Does it make a difference if one reserves a room on the 1st or 2nd Floor of the El Tovar Hotel on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon? Also, what would be the purpose of reserving a room near the Front Desk? By the way, does this Hotel have air-conditioning?

Yes, the El Tovar has AC in all rooms.

As for which room to reserve, beggars really can't be choosers. It's not a big hotel, and rooms can sell out 1 yr in advance. The hotel is right at the rim, and the view from the rooms is no different than the view you see all day long as you're out and about.

Personally I always choose top floor rooms when I can (at any hotel anywhere) so as not to hear footsteps above me.

<Also, what would be the purpose of reserving a room near the Front Desk?>

I'm puzzled by the question. Please elucidate.

I don't think you can reserve a room on a particular floor at El Tovar---at least you cannot on the website. It clearly states that rooms may be an "any of 3 floors".

The exception would be the terrace rooms, which are listed separately and priced differently (lower). These are smaller rooms and are partially below grade, with the window at ground level.

If you need a room on the first floor to avoid the stairs (there is no elevator), I think you have to call and book a handicapped room.

It you want a room higher up, say 2d or 3d floor, you could ask at check-in.

Just remember, it is an old hotel and there are no elevators. This may be a concern if you have lots of heavy luggage.

Thank you for your help.

Jed, the question is asked about wanting a room near the Front Desk when you want to reserve a room! I didn't know that there wasn't an elevator in the hotel, and maybe that is why they ask about "Front Desk" rooms.

I'm just preparing for a visit next summer and want to get an understanding about the hotel, which brings me to the question about the restaurant inside the hotel. If we stay two nights I can see eating there a couple of times, but the prices are pretty high for us. Is the walk to the Bright Angel Lodge Restaurant, where the food prices are more reasonable, far from the El Tovar?

The walk from El Tovar to Bright Angel is about a 2min walk. I would consider that reasonable, yes.

Regarding the restaurant at the El Tovar. We ate one dinner and one breakfast there in June. The dinner was so-so. The breakfast was superb! I had a blackened breakfast trout and it was truly memorable and well worth the $11 they charged for it.