Overall rating 3.5 - rooms are clean and comfortable but average amenities. No Internet at all in the building (in case you need it) and check-in is at El Tovar. Very hard to find parking which was a concern at night - everything is very dark since it's a Dark Sky park. Room has Keurig coffeemaker but k-cups were not restocked in the room after the first night. All in all a good option for the price point but could be better with little effort. Entry doors are open at all times which is a concern.

Nice hotel. Hard to checkin when the roads are icy and snowing. Parking was terrible. Managed to move the car to checkout. Park in snow was amazing. Spectacular canyon views from our room.Staff were great after one of us became sick with a tummy issue in the night.

If you're just looking for a place to lay down at night while you explore the Canyon during the day -- this is the place for you. No-frills rooms and bathrooms, very much a "work of its time" as it was built in the late '60s. If you're used to luxury hotels and are not a person who goes camping, this is what I might call "roughing it." (Yes, people will laugh at this, but if you're more of a glam/resort person I'm just trying to prepare you for this more...rustic reality.) However, it's clean and tidy, which of course is the goal of any hotel. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash & handsoap all in refillable dispensers. Also gave us a generous amount of towels and K-cups. No restaurants or staff inside this lodge (there are vending machines), you have to walk over to El Tovar for check-in, as well as food there or at Bright Angel. (Not a far walk at all--maybe 3 minutes--if you're an active person, but keep this in mind if you are not comfortable walking any distance, or have young or elderly with you.) Also not for people who are not comfortable walking on the path from El Tovar to Kachina at night, as you're right next to the Canyon. There's no way you're going to fall in if you follow the lighted paths...but I can imagine some people might find this frightening or if you have kids who like to run off...keep them on a leash. Parking is first-come, first-serve and is pretty tight. We ended up along the street just outside the Kachina parking area. Once the sun sets everyone seems to rush back to their hotels to grab spots since 1., as mentioned above, it is very dark and there's not much to do once the sun goes down and 2., there's really limited parking in front of the rooms themselves. Restaurants are so-so (and pricey) but there's nothing else once you're inside of the park. Check out the menus in advance to make sure there's something for your family if there are any dietary restrictions. Don't forget to try the prickly pear syrup at the El Tovar restaurant for breakfast. For those who normally live at sea level, make sure you're prepared for the higher elevation. I haven't been that high up before (much to the amusement of my Colorado friend who came with) and while I'm a very active person, I found it hard to breathe quite often during the trip, jogging was nearly impossible for me. See if a doctor will prescribe an inhaler before traveling. Traveling in January means the Canyon is COLD with high winds. Wear layered clothing, hats/scarves/gloves and bring those little pocket hand warmers. Hold on tight to your phone/camera if taking pictures against the railings, the wind gusts are rough!

I rated the room 3 because you can't beat the location, steps to the canyon! That's really all it has going for it. The outside is dreadful, not quite sure what they were going for in terms of a visual experience when they built this, especially when the surroundings are so beautiful! The room had a great view, but the room was so-so (smelled musty to boot)! Despite that, we had a wonderful dinner and breakfast at the El Tovar, plus enjoyed many hikes/walks as again the location is fabulous and you just walk out the door to the beauty of the canyon!

We had a Canyon View room, which I don't know that I would spring for again, as it was better to just go out and see the canyon. The location was perfect, as you could walk out onto the Rim Trail and just go. It was a little walk from the buses and the train, and because it was winter and it had just snowed you did need some kind of traction added to your shoes (which we purchased in Flagstaff, but you could get from the stores at the canyon) because of the black ice and the hills. The AC and Heat was something you had to get used to, as it would turn one or the other on automatically as you adjusted the temp. In general it was about a 3-4 star hotel, just on the edge of the Grand Canyon, which is what makes it cost $500 a night. There aren't many amenities beyond the basics (shampoo and conditioner for white hair, lotion, hair dryer, TV with cable), it was difficult to check in (You do so at El Tovar), and it very much looks like a lodge from the 70's. But, since you aren't there for the hotel, it was a good place to lay our heads when we weren't out adventuring.