My experience at Yellowstone Valley Lodge was underwhelming and disappointing. For years I had heard about this comfortable resort with great food and decided to give it a try. When I made the reservation I asked about making a reservation for the dining room and was told it wasn’t necessary for guests to make a reservation simply tell them what time I wanted to dine and guests would be accommodated. I told the reservationist to make a note for a 7 pm dinner reservation just in case. At check in I asked about a dinner reservation and was told that they had been booked up for weeks and other restaurants in Livingston’s were suggested. I asked about breakfast the following morning and was told there would be a full breakfast with made to order eggs not a “continental breakfast”. The next morning when we arrived for breakfast there was a warming tray with oldish French toast and a few sausage links. When asked about eggs I was told that they didn’t have any that day. They also ran out of coffee. Near the end of my lackluster meal the server announced to the dining room that breakfast was over and they were removing the food and please bus your own tables. The dining room itself sits beneath the building and has the charm of a basement with poor decor and little light.

The cabins were adequate but dated. The views were nice. Nothing special about YVL other than the views and proximity to the Yellowstone River and Yellowstone National Park.

Another perfect stay ay YVL. Before I write about the lodge, I must stress YVGrill is not part of the lodge. You MUST MAKE YOUR DINNER RESERVATION AT YELLOWSTONE VALLEY GRILL WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR LODGE RESERVATION!! I was in the lodge office twice hearing people wanted to stay AND eat at YVG. The Grill was booked solid. Dinner reservations are a must for one of the best restaurants in the country. We arrived 2 days before starting to fish, to relax and spend some time walking the trails around YVL. Joining Lauren, the new onsite managers Danielle and Kevin are wonderful. They are working hard to make improvements every day. The view from our cozy cabin never gets old. The room was clean and freshly painted. We always book cozy cabin 5, closer to the river sounds. We sleep with the sliding door open to let the river sing us to sleep. We come to fish, and usually wake before the sun, but the curtains do a good job of blocking out the light. Housekeeping took care of all my requests and made things very comfortable. Breakfast is included in your stay (again, not dinner. Make your dinner reservation at the Grill when you make your lodge reservation) Alisha and Carla really knows how to fill your tummy before a long day of fishing. So many freshly made baked goods to choose from and usually an egg special with bacon or sausage. Always juices, yogurt and fresh fruit too. If you fly fish or would like to try it, get in touch with Eric Adams of Montana Fly Fishing Guides LLC. Eric’s guides are top notch and there is a guide for every level of experience. Before I wrote this I looked back at all my reviews and realized we’ve been coming to YVL for 15 years. We’ve seen owners change. We’ve met many managers. There have been upgrades, WiFi and TVs in the rooms. Hubby used to have to go to the Cutthroat Lounge to see sports on the tv there. The lounge also has a microwave for heating up your leftovers from YVG, but more on the Grill later. The one thing that never changes is the view. We were fortunate to be able to host my brother and sister in law for a night at the lodge in the middle of their cross country RV trip. They walked into their cozy cabin room and directly out onto the patio to see the view. They worked out their trip to be here for hubby’s birthday, and dinner at the Grill. Now they understand why we have raved about YVL and for 15 years. Danielle and Kevin have plans to keep making improvements to the cabins, and things can only get better. Yes, we are booked for next year. Read my review of the Yellowstone Valley Grill.