6 Best Hotels in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
The park's accommodations include three "historic-rustic" facilities and four motel-style lodges, all of which have undergone significant upgrades over the past decade. Of the 922 rooms, cabins, and suites, only 203 are at the North Rim, all at the Grand Canyon Lodge. Outside El Tovar Hotel, the canyon's architectural highlight, accommodations are relatively basic but comfortable, and the most sought-after rooms have canyon views. Rates vary widely, but most rooms fall in the $100 to $180 range, though the most basic units at the South Rim go for just $89.
Reservations are a must, especially during the busy summer season. If you want to get your first choice (especially Bright Angel Lodge or El Tovar), make reservations as far in advance as possible; they're taken up to 13 months ahead. You might find a last-minute cancellation, but you shouldn't count on it. Although lodging at the South Rim will keep you close to the action, the frenetic activity and crowded facilities are off-putting to some. With short notice, the best time to find a room on the South Rim is in winter. And though the North Rim is less crowded than the South Rim, the only lodging available is at Grand Canyon Lodge.
Just south of the South Rim park boundary, Tusayan's hotels are in a convenient location but without bargains, while Williams (about an hour’s drive) and Flagstaff (a 90-minute drive) can provide price breaks on food and lodging, as well as a respite from the crowds. Extra amenities (e.g., swimming pools and gyms) are also more abundant. Reservations are always a good idea. At Grand Canyon West, lodging options are extremely limited; you can purchase a "package," which includes lodging and a visitation permit, through Hualapai Tourism.
Havasupai Lodge
Operated by the Havasupai Tribe at the bottom of Havasu Canyon, these are fairly spartan accommodations—each room has two double beds and a bathroom—but you won't mind much when you see the natural beauty surrounding you. There is no kitchen, but a café serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The tribal entry and environmental fees are included in the room rate. Reservations are essential and can be made up to a year in advance beginning June 1.
Kachina Lodge
The well-appointed rooms at this motel-style lodge in Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim are a good bet for families and are within easy walking distance of dining facilities at nearby lodges. Many rooms come with partial canyon views, and there are also several rooms for people with physical disabilities. There's no air-conditioning, but evaporative coolers keep the heat at bay.
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Maswik Lodge
Far from the noisy crowds, Maswik accommodations are in two-story, contemporary motel-style buildings nestled in a shady ponderosa pine forest. The lodge, named for a Hopi kachina who is said to guard the canyon, is ¼ mile from the rim. Maswik rooms are larger than most on the South Rim and have brighter, newer furnishings, air-conditioning, and plenty of extras like refrigerators, coffeemakers, and safes. Families appreciate the lodge's food court and pizza pub, a casual spot with a big-screen TV.
Thunderbird Lodge
This motel with comfortable, simple rooms and partial canyon views has all the modern amenities you'd expect at a typical, midprice chain hotel—even pod coffeemakers. Some rooms have very effective evaporative coolers instead of air-conditioning.
Yavapai Lodge
The largest motel-style lodge in the park is tucked in a pinyon pine and juniper forest at the eastern end of Grand Canyon Village, across from Market Plaza. The basic rooms are near the park's general store, business center, and main visitor center. The lodge's restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serves standard park-service food; the Yavapai Tavern is a popular hangout after the day's adventures.
