National Park Service

The National Park Service offers visitors to the national parks a range of overnight accommodations, from deluxe to economy rooms. In some cases, these are the only lodging facilities available in or near a park. Concessioners manage these lodging facilities under contracts with the Park Service. When evaluated by common industry standards, the condition of lodging facilities in national parks varies. Some facilities, such as those in Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks, are in vary good shape, while others, including some structures at Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley National Park, are in need of substantial renovation. The Park Service has standards for lodging facilities located in national parks and, in general, formally evaluates the condition of these facilities at least twice a year. If problems are found, follow-up inspections are done to determine if the deficiencies were corrected. A final evaluation of a concessioner's performance is also done at the end of the year. The Park Service's and industry standards for inspecting lodging facilities are similar; however, industry standards require additional amenities, furnishings, safety, and security.

GAO noted that: (1) the Park Service has standards for lodging facilities located in national parks and generally conducts formal evaluations of the condition of these facilities at least twice a year; (2) if problems are identified during these inspections, follow-up inspections are done to determine if the deficiencies were corrected; (3) a final evaluation of a concessioner's performance is also completed at the end of the year; (4) the Park Service's and industry's standards for inspecting the condition of lodging facilities are generally similar; however, industry's standards impose requirements for additional amenities, furnishings, safety, and security; (5) some of these additional industry requirements were available in many park lodging facilities; (6) Park Service officials told GAO that not all of the industry's standards, such as providing a television in every room, should apply to lodging facilities in the national park system; (7) however, the Park Service is revising its standards to include more industry requirements; and (8) generally, when evaluated by common industry standards, the condition of lodging facilities in national parks varies among parks and within parks.