Review: AutoCamp Yosemite

On a recent trip to Yosemite National Park, my family, noting a paucity of major hotel brands in the area, decided to take the opportunity to try something new – glamping in an Airstream at AutoCamp Yosemite!

We fully embraced the outdoor experience with campfires and marshmallows while enjoying the comforts of air conditioning, a private bathroom, on-site restaurant, and pool.

Here’s a review of our first stay with AutoCamp, which recently partnered with Hilton and is now bookable on Hilton Honors points!

AutoCamp Yosemite – Booking

AutoCamp is an outdoor hospitality company that has offered stays in Airstream trailers, luxury tents, and cabins since 2013. They currently have nine properties located in some of America’s most iconic destinations, with many in close proximity to America’s national parks.

AutoCamp Yosemite opened in 2019 and is a year-round property.

When I made my reservation, AutoCamp’s partnership with Hilton Honors was not yet in full swing, so I booked directly with AutoCamp. We had another family travelling with us, and I was able to redeem my Hotels.com free night reward to help offset their stay.

The rates range from $250–600 (USD) for a luxury tent or classic Airstream trailer. Airstreams are more expensive than the luxury tents, but the price difference between the two varies depending on your travel dates.

There is also a nightly amenity fee of $35 (USD), which covers the use of Wi-Fi, bikes, and daily granola.

Pricing appears consistent between Hilton’s website and Autocamp’s; however, there were dates where Hilton’s site was showing no availability when AutoCamp’s did, so it appears that not all inventory is released to Hilton.

If you’re a Hilton Honors elite member, you can expect to enjoy these benefits at AutoCamp Yosemite:

• Silver: two eco-friendly waters
• Gold: one bundle of firewood per stay, two eco-friendly waters, and space-available upgrades
• Diamond: one s’mores kit per stay, one bundle of firewood per stay, two eco-friendly waters, and space-available upgrades

To receive these benefits, you’ll have to book through official Hilton channels. On that note, pay attention to the webpage address when searching for AutoCamp’s website on your internet browser, as a couple of options come up.

The first example below is AutoCamp’s own website, and it doesn’t have “Hilton” in the web address or on the webpage. Booking through this portal will not give you any Hilton Honors benefits.

Instead, you’ll want to make sure you visit this website below, or book directly through Hilton’s own website.

Looking at redemption rates, a standard room award can be booked for a luxury tent, Airstream suite, or accessible suite for 75,000 Hilton Honors points on most days. Interestingly, there are some dates showing 70,000 Hilton Honors points for a luxury tent.

As mentioned above, the cash rate for this property varies quite a bit and ranges from $250–600 (USD). For example, a night in September is listed as $544 (USD) for a reward that costs 75,000 Hilton Honors Points, which works out to a value of 0.73 cents per point (USD) or 1 cent per point (CAD).

We value Hilton Honors Points at 0.5 cents per point (USD) or 0.7 cents per point (CAD), so using these valuations, this actually makes for a great redemption. Keep in mind that you’ll want to do the calculation based on the rates for your own travel dates to make sure it also provides good value.

If you are paying cash and don’t have status with Hilton, then compare rates with AutoCamp’s website, as they do offer special packages like early check-in and breakfast rates that Hilton does not.

In the past, AutoCamp has also had promotions offering up to 40% off their accommodations. Sign up for their emails to be notified about their next promotion.

AutoCamp Yosemite – Location

The AutoCamp Yosemite property is located right off State Route 140 in Midpines, about a 45-minute drive from the Arch Rock Entrance of Yosemite National Park (showing as California 140 on maps).

While this drive sounds far, and there are several properties located closer to the entrance, these are more rustic accommodations, and they get progressively more expensive the closer you get to the park.

If you’re planning to visit Yosemite over several days and find this drive far, consider spending a night here before entering the park or book a stay on the last night of your visit.

There isn’t much in the town of Midpines, but a 10-minute drive will bring you to the town of Mariposa where you can find plenty of dining options and a grocery market.

There is a gas station down the road, convenient for gassing up before heading to the park where gas prices are higher.

YARTS, the public transit system for the area around Yosemite, has a stop right at the entrance of the AutoCamp property, making it very convenient to commute to and from Yosemite if you prefer not to drive. This is especially great because parking can be a dire situation during the peak summer season.

The YART fare is $12 (USD) one way per person over the age of twelve. Reservations are recommended even though the website says it’s not necessary.

AutoCamp Yosemite – Check-In

Upon entering the property, you’ll drive up a short dirt road to the Clubhouse, the main building of AutoCamp Yosemite, where guests can check-in. The cement building is decorated in wood accents all around, giving a sense of warmth reminiscent of a cabin.

Large floor to ceiling windows and doors open up to the outdoors, creating a seamless connection with the surrounding environment and bringing a sense of spaciousness and natural brightness to the area.

The Clubhouse has various seating arrangements and tables that provide a cozy place to just chill, eat, or gather with family and friends.

A general store, take-away restaurant, public showers, and pool are also located here.

At check-in, staff will go over the property features with you, including where your Airstream or tent is located on the property, and if staying in an Airstream, they’ll give you a keycard to access your suite. Unlike other keycards I’ve had, this one is made of paper, so be careful not to get it wet.

Wagons are provided to aid in transporting your baggage to your Airstream or tent. If you have mobility issues or are located far from the Clubhouse, staff can take you in a buggy.

On-site parking is available free of charge, and there are several electric vehicle charging stations available, although none of them are superchargers.

AutoCamp Yosemite – Explorer Airstream Suite

The property features three types of accommodation: Airstream suites, luxury tents, or a combination of both for larger families or families with older kids.

If you’re wondering what an Airstream actually is, it’s an American brand of travel trailer with iconic rounded and polished aluminum coachwork.

The Airstreams are categorized into Vista, Premium, Explorer, and Classic types. Every Airstream has the same physical set up, but they are differentiated by their location or by the amenities they provide.

For example, Vista suites are the most expensive category and are located in more secluded areas, away from other guests, while Premium suites have a better location than Classic suites.

Explorer suites come with a free three-month trial subscription to the All Trails app, a foam roller for use during your stay, and two complimentary bottles of water.

There are also accessible suites that are in close proximity to the Clubhouse and can be booked by any guest. These are metal cabins that are slightly roomier than an Airstream and provide a double burner stove. These suites tend to be popular among families.

Each Airstream suite or luxury tent can accommodate up to two adults and two small children, but be aware that booking through Hilton only allows you to book a maximum of three guests.

If you need to accommodate a larger family of five or six, there are Premium Basecamp Suites and Mini Suites that essentially offer an Airstream suite together with a luxury tent or mini tent (designed for kids to stay in).

We stayed in an Explorer Airstream Suite for our stay. It was located just steps away from the Clubhouse.

Outside of each Airstream was a small round cement table, several wooden chairs, and a fire pit. The kids enjoyed using the firepit to roast marshmallows.

From the outside, the Airstreams looked like pods from outer space, which the kids thought was really cool.

The doors use keycard locks. Entering our suite, we felt a blast of air conditioning which was really nice given how hot the area gets in the summer.

The inside of our suite was small but cozy. The interior was much of what you expect of a small trailer home, but most importantly, it was clean, modern, and well lit by natural sunlight through the windows.

At one end of the Airstream is a bedroom with a queen bed, night tables with outlets and USB ports, small dressers, and a TV.

At the other end is a nicely decorated bathroom with a large tiled shower stall, a toilet, and a sink.

Between the rooms is the living room area with a futon-style sofa bed, side table, and footrest. When set up as a bed, the sofa bed is smaller than a double bed and can therefore fit two smaller children at most.

The suite also has a well-stocked kitchenette with a sink, basic cookware, dishware, cutlery, kettle, microwave, and mini fridge.

AutoCamp Yosemite – Luxury Tent

During my stay, I got to take a look at AutoCamp’s luxury tents as well.

Luxury tents are made of canvas and set up with a king bed and sofa bed. Electricity is available in each unit, in addition to a portable heater and air conditioning units.

The tents are not winter-proof, so they’re taken down outside of the summer season, making them unavailable from November to March.

Unlike the Airstream suites, luxury tents don’t have a kitchenette or private bathroom. Instead, you’ll have access to the public washroom and shower stalls in the Clubhouse.

Outside the tents are chairs and a fire pit much like the Airstream suites; however, there is no table provided.

AutoCamp Yosemite – Other Facilities

Every day coffee and tea is available 24 hours a day. In the morning, complimentary granola is also made available for all guests. This also counts as the “continental breakfast” that Hilton Gold and Diamond members are entitled to.

The General Store offers souvenirs, snacks, sundries, and pre-packaged food items. You can also purchase s’mores Kits (bring your own from a grocery store to save money) and firewood here. Make note that no outside wood is allowed to be used in the fire pits for safety reasons.

The Kitchen serves made-to-order food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It also serves beer and wine. Happy Hour occurs daily from 4–6pm and during this time, certain beers, wines, and cocktails are available at 50% off.

We tried the pizza and chicken pot pie here for lunch, and they were quite good.

If you prefer to cook your own food, you can order BBQ kits that include a meat of choice, quinoa, baked beans, and buns for a fee.

One great feature of the property is the pool to help cool down in the heat of summer.

AutoCamp also features complimentary activities throughout the week, like complimentary s’mores night, live music, art workshops, star gazing, movie nights, and morning yoga, as well as the use of bikes to explore the property. Public fire pits are also lit every evening for guests to enjoy.

One last important thing to note is that there is no cellular reception at the site, so you’ll have to enable Wi-Fi calling if calls need to be made.

Conclusion

AutoCamp Yosemite offers a memorable family experience that keeps you close to nature without needing to sacrifice all the comforts of a traditional hotel stay. It may be a bit too far from Yosemite National Park for some, but we didn’t mind the drive.

It’s a great addition to the Hilton Honors portfolio and can represent a great redemption on days where the cash rate is high. I also hope to see them improve on the breakfast benefit for elite members in the future to better align the product with other Hilton offerings.