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Cheaper
Average
Higher
About
4.0
#2 of 2 hotels in Grand Canyon National Park
Location
4.9
Cleanliness
4.2
Service
4.0
Value
3.6
This celebrated historic hotel located directly on the rim of the Grand Canyon first opened its doors in 1905. The hotel was designed by Charles Whittlesey, Chief Architect for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. The Chicago architect envisioned the hotel as a cross between a Swiss chalet and a Norwegian Villa. This was done in an effort to appeal to the tastes of the elite from that era, who at the time considered European culture the epitome of refinement. El Tovar was one of a chain of hotels and restaurants owned and operated by the Fred Harvey Company in conjunction with the Santa Fe Railway. The hotel was built from local limestone and Oregon pine. It cost $250,000 to build, and many considered it the most elegant hotel west of the Mississippi River. In 1987 the Hotel was designated a National Historic Landmark. In the past, the hotel has hosted such luminaries as Theodore Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Bill Clinton, Paul McCartney, and Oprah Winfrey.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Historic Hotel
Quiet
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
1 El Tovar Road, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ 86023
El Tovar Hotel
3,899 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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El Tovar Hotel captivates guests with its historic, rustic charm and unbeatable location near the Grand Canyon, with many praising its clean facilities and professional service. However, some travelers express that rooms can be cramped and noisy, and the property's amenities and overall condition appear dated, suggesting a need for modernization.
Despite the allure of its atmosphere and stunning views, the value for money is questioned by reviewers who point out the high costs relative to the offered experience.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Historic
Rooms
Uncomfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Underwhelming
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Our family spent one night at El Tovar the day after Christmas. We had not stayed at the El Tovar since 2001 and after reading some of the negative reviews we were skeptical. It was much better than expected. We were traveling with our two teenagers so we booked a suite which was less expensive than booking two rooms (all 4 of us in one small room is too tight). The suite was ready when we arrived early (around 1:00pm), very clean and gave us little room to spread out. We had booked dinner reservations in advance and were very impressed with the COVID-19 protocols. Tables were very spaced out, servers wore masks, and guests wore masks as instructed except when at table. The service was great and the food while not amazing was very good. We did think it was very warm in our room (it was on the 3rd floor so all the heat rises) but instead of turning on AC we just opened the windows as it was very chilly at night so that worked. Breakfast the next morning was delicious! Overall the hotel is a little expensive but you are paying for the prime location at such a historic property. If you don't want to be right on the rim of the canyon, there are many other lodging options in the area.
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Date of stay: December 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sam L, Sales at El Tovar Hotel
Responded Jan 6, 2021
Thank you for your review and feedback, We're glad to hear that your family enjoyed your stay! Best, GCSR Team
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Even for a national park lodge this is overpriced for what you get. On the plus side, the location is so convenient to beautiful views from the rim--but neither side has views of the canyon itself. Either you face the parking lot or the staff quarters. Our room was fine and we had actual cell phone service and working wifi which is so unusual in a national park. Bed was quite comfortable and there were 2 upholstered chairs and a small table so that we could comfortably eat in the room. On the down side, there was a significant line to check in outside and there are no parking spots reserved for hotel guests which I have never heard of at this price point. Also for all restaurant meals including breakfast if you do not have a reservation there is a huge line to wait in, not something we do in Covid times. You can order carry out to eat in your room which avoids this line which is good. The food choices were limited with carryout but surprisingly tasty. This was a bucket list stay for us, but we cancelled the second night as we just could not justify the cost for what you received
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Date of stay: April 2021
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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This is a Historic hotel located right on the rim, unfortunately only a handful of the rooms have a view. The hotel is quite dated, but the rooms have been renovated in recent years.
I visited at the re-opening after Covid and unfortunately many of the services were not available, including the restaurant.
While the hotel has its charm, it’s definitely not worth the price. The standard room in which I stayed was very small, and so two were the pillows. The air-conditioning is quite loud.
The checkout is at 11 o’clock, but after taking some things to the car, I came back at 10:30 to find the maid already cleaning the room, which made the bathroom inaccessible. When I told the front desk person about the situation, they seemed indifferent.
The room key does not open the public restrooms, you need to get a key with a large unsanitary baton attached.
It’s really nice to stay in the park and enjoy a sunrise and/or sunset, but the price to do so at El Tovar is quite high for a relatively mediocre hotel. We would have preferred to camp, but for some reason the campgrounds were closed even though the hotels in the park were open.
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Date of stay: June 2020
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This was the worst value for money of my entire life, in fact I would not stay here again if they paid me! Here are the main reasons for my rating: It all started at check in with Bianca, the receptionist, who could not have been more unhelpful and dismissive, almost openly rude which was not an ideal start. WiFi only “works” in the lobby, not that anybody bothered to mention it to us. Poorly decorated room, furniture in bad condition, torn curtains, big TV with poor quality image, paper thin walls, extremely uncomfortable bed (my body “fell” into the exact place countless other people’s bottoms and feet have laid before me) Old fashioned bathroom, nowhere to place any personal items in the sink area, no cups to hold tooth brush Heating fan in the bedroom furiously blew hot air and was extremely noisy, we asked to have it adjusted and somebody came but was unable to help as she pointed out there is no way of lowering the fan, one can only regulate temperature, no way to reduce the noise either. She further explained the same system applies to all bedrooms ... a small portable heater was brought in and it worked for about 5 min only to stop altogether after that. I went back to reception, explained the whole situation to Bianca, including the fact all rooms apparently share the same heating system and she offered to move us to another room and “would I inspect it first to make sure I was pleased with the heating » ? Upon inspection, I wasn’t surprised the heating situation was exactly the same but was shocked to realise this was a smaller, even more horrendous bedroom ! It is the very first time in my life that, after a genuine complaint, I am being shamelessly downgraded! To settle the matter I ended up requesting extra duvets ... but to add insult to injury they brought one duvet with no cover and two bad quality thin moth eaten blankets, one of them also sporting a big tear (photo included)... The hotel belongs to National Parks and is managed by a private company who I was told cannot upgrade the hotel without their permission. That being the case or not, the fact remains the standards are terrible and the price is astronomical. I appreciate location is excellent therefore tourists keep pouring in but that is no excuse to provide such appalling premises and services. I reported all this to the manager who kindly listened and offered a price reduction. I just wish she had the power to close the hotel down and properly refurbish it, that is what is needed! My advice to others? Run for the hills !
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Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This hotel is highly overrated. it is in sore need of renovation and better staff attitude. I uploaded photos (not sure if they uploaded successfully) to show. First of all when you walk up the entry stairs, the paint on the banisters and doors is severely chipped off and worn. THe lobby is dark, the first person you encounter is a restaurant hostess who is standing at what looks like a pulpit and in a very snooty way tells you that registration is down the hall. THe person at registration is nice enough but you are informed that there will be no housekeeping services for the three days we are here, supposedly due to COVID. Really? For $363 per night no housekeeping services? THE carpet in the public hallways is old and dirty. Carpet in lobby at 9 am was full of dirt if you looked (remember it is kept dark for “atmosphere”) The room is tiny, can’t tell how dirty the carpet is in the room because the carpet is dark. The washcloths have makeup stain on them and the towels are stiff, thin and grayish from many laundering’s. The airconditioning sounds like a truck. The chairs in the room are terribly worn and all scratched up and overused. You have to let water run forever to get hot. The coffee/tea amenities are wrapped in a bag that looks like someone wanted to throw away trash and for two of us, there were on lay 4 cups that could be used to make tea or coffee (for three nights). I suppose they want you to reuse your cups all the time. There is no laundry available at the hotel and only one ice maker for the whole main building which is downstairs somewhere, not on every floor. We tried to make reservations for dinner the first night we arrived, but were put on the wait list and told it would be 90 minutes, for a menu that had entrees mainly at $35-40. Turns out the table was ready in 30 minutes but we had already gone elsewhere and the hostess was really snooty. We asked to see the menu in the cocktail lounge but were not allowed to enter, but rather given the QR code to scan (they said they had no paper menus, they were under glass on the tables). Presumably limited capacity due to COVID>. But you cannot even look into the cocktail lounge or dining room because the hostess acts like a “guard” and only those approved are allowed to enter. Parking is a problem, no designated hotel parking, you take your chances to find a spot in the public areas (granted this is not the hotel’s fault). No elevators in the hotel, you cannot use a trolley either, you either have to carry your luggage yourself or use a bellman. The only good thing is the location but i would not recommend staying here, prices are exorbitant and for the price you pay the above issues should not be happening. I also note that other reviewers have commented on issues which have always been replied to by the hotel “thanks for your comments we will inform management”..
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Date of stay: September 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Don’t stay here. SUggest trying hotels in Tusayan
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sam L, Sales at El Tovar Hotel
Responded Sep 20, 2021
Good Morning, We value your feedback and are disappointed to hear that the El Tovar Hotel fell short of your expectations. Xanterra Travel Collection and the National Park Service are drafting plans for a comprehensive renovation of the historic El Tovar Hotel in upcoming years. This renovation will address many of your concerns regarding in-room and hotel-wide amenities. Once again, we appreciate your review! Best, Xanterra Travel Collection
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We stayed at the Grand Canyon and we're hoping for a great visit even during these tough times. It was horrible and every time I asked why I got the answer because of Covid. We checked in at 330 and was given the excuse that the room wasn't clean yet,and it would be about 1-2 hours they gave us a room that supposedly had the same view, that was wrong. I paid extra for a Canyon view and they gave me a parking lot view. They fixed that but still wasn't what I reserved. Then we find out the next day after hiking the Bright Angel Trail all day that they don't clean rooms on multiple day stays. Shouldn't they be cleaning more? If they don't clean rooms of the people staying there, why wasn't my original room ready? and it All but one restaurant was closed and that was 50% capacity. I get that but of you could have one at half capacity, why not the others? We could not get food even to go at the El Tovar for lunch because they said they were"slammed", really, they are operating at 50%! And then there is the coffee situation. We got up early to see the sun rise and could not get a cup of coffee anywhere until the main dining room opened up at 7. They took all the room coffee makers out of the rooms due to Covid. How does that make sense? It is a paper cup and disposable filter pouch. Wouldn't it make more sense to stay in your room for a cup instead of going to a dining room with alot of people indoors. It seems like it was alot easier for them to do this instead of trying to make it a good experience for us.
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stayed here 9/9-9/12. We paid over $650.00 per night booked in June of 2019. The lobby is nicely decorated. The rooms are in average condition. We were given a room that faced the train station but was told there was only 1 train a day, not true. The train comes through many times a day dropping off visitors. The room did have a nice balcony and a nice sized living room. The furnishings were worn and could use updating. There is no elevator so make sure you ask for a ground floor room if you have a problem with stairs. We transfereed to a room facing the Grand Canyon on the 2nd night. Lovely view with a large deck. The room, however, was more worn that the one we came from. The carpet was filthy and taped together at several areas where it was splitting. A plastic shield was fastened over the room heater to deflect the heat. Because of the hotels age, the floors were uneven and you feel like you are swaying going from room to room. The furniture was beat up. The light fixture over the table in the living room was not over the table and off to the side. The table could not be moved under it. Reservations for the one dining room are not accepted even though on the website it says they are required. Wait times vary from 1 1/2 - 2 hours after you put your name in. It is the only restaurant in all of the Xanterra run hotels that offers a decent meal. I expected that being that we were now paying almost $700 a night with our room change that we'd have some priority with reservations, but that was not the case. The staff is indifferent and there doesn't seem to be anybody who keeps checks and balances to keep the guests happy. The view is spectacular - if you face the Canyon and so they have you! If you don't mind paying a lot of money for a poorly appointed, dirty carpeted room, with long wait times for a meal, any time, breakfast or dinner, then book your stay here. If not, save your money and stay outside the park where there are a few more restaurants and lower hotel rates.
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Date of stay: September 2020
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Ask for one not facing the train.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have to agree with the last few reviews. What may have once been a “Grand” hotel no longer is. I know the Grand Canyon is a one and done for us because there are so many things on our bucket list so this is why we booked El Tovar. We figured why not stay on the rim in the grandest hotel offered? But what a disappointment!
The front desk staff is by far the rudest most indifferent group of people we have ever encountered while traveling and we travel extensively. I guess it’s hard to find good help willing to work in one of the most beautiful places on earth! (insert sarcasm)
I think what shocked me the most was the poor physical condition of this hotel. The carpets in the hallways and our room were beyond filthy and worn. There are cobwebs and dust on the dark woodwork and I just felt an overall feeling of it being dirty. The once white towels in our bathroom were gray from washing inappropriately. The room was so tiny with barely enough room to walk between the foot of the bed and the tv armoire. The room temperature was so warm and very uncomfortable. I phoned about the thermostat being programmed at 70 and the lack of cold air coming from the filthy archaic air condition unit.
The maintenance man came and knocked it down to 68 which helped but it ran 24 hrs a day without shutting off. So be prepared to put a call in if you want your room cooler than 70 because you have no control of the thermostat.
Oh if you want coffee in the morning go wait in line in the lobby and be prepared to have money or your room charge card with you because even at $400 a night you have to pay for a cup of coffee. (Even Hampton In gives their guests a cup of coffee)
So after our initial shock and disappointment we walked outside to the rim and realized that despite the awful condition and unfriendly staff the location is great but there are other less expensive hotels just as close to the rim as this one is.
So do yourself a huge favor and book one of the less expensive options in the park so you won’t feel as completely ripped off as we do right now.
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
First, when you stay in any of the hotels in a national park you are paying for the location and views. Generally, the hotels are OK to fair. El Tovar has a great location and views of the Grand Canyon. It's a great base from which to explore the GC. We stayed here 12/1-12/2/22 in room 6426. The room is on the lobby floor of the hotel to the right of the check in desk. The GC was fairly deserted when we visited so we did not have any issues with crowds, reservations or parking. In busier times, parking close to the hotel will be an issue. The hotel is located in GC village and faces the canyon. It's located on a hill above the train depot so there is some train noise during the day. The nearest parking is about 100 to 200 yards from the front door. During busy times I'd suggest leaving your car in a spot if you find one. You can pull up in front of the hotel to load and unload. The lobby is very well decorated and when we were there had the bonus of Christmas decorations. All of the staff members we can in contact with were very good to excellent at their jobs. Room 6426 connects to the rooms on both sides, we found the connecting doors were thin and you could here anyone in the other room if you were near them. If you need three connecting rooms these are perfect. The room was small and faced the rear employee/delivery parking lot. There were early (5 /6 am) deliveries that did wake us up. The rooms has one queen bed which was comfortable, a TV, fridge with freezer, coffee maker and two chairs and a table near the entry door. The main door has a deadbolt but no chain lock. The closet is small and off the hallway to the bathroom. It has no door just a curtain and no light in it. The light in the hall is turned on by a switch between the closet and the connecting door. The internet was OK, we could get and send emails. The room was clean. The bathroom is large (there is a 3 in. step up into the bathroom) but had little counter or storage space, a bath tub /shower combo with the soap and shampoo in dispensers on the shower wall. The water pressure was fine. There is an on site restaurant which was very good, two gift shops and two lovely porches to sit on. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and would recommend the hotel to anyone looking to stay in the park and at a historic hotel. We would not recommend room 6426, if you are a light sleeper or bothered by noise unless you need connecting rooms.
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Date of stay: December 2022
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sam L, Sales at El Tovar Hotel
Responded Jan 5, 2023
Good Morning Peter, Thank you for sharing your review and feedback for the El Tovar Hotel! Best, GCSR Team
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My mother, daughter and I very much enjoyed the convenience of El Tovar Hotel being directly on the rim of the Grand Canyon. The view was spectacular. However, we were extremely disappointed with our suite at El Tovar (I think it was room 6419). The grand front steps, porch, main lobby, stairway and second floor seating area, all considered public spaces, were so congested that we struggled to get our luggage and ourselves up to our room. The room itself was not clean to the standards of the $600.00 per night rate. The armrests on the old chairs were stained and dirty. The carpet tiles looked cheap, and some did not lay flat. The large cabinet in the sitting room was fingerprinted and chipped along the bottom exposing bare wood needing repair. The chairs around the round glass table were, at the base, coated with dust. While the black and white tiled bathroom was truly the only elegant room, I was shocked to find the inside lining of the shower curtain stained with a considerable amount of, what looked like, blood. The room was dark and dingy, and furnishings were old and dirty. Not at all the grand hotel that we expected. The woman at the front desk (I believe her name was Gwen) was kind and apologized, giving instructions to have the shower curtain replaced at once. The other concerns could not be helped.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sam L, Sales at El Tovar Hotel
Responded Aug 10, 2021
We appreciate your review and feedback, your comments will be shared with El Tovar management. Best, GCSR Team
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Yes. I would recommend going online to order a National Park pass, which is good for 1 year. It can be mailed to your home. Otherwise you will pay a park entry fee.
There are more places to choose from in the Grand Canyon National Park area.
PRICE RANGE
$328 - $586 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
el tovar hotel grand canyon, el tovar grand canyon, hotel el tovar, el grand canyon, grand canyon el tovar, el tovar lodge
LOCATION
United StatesArizonaGrand Canyon National Park
NUMBER OF ROOMS
78
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Are there any historical sites close to El Tovar Hotel?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Hermit's Rest (1.9 miles), Grand Canyon Railway Depot (0.05 miles), and Trans-Canyon Telephone Line, Grand Canyon National Park (0.04 miles).
