Due to our last minute family vacation plan (8 members), the lodging options near the “popular” locations like Zion or Bryce Canyons were not available. But that turned out to be a good thing because we stumbled on the Arrowhead Country Inn.
When you check out the location on the map, it seems a bit far from the many of the major parks. But that's not the case, and this is a great “base” to visit the attractions. The Arrowhead web site (http://www.arrowheadbb.com) has a list of the places within driving distance, and the driving times are pretty accurate.
We stayed for five nights in the Garden Cottage, which had a VCR and an extensive collection of movies. It also has a satellite hook up.
We interacted with Jane a lot and she was the “cook” during our stay. The breakfast was fantastic. They made us really feel at home. They called the attractions for reservations and information. Jennings' teen-ager grandson, Kasem was helping out. He kept us entertained during breakfast and gave us “city folks” a personal tour of their farm. The main lodge has a lounge area with wi-fi access and is decorated with many personal touch, including Jane's clay sculptures. The positive comments on the Tripadvisor do reflect the great qualities about the B&B.
Since accessibility is not typically covered on these travel review sites, I will focus on the subject for the rest of this review.
My wife and I are disabled and use power wheelchair. We can stand and transfer with little difficulties. My wife spoke to Jane when we book the rooms. Due to a personal situation in her family, she was very aware of the needs for someone in a wheelchair. We travel a lot, but this was our first B&B and we looked forward to this. One's disability is a very individual thing so talk to Jim or Jane before booking.
For those who need totally accessible accommodation - there is no automatic doors or paved sidewalks. For that, you should consider a hotel in the nearby towns – like the Best Western East Zion Thunderbird Lodge. Otherwise, if you are willing to be “out” there for the B&B experience, the tranquility of the morning air and a family atmosphere, this is a great spot to hang.
The ground:
The Arrowhead is a farm with tractors, horses, chickens, etc. As such, the ground is mainly grass and gravel paths. The paths are pretty leveled around the guest area. But the farm area has steep hills. The main lodge (and registration office) has a ramp (may be steep for some wheelchair users). Most of the cottages have steps onto the porch except for the one that we stayed.
The “Bed”:
During our booking, Jane went to rooms to measure the doorways to make sure our chairs would fit and free of obstacles. Our cottage was roomy. The bathroom was big enough for a wheelchair to turn around and has grab bars on the wall near the toilet. It has a shower. There is about an inch floor lip to prevent water flow out from the stall. The shower stall is big enough to drive your wheelchair into and then some. The stall has a built-in seat. Jane got us a shower stool so we can prop up our legs for stability.
The kitchen area has a small refrigerator, a table, coffee maker, microwave and a sink. The counter space was at a “normal” height. Since we are able to stand, this was not a problem.
Three members of our family stayed in the Yellow Rose Suite which is in the main lodge, on the main floor. We were able to maneuver our chairs inside without a problem. The bathroom is more rectangular and has a jacuzzi with 2 or 3 steps. This room may have worked for us, although getting out of the jacuzzi might be a challenge.
The “Breakast”:
The breakfast is served in a large dining room (turns out that they used to run a restaurant there) with patio access. When you enter the main lodge, you are at the same level as the kitchen, and the dining room has 2 steps going down. They had a small table set up next to the kitchen bar for us. This provided a homey atmosphere and a unique opportunity to interact with Jane and Kasem. Jane would verbally list out the menu and brought us the food and a pot of coffee. One morning, Kasem pulled up a chair and had breakfast with us (it was refreshing to interact with a teen-ager who did not have his face buried in the phone, texting all the time). We never had to wait for the what we needed.
Jane, Jim and Kasem – thanks for the wonderful time.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
