Yosemite’s famed Ahwahnee Hotel criticized for hosting hundreds at Thanksgiving feast

The famed Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park has come under fire for hosting a lavish Thanksgiving feast for hundreds amid stay-at-home pleas from public health officials.

“This Thanksgiving, celebrate among family, friends and the epic beauty of Yosemite National Park,” the hotel wrote in promotion of the event. “Our Executive Chef is once again preparing a legendary feast served in the Ahwahnee stunning dining room.”

Advertised as a “hearty touchless buffet,” the meal cost $103 per adult and $53 per child, and included options like cider-brined turkey, dijon-herbed salmon filet, and vegan wild mushroom strudel, the menu said. Guests were strongly advised to make reservations as seating capacity was “limited due to COVID-19 safety guidelines.”

At the time, Mariposa County, where Yosemite is located, was in the orange tier of California’s color-coded blueprint for reopening, indicating moderate risk of COVID-19 transmission. According to state guidelines, restaurants in orange-tier counties can be open with a capacity of 50{d54a1665abf9e9c0a672e4d38f9dfbddcef0b06673b320158dd31c640423e2e5} or 200 people, whichever is less.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.