Does anyone know of a nice resort/spa hotel that is close to a National Park? I would like to do some days hikes, but I want nice dining and nice accommodations. Any ideas?

Isn't there a nice hotel close to Yosemite or Bryce or Acadia?

Harborside in Bar Harbor Maine.

Breeze

Since you mentioned Yosemite (probably my favorite National Park) you might check this link http://www.yosemitepark.com/the-ahwahnee.aspx to the Ahwahnee Hotel which is located inside the park in a beautiful location. I've only done a walk through as it is too pricey for me.
I think several western parks have very nice lodging inside the park and you can check through the respective web sites. I recall Grand Teton having resort type lodging close by with great views.
Fred

Hi

As regards Bryce Canyon NP, there is The Lodge at Bryce Canyon within the park, and it’s only open from the end of March to the beginning of November. It’s the only such facility within the park and has lodging, food and shopping. It’s located very close to the Rim Trail. It’s going to cost $$$ though, with rooms about $175, Studios $139 and the cabins (have to be seen to believed) at $202. Great Native American jewelry, etc. in their shop (also $$$), the only part of the complex we have experienced - we have used both campgrounds (North and Sunset) tho! The Lodge has a shuttle that goes to the standard viewpoints and they have horseback trips

Everything else is a “fur piece” from Bryce’s entrance. There are two Best Westerns a little more than a mile from the entrance. Can’t say much about the dining facilities as we cooked our own food. Remember to BYOB, as this part of Utah is dry country and the state liquor stores are pretty slim on your secret sin. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cloud.gif" alt="" />

If you’re so inclined, visit Bryce in the winter (but only North Campground is open then) - Silent City in the snow and the Amphitheater are not easily forgotten. If you are in decent shape, the Under the Rim Trail is spectacular and lets you see Queen Victoria up close and personal. We haven’t done the whole thing tho (a full 23 miles). Go to the end of the road to see the 1600 year-old Bristlecone pines. Also a great place for star buffs because of the dark skies. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Peace
Dugg & Chris
Our VI pics are at http://picasaweb.google.com/papadugg/ and the 2014 pics are finally done

Hi

As regards Grand Teton NP, there are a bunch of concessionaire facilities. The biggest is Jackson Lake Lodge, which is located near the dam, but there is another facility on Jenny Lake and another at Signal Mountain. There are some others that are on in-holdings - Dorman’s on the Snake River and Triangle-X, which is a dude ranch.

We’ve eaten at Jackson Lake Lodge - very good food and very enjoyable after escaping a thunderstorm on our trip up Cascade Canyon to Lake Solitude. Great place to see moose and calves! They have cabins, as do Jenny Bay, Colter Bay village and Signal Mountain. A good feature to look into are the Snake River float trips (on out bucket list). Jenny Lake was our point of departure when we went up Cascade Canyon to Lake Solitude.

The road up Signal Mountain gives you one of the best view of the Tetons (except for the classic Ansel Adams view at the Snake River overlook). <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Almost all of these are only open from May through September/October. Keep in mind that we were backpackers and not users of these facilities. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Peace
Dugg & Chris
Our VI pics are at http://picasaweb.google.com/papadugg/ and the 2014 pics are finally done

I'd highly recommend The Inn at Longmire at the base of Mount Rainier.

Good food and spectacular scenery. Hikes from easy to thouse requiring technical rock-climbing gear. You can walk out the back of the place and hike up through an old-growth cedar forest and on up above tree-line.

Mt. Rainier is accessible only from mid-May through perhaps Sept. We stayed a couple of days in May, years ago, and they had only just opened the road up to Paradise - and there was still 15 feet of snow on the ground around the Paradise parking lot.

It's a magical place for the physically fit.