If you are planning a trip the Grand Canyon Railway it's well worth stopping in Williams AZ to explore the historic town, situated on the famous Route 66. We have been there twice, each time staying in the town's oldest building, The Grand Canyon Hotel. The rooms are decorated in a charming and quaint style, but still possess all modern conveniences. The hotel staff are super friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable about how to get around the area. The prices are very reasonable and the Grand Canyon is a short and very nice drive away.

We decided to stop in Williams during our move from SoCal to Florida. Having been to Williams a number of times, to visit and hike the Grand Canyon, we know the town and love it. This time we decided to avoid the normal chain hotels and went with the GC hotel. I'm a history lover so the hotel, built in 1891, was a logical choice. There have been some refurbishment over the years so the exterior doesn't quite look as it did but it still retains its ambience. The hotel has 24 rooms which are a mixture of shared and ensuite bathrooms. We choose room 8 as it was ensuite. Each room has a certain theme and are decorated in such a way as to follow the theme, in 19th century style. The hotel doesn't have central air conditioning, of course, with fans and window 'cool' taking up the slack... still felt a bit uncomfortable during the recent heat. There's no cooked breakfast but coffee, a fridge and microwave are available. If you want ambience, at a bit lower cost than some chains, then this is the place. It won't be as comfortable but I thought it was a nice experience.