Best Western East Zion Thunderbird Lodge — Hotel in Orderville

Where do I begin about this cute, eclectic, little place, between Bryce Canyon and Zion? I needed a hotel next to Zion, and came across this one. We stayed for 2 nights. The property consists of the motel, a pool, and a building which houses the motel office, restaurant, golf shop, and large gift shop. This place is full of charm and history. The staff is amazingly friendly, too. The hotel was really nice; rustic decor, and the rooms, including the bathroom, are not square, nor are the entrances, they are angular, with cathedral ceilings. The owner said they were designed in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright. I loved it. The property also has a golf course. The restaurant was great, (Thunderbird Diner), with lots of details in it like model cars, and license plates from just about every state. The food was really good, with large portions. The manager, Lloyd, comes around and talks to you. He's very friendly and personable. Also, that night, there was some entertainment on the patio, which was great. it was a hot night, and it was nice sitting outside listening to the music as the sun went down. This place is located pretty much by itself in a very small town (there are a couple of gas stations/convenient stores next door), but the surrounding scenery was beautiful, and the complex had a very friendly, homey feel to it. I loved it there and will stay there if I'm in that area again. Conveniently located to see both Bryce...

We stayed here one night while we visited Zion NP. We were coming from Bryce NP and stopped here for breakfast without knowing we would be back in the night. This hotel has history and is family run. They started this small little town and now have a restaurant, the BW hotel and a 9 course golf course. We enjoyed our stay. The rooms were very spacious. The bathroom as well. The beds were very comfortable and they offered lots of charging areas which made it easy to charge all of our devices and cameras. The room had a Keurig coffee machine and a small refrigerator which is great when you’re traveling and carrying sandwiches. I can’t say anything bad about the hotel. The only issue is that it’s a bit of a drive from Zion as compared to Springdale. Springdale is a city right at the entrance of Zion NP and has a lot of eating options. Once we finished with Zion we had dinner in Springdale and drove back at night back to our hotel in Mt. Carmel. The drive back required us to drive thru the tunnels and up and down the mountainous curves in the dark night which was scary. We encountered two deer crossing the roads and a few foxes which means you have to drive slower than normal and be more alert. Once we arrived to our hotel, all was fine and we were happy. We decided not to head back to Zion the next day but instead hit the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park which was close by and continue...

I want to begin by noting that this hotel is not near anything in Zion. Its 40+ minutes to the nearest park entrance and more than an hour from any good food/grocery locations (the grocery store it is close to is more akin to the grocery section of a dollar store than a Walmart/Target/Smiths/Harmons). The hotel's marketing is very dishonest with how close it is to the park entrances. You will spend a fortune in gas plus 40-60 minutes commuting. It might be "close" to the physical perimeter of the park. But, all of the good hikes and activities require going through the Mount Caramel Tunnel which adds another 20 minutes to the commute. The price might look appealing, but the price of gas near Zion will more than compensate for a slightly more expensive hotel. The cafe attached to the hotel is gross. The hotel rooms are fine. They're nothing to write home about. We lost power 5 or so times during our stay, which was beyond frustrating with the heat (we visited in May). The desk is severely understaffed, be prepared to wait 40+ minutes to check in or if you need anything (the app they advertise is useless and often goes ignored). Additionally, the hotel offers a pool which is fine. Again, nothing to write home about. I would never stay at this hotel again, I suggest...