USPL Reviews Provided by
El Tovar Hotel

Dreadful
User:
590g1v6k7t from:
Trip Type: Couples
Published Date: Jul, 16, 2025 Travel Date: Jul, 1, 2025 Rating: 1 Booked for 2 nights but checked out after 1 night. Our bedroom (£364 per night, room only) was small, with what can only be described as 1950s bedsit decor. The air conditioning unit was so loud (without any exaggeration, as noisy as a car engine idling), we asked for someone to look into it. The young chap assured us every room was the same. When asked if he could sleep with the noise, he just gave a wry smile. Do not be deceived by the website- the photos of the standard queen rooms, were, in our experience, nothing like our actual room.
We booked through Expedia- maybe they reserve the awful bedrooms for bookings through a third party site.
The hotel is in desperate need of updating, it's shabby and uncomfortable. However, the staff were pleasant and helpful.
Subratings:
- Rooms: 1
- Value: 1
- Location: 5
- Cleanliness: 3
- Service: 5

Location, location, location!
User:
7uvr0h1ywv from: Kelseyville, California
Trip Type: Couples
Published Date: Jul, 16, 2025 Travel Date: Jul, 1, 2025 Rating: 4 Historic lodge in a spectacular location. Hard to beat a morning walk along the rim of the Grand Canyon. Facility needs updating. No fridge or microwave in room. Air con sounded like a freight train, making it hard to sleep. Staff were very helpful.
Subratings:
- Rooms: 2
- Value: 3
- Sleep Quality: 2
- Location: 5
- Cleanliness: 3
- Service: 4

Worst room ever, bad customer service
User:
Davide U from:
Published Date: Jul, 13, 2025 Travel Date: Jul, 1, 2025 Rating: 1 First, the good things: location is great, a few steps from the canyon. Dining experience was good, Paul and Guy were excellent in taking care of us.
Then: the room is by far the worst room I’ve stayed in since… well, I have a job. It’s tiny, the bed could barely fit my wife and I (smaller than a queen bed), the bathroom is ridiculously small and the air conditioning makes so much noise that is unbearable. Cherry on top, the view was underground, facing pipes. We booked 6 months ago at full price. When I’ve asked to change room, their reply was that since I’ve booked through a third party my only option was to pay full price with no refund. I’ve tried to understand the logic because I said I was willing to pay the difference but the only reply I’ve got was “there’s nothing we can do”. Horrible customer service and the ugliness of the room, the tiny bed and the noise of the air conditioning made our experience forgettable. They sit on the great location so I guess they don’t care much about how they treat customers. If you really want to go boom a room with two beds and bring ear plugs.
Subratings:
- Rooms: 1
- Value: 1
- Sleep Quality: 1
- Location: 5
- Cleanliness: 2
- Service: 1

Great location, average hotel, expensive for what you get.
User:
215federicaz from: Leuven, Belgium
Trip Type: Family
Published Date: Jul, 6, 2025 Travel Date: Jul, 1, 2025 Rating: 3 Location
Simply outstanding. Being right on the Grand Canyon’s South Rim is hard to beat.
Rooms & Facilities
Rooms are small.
Bathrooms and in-room carpet feel old and dated.
Wi-Fi is limited to two guests, even if you have five people.
Overall condition does not match a four-star rating.
Price
About USD 800 per night for five people, room-only (no breakfast)—high for the level of comfort provided.
Dining
The restaurant is okay but nothing exceptional—except for the desserts, which are very good.
Overall
Great location, but the hotel itself feels outdated and overpriced for what you get.

Great views, not so great Beds
User:
angie r from: Newark, New York
Trip Type: Family
Published Date: Jul, 5, 2025 Travel Date: Jun, 1, 2025 Rating: 3 Beds literally tip down so that your head was lower than our feet. Not comfortable and we slept on the opposite side of the bed. The rooms and bathrooms are very clean. The food at the restaurant was HORRIBLE. Steak was over and/or undercooked. Potatoes were undercooked, and eggs were undercooked. I sent back several times. Save your money and go to Bright Angel - you are literally paying $600 per night for the views.
Subratings:
- Rooms: 2
- Value: 1
- Sleep Quality: 1
- Location: 5
- Cleanliness: 5
- Service: 2