer wings have full bathrooms and even sitting areas (in the suites).
