We are staying one night in Bryce Canyon and can either get a motel room inside the park or a Western Cabin. Which is better? Also, I have heard we need reservations to eat in the dining room. Has anyone eaten there? Is it casual or buffet?? Or white tablecloth?? Is there a better place to eat?/ Any recommendations are helpful as this is my first trip. Thanks.

We stayed in a cabin last summer and loved it. We ate at a buffet type place on our way into the park and then had breakfast in the Bryce dining room. Stayed in 4 parks on that trip and none of the food was memorable.

We stayed in the motel room but I would probably opt to try a cabin next time as they looked cute. The motel was adequate but nothing special. The dining room was nice but not deluxe. It was a tablecloth-type place but not fancy - you wouldn't want to wear your dusty hiking clothes in there but clean, casual clothes would be fine. Hope this helps.

Thanks for your quick replies!I reserved the cabin without checking the website and saw how close they appear to be to each other. That is what concerned me. Also, the fact that the motel rooms appear to have private balconies with great views. But, with your comments, I will keep the cabin since only $5 difference in price. We are lucky to get lodging there since our trip is in 3 weeks. Will try and find the buffet in hopes of getting a decent meal. I have heard good food is not plentiful in that area.

You mention the cabins are "close to each other". They are more than close, they are attached! I think there are maybe four cabins attached in a square. I did not see the rooms at the lodge, but it is more like a motel from the outside. The cabins, inside are just like a motel room too. But I think it's nice to stay in the park, and the choices are not so great outside the park.
The meals were okay. You do need a reservation, but can make it a day ahead or the same day if early or late eating is not a problem. I loved the eggplant entree at dinner. And the soup and salad bar was good too.

Just a note about food at Bryce. If the buffet mentioned was a the Rubys Inn restaurant at the Best Western right outside the park, I would avoid it like the plague! We ate there and it was really bad. Bryce is great and you'll love the cabins. Right on the edge.

No, it wasn't Ruby's. We were coming from Zion and found a buffet on the right side of the road just before the park entrance. As I said, none of the food on that trip was anything to write home about, but the kids liked the buffet. Also, my memory of our cabin was that it seemed private. It was motel-like, but rustic enough to have some charm.