Grand Canyon South Rim El Tovar Hotel

Disclaimer: This review reflects our personal experiences and opinions based on our stay at the El Tovar Hotel. Experiences may vary based on individual preferences, time of visit, and specific circumstances. We have not received any compensation or special considerations from the establishment for this review. All details and impressions are accurate to the best of our knowledge, but for current rates, availability, and policies, please refer to the hotel’s official website or contact them directly.

• Overall Impression:

  Hotel staff were friendly and quick to assist. We arrived somewhat early and asked if we could get into the room early and they took care of us.

• Accessibility:

  The available information for the hotel states that they are "accessible" and that ADA compliant rooms are available upon request. However, the public bathrooms are downstairs and there was no elevator. The website describes that they have two main floor rooms that are ADA compliant. The hotel entrance has a side-ramp to the front porch and the dining room was wheelchair accessible. You should note that there are no elevators in this hotel, so getting your suitcases up to your room via stairs is a bit of an exercise.

• El Tovar Dining Room:

  We did not eat in this restaurant, as it appeared as though it had a dress code and we were not prepared. The reviews we've read were all over the place, some people liked everything, other people didn't like the service but liked the food, etc. Here several useful links;

   Yelp Page for the Dining Room.

   Link to the Dining Room Dinner Menu.

    oogle Reviews for the Dining Room .

  We did discover later than there is no dress code for this restaurant, even though we did see several groups enter all wearing more formal attire.

• El Tovar Cocktail Lounge:

  We ate dinner here after seeing the groups entering the main Dining Room in formal dress, the appetizers & entrees were good, but for whatever reason, our orders took a very long time and it wasn't until I asked a waiter why the food was taking so long that our order was finally delivered to our table. Once the food got to our table, it turned out to be pretty good, They had a decent beer & wine selection, and they feature many local beers. The views of the canyon were very good, as the windows are all facing the South Rim Walkway. oogle Reviews for the cocktail lounge 

  Here is a link to the El Tovar Lounge Menu. Celeste had the lobster roll and I had the BBQ pulled pork sandwich, we shared a "chips & salsa" appetizer because our food order took so long. We both felt like the food was good. You can see on their menu that they have a good selection of draft beers, I had the Blue Moon Hefeweizen and enjoyed it.

• Parking:

  There is no dedicated "hotel parking only" and we were fortunate that we arrived early (8:45 am) and we got a good parking spot next to the hotel. We saw people trolling that parking area throughout the day, so word to the wise - get there early or you will have to park and hike back to the hotel.

  El Tovar has limited parking right in front, but if spaces are full, use nearby public parking areas, such as Lot D. Allow extra time, as traffic can be heavy, especially during peak tourist seasons​.

• Rooms:

  The room was good sized and somewhat rustic. If you are looking for a five star accommodation, you will not find it at a National Park. The bathroom was adequate size, the hot water was good and the A/C and heater worked properly. You should note that almost all of the rooms have no view of the canyon. Yes there are several suites that have a large balcony and a great view, but this hotel is already somewhat pricey and the extra money for the view isn't as good as just walking over to the rim and seeing the amazing views there for free.

• Ice Machines:

  Only one and it is in the basement. Again, there are no elevators in this hotel.

• Garage/Mechanic Services:

  Mechanic services for your car, truck, RV, etc. may be obtained at the Xanterra Garage, located on the main park loop road, near the Grand Canyon Railway Depot and just east of the Xanterra General Office Building. The Garage is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• ATM Machines:

  ATMs are available in the Maswik Lodge and El Tovar lobbies. We used it twice and it was operational.

• Amenities:

  There is no pool or gym or game room and again you have to remember that you are in a National Park hotel and you are just a few steps away from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. If you go up the stairs from the lobby to the first landing, you will find a nice sitting area with a fireplace and plenty of seating. This could be a good place for a family card game or maybe board games.

• Other Reviews:

  Here is a link to a Google Search Results list for "El Tovar Hotel Grand Canyon". There are a large number of reviews available, but the quality of the information varies quite a bit.

  Here is a link to the Google Reviews for the El Tovar Hotel - note that there are 3,909 reviews and the rating is 4.4 on a 5 point scale. Our point here is that this is perhaps the most reliable source of reviews online.

In the trip menu list below, a "dark filled circle" represents a destination where we stayed, and the "dark filled arrow" items below that circle location, represent the destinations we visited while in that city or location. A circle icon that is not filled represents a city that we visited or stayed in, but did not necessarily explore.

Click any link below to go directly to that page;

 Trip Overview Page

 Albuquerque, NM

• Sandia Peak Tramway
• Petroglyph National Monument
• Old-Town Albuquerque
• National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

 Alamogordo, NM

• McGinn's PistachioLand Farm
• White Sands National Park

 Carlsbad, NM

• Tunnel Vista Observation Site
• Trestle Depot Recreation Area
• Carlsbad Caverns National Park

 Roswell, NM

• International UFO Museum

 Santa Fe, NM

• Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, NM
• Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, NM
• Ojo Santa Fe Spa Resort, NM
• Bradbury Science Museum - Los Alamos, NM
• Los Alamos, NM
• Bandelier National Monument, NM
• Nambé Falls, NM
• Meow Wolf, NM

 Chaco Culture National Historical Park, NM

 Bisti Badlands, NM

 Monument Valley

 Grand Canyon, AZ

• Planning Your Grand Canyon Visit
• Grand Canyon South Rim Top Sites and Itineraries
• Grand Canyon El Tovar Hotel

 Sedona, AZ