El Tovar Hotel — Hotel in Tuba City

I wish I could give this hotel zero stars. While there are several reasons why you should not stay at this hotel the most pressing issue is that the hotel’s air quality is horrific. My husband and I both suffered inflamed and reactive airways as a result of sleeping one night in this hotel. Originally we thought it may be mold, mildew, or a combination of poor ventilation and cleaning products.

However when we left in the morning we noticed the main stairway was closed and the carpets were being removed or replaced. Suddenly our symptoms made even more sense. Either the workmen were kicking up decades of dust and mold or there were fumes associated with their work tools, carpet adhesives, or other work products.

Not to mention the fact that old buildings tend to have black mastic and other asbestos containing materials under their carpets.

But look, It’s not my job to test the air. What I can tell you is that both my husband and I went to medical school. We both had airway problems within the hotel. We both found relief of these problems when we left the hotel. We both had these problems flare up immediately upon entering the hotel again.

The front desk laughed at us when we mentioned that we were physicians, we had legitimate concerns about the air quality situation, and we requested the previous night to be refunded as well as the second night which we would not be present for. Crystal then laughed at us and walked away.

It seems the hotel took issue with us not immediately reporting the problems to them. On our first night there we were trying to give the facility the benefit of the doubt and thought we would find relief with the windows open, or the heater turned off, or the fan on. None of the solutions helped and by morning we were ill. Then as we left the hotel to enjoy our only day at the Grand Canyon we noted the carpet work.

We prioritized our vacation & used daylight hours to visit the park. While we felt considerably better as soon as we left the hotel, the night of poor sleep significantly hindered our ability to enjoy the parks many hiking trails.

After sunset we returned to the hotel, packed up our bags, and initiated a refund request with Expedia. The front desk denied it. It was at this time that we brought our bags down to check out and speak with the front desk. Well, we spoke. They laughed.

Then, unfortunately, after packing up our car, we realized we left our phone in the room.

The manager attempted to let us in but the hotel is in such poor condition that the key didn’t work. The old key didn’t work. Went with a new key. Lock didn’t work. Went with manager key. Still couldn’t get in. Had to go with maintenance to get in.

So all in all we paid $400/night for a hotel with air quality so horrific it makes you ill WiFi that only permits you to connect 2 devices carpet that is filthy bathrooms so bathed in bleach that they transfer the fumes to the entire room. Fan was not left on. rooms that are so small that the toilet is approximately 3 feet from the foot of the bed. a heater that is so noisy it must be turned off in order to sleep & windows that open to the sound of employee horns honking at the service entrance. no desk in a king sized deluxe room no couch in a king sized deluxe room just two Walmart chairs, no ottoman.

It’s absurd these rooms cost $400/night.

It’s absurd that Rachael the night manager was perfectly ok with Crystal, the desk clerk, laughing in our face when our concerns were voiced calmly and reasonably. Crystal, for whatever reason, found the fact that we were physicians to be particularly funny.

Dear upper management- all of this occurred at approximately 6:50 pm on December 5th, 2024. If you have security footage then you are free to review it. You will find us to be extremely calm and reasonable. You will see Crystal laughing at guests.

El tovar offered us no apology. No refund. They blamed us for making reservations off of Expedia.

We will be following up the park, the better business bureau, and the...

I booked a two-night stay at El Tovar and was initially hesitant after reading several reviews calling it outdated, overpriced, and worn down. I’m happy to say my experience was the opposite. This is a charming, historic hotel with a lot of character and beauty.

Yes, it’s old—but it’s old in all the best ways. The lobby is stunning with rich woodwork, vintage decor, and a nostalgic, welcoming atmosphere. I was worried about musty smells or signs of mold, but there were none. It smelled fresh and clean. The carpet on the stairs could probably use an update—it’s a solid color that shows every little spot—but overall, the hotel felt well-maintained and authentic.

I felt our rooms were well worth the price. Having lived in a 1926 home for 25 years, the bathroom in our room brought back fond memories. It had clearly been updated, but it retained that vintage charm, and everything was clean and functional.

One big plus: you don’t need air conditioning at night. We opened the windows, and the cool mountain air—dropping into the 50s—was perfect. If you do this, just remember to close the windows by around 8 a.m. to help maintain that chill. We had no issues keeping the rooms cool. Our family had two rooms and both were comfortable and refreshing.

The gift shops were also a pleasant surprise—offering a great selection of unique and fun items at reasonable prices.

The only downside of our stay was the restaurant experience. You absolutely must make dinner reservations in advance—ideally the day before—or you won’t get in. Our first night, we didn’t have a reservation and had to eat at a nearby steakhouse instead. Thankfully, it was excellent—just two buildings down from El Tovar, within easy walking distance, and didn’t require a reservation.

I did manage to book breakfast the next morning for a party of four, but the rest of my group decided to sleep in. When I arrived alone, another couple was waiting to be seated and told there would be a 30-minute wait. I offered to share my four-person reservation with them since I had three empty seats. Oddly, the staff refused to allow it. It made no sense, especially with the dining room only 3/4 full. I voiced my concern, and it seemed to make them uncomfortable—so they seated the couple right away, but at a separate table. My guess is that they were short-staffed in the kitchen or on the floor, which might explain the rigidity.

Another nice convenience is that the National Park runs a free shuttle system until 9 PM, with buses running all over the park and back to your hotel. It’s a great way to explore the area without having to drive or find parking.

As for the location—it’s unbeatable. Right along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, it couldn’t be more convenient. One thing to keep in mind: there is no elevator, so if you have a lot of luggage or mobility concerns, request a first-floor room. Also, the hotel wasn’t designed with sweeping canyon views from most rooms—likely because the architect assumed guests would spend their time outside enjoying the views. That said, one of our first-floor rooms with two queen beds actually had a lovely partial canyon view.

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Final Thoughts: Despite a few quirks, I truly loved this hotel. It’s historic, clean, welcoming, and in the perfect location. If I return to the Grand Canyon, I would absolutely stay here again—just with my dinner reservations...

Happened to come across the chance to book one of the few suites when we were planning our trip, so I jumped on it. We are a small family of 3 - two adults and a tween and that was reflected in our reservation. Based on other in-park facilities and reviews, this seemed like it would be a nice splurge for us to have a little more room and not be around too much of the craziness of the park, while still being in the middle of everything. We arrived early evening after a drive in and our room was ready, but the front desk clerk said "This shows you have two adults and one child, is that correct? Would you like a roll-away bed?". That made me pause. From what I recall, that room on the website says it's for up to four people. I said "is there not a couch that converts to a bed?". She said "no". I guess my fault for assuming, but I'm not sure how this suite is for four people then. She then told me the roll-away bed would be an extra $20 per night - after I had already booked at over $900 per night!!! I questioned and she asked her supervisor, who thankfully waved the fee. For the grandeur of this hotel, nickel and diming wasn't what I expected. I did expect stairs, which we used extensively - so be prepared! Our room was pretty well kept for the age of the lodge (built in 1905) but the expansive deck, even on the end away from the canyon was the highlight. Even daily highs in the 40s/low 50s, we spent hours sitting in the sun, people and bird watching. The hotel doesn't have a ton of rooms, so upstairs, it's not super busy, but the main lobby area is hopping most of the day with people staying elsewhere but coming for food, the sunset and just to check it out. Not sure if we just had considerate neighbors the first couple of nights, because it was quiet and peaceful, but then we think a family staying in two rooms came in late the last night, with kids running back and forth and doors constantly slamming at 10pm and again at 5am. Highly recommend reservations for any meal (including breakfast) at the main dining room or even the cocktail lounge. My husband and I went there for a light dinner and drinks our last night, to get an hour to ourselves, but to our surprise, there were several kids there (some using phones to play games with no headphones). I expected it to be adults only, so it wasn't really the relaxing break we sought. Our server was great though. Breakfast in the main dining room was very good and decently priced, though a bit slow one morning - again, kind and welcoming servers. We did not eat there for lunches or dinners. There are a couple of gift shops - one nicer and one with basic t-shirts, snacks and odds and ends. The location of the lodge is very central to the park, an easy walk to Thunderbird and Kachina Lodges, Verkamp's Visitor Center and the shuttle route. A little longer walk to Maswik Lodge - shuttle required for other areas. Takes several minutes on the Rim Trail to get away from it all, but once you do, you really do. We hiked all the way to Hermit's Rest from El Tovar. Overall, a good stay, compared to what other options there were for a little more space/seclusion. Not sure if we'd pay the same for the suite again, but it was...