Visiting the Grand Canyon National Park in the USA and wondering where to stay in Grand Canyon? This guide lists all the best options where to stay and the best Grand Canyon hotels for all budgets. Take a look!
Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona is one of the most awe-inspiring nature destinations in the United States. Needless to say, it attracts a big number of visitors, both domestic and international.
And even though you can see the best of the Grand Canyon in just a day, you should try to stay here at least 1 or – better – 2 or 3 nights. That way, you can also experience some of the most amazing sunrises and sunsets that color the canyon in the most incredible colors.
Furthermore, spending a few nights at the Grand Canyon allows you to make the most of your visit by giving you more time to experience the majestic landscape in a variety of ways: hiking, visiting the most famous viewpoints, or taking a helicopter tour for a birds-eye view of the canyon.
But where to stay in Grand Canyon? And what are the best places to stay nearby if Grand Canyon hotels are fully booked or over your budget?
In this article, you can find an overview of the very best Grand Canyon lodging options inside the park and in the nearby towns. We included the best hotels and accommodations for all budgets. Find out!
Good to know: The best area to stay for visiting the Grand Canyon is its South Rim. This part of the National Park gives you easy access to some of the most beautiful landscapes. It’s also open the whole year round. This is where most first-time visitors go and most hotels and facilities are located. So in this article, we mainly focus on accommodations and lodging at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
At the bottom of this article, you can also find a few suggestions for where to stay for visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
TIP: If you want to see the West side of the Grand Canyon, one of the best places to visit is the Grand Canyon Skywalk. It’s close to Las Vegas and can be visited on a day trip from Vegas as well.
Without further ado, these are the best places to stay in and near Grand Canyon:
Grand Canyon Village Hotels
By far the best location to stay at the Grand Canyon National Park is the Grand Canyon Village at the South Rim. There are several nice hotels here. And because you are sleeping inside the National Park, you are just a short walk away from the most beautiful scenery. Some lodges even offer rooms with partial canyon views.
If you want to see one of the famous Grand Canyon sunrises, then staying inside the park will make it so much easier.
The biggest disadvantage of staying at the Grand Canyon hotels is the high price tag and sometimes a bit of impersonal service. Furthermore, most hotels inside the park have no WiFi available and some have no air-conditioning. So if those things are important to you, make sure to double-check it before booking!
Good to know: Internet connectivity at the Grand Canyon lodges is limited and spotty at best. There are several lodges where it works a bit better than at the others, but even then, the connection is so slow that even checking your email will require lots of patience.
All that being said, you come here for the location. And if the location is what matters to you the most, then these are the best hotels in Grand Canyon:
- El Tovar Hotel. This historic hotel is located right at the canyon rim and is considered the crown jewel of the Grand Canyon hotels.
- Bright Angel Lodge. A rustic lodge with a big variety of rooms – from cabins to lodge rooms and also budget rooms with shared bathrooms.
- Kachina Lodge. This is a more contemporary-looking Grand Canyon lodge. Its main advantage is that many rooms have partial views of the canyon.
- Thunderbird Lodge. Very comparable to Kachina lodge and also has rooms with partial canyon views.
- Maswik Lodge. This lodge offers 250 motel-style rooms, most with a separate entrance. It’s located in the historic area, just a short walk from the canyon rim. It’s one of the few lodges that offer free (spotty) Wi-Fi. We stayed here when we visited Grand Canyon and while the accommodation is simple for the price you pay, we absolutely loved the location.
- Yavapai Lodge. With recently renovated rooms and an excellent central location close to shops and restaurants, this is one of the best price-quality-location lodges inside the Grand Canyon National Park. It also offers free Wi-Fi.
Tusayan Hotels near Grand Canyon
Tusayan, just a 6 miles/ 10 minutes drive from the South Rim, is the best place to stay near Grand Canyon. Its location is still very good for visiting the Grand Canyon, but staying here is cheaper and often more luxurious.
Tusayan hotels offer a much better price-quality ratio than the hotels inside the Grand Canyon National Park. Most of the hotels here also have better facilities, including free Wi-Fi, less crowded restaurants, and some also have swimming pools.
The Grand Canyon airport is located in Tusayan and this is where helicopter tours start. This is an excellent location to stay when visiting the Grand Canyon, at a lower price tag.
Here are the best Tusayan hotels:
- The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon. This is one of the very best luxury 5* hotels near Grand Canyon. With spacious rooms, an indoor swimming pool, a hot tub, and a good restaurant, this is one of the very best options for those who want to be close to the Grand Canyon while at the same time enjoying all the comforts of a truly nice hotel. They offer free Wi-Fi that’s much better than anywhere inside the park.
- Best Western Premier Grand Canyon Squire Inn. This 4* hotel is the most popular pick in Tusayan. With spacious modern rooms, several good restaurants, indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs, wellness facilities, and even a bowling alley, this is an excellent price-quality hotel near Grand Canyon. They also offer free Wi-Fi which is excellent in some rooms, but not so good in others.
- Holiday Inn Express Grand Canyon. This is a good no-thrills 3* hotel for those looking for quality at a lower price. There is an indoor pool and a hot tub, and they also have free (spotty) Wi-Fi. Good value for money.
- Red Feather Lodge. This is another simple Tusayan hotel that offers great value for your money. A seasonal outdoor pool is available and free Wi-Fi works quite well but is limited to two devices per room. If you are looking for a clean cheap place to stay close to Grand Canyon, this is one of the very best budget options.
There are also some privately rented accommodations in this area, just a few miles from the Grand Canyon NP entrance.
Our recent experience: We recently visited Grand Canyon in winter and stayed at The Grand Hotel. We loved it. The location is great, the facilities are very good, and – despite this being one of the pricier hotels in Tusayan – we found that we got much more for our money than at the hotels inside the park.
Good to know: Staying in Tusayan means that you will have to stand in line (if there’s one) in order to enter the national park by car. The good thing is that you can easily avoid the queues – see our tips via the link below.
READ ALSO: How to Avoid Long Queues at Grand Canyon South Entrance
Valle Accommodation
Valle is a tiny town about 30 minutes drive from the South Rim. It’s probably best known for its Planes of Fame Air Museum.
There are just a few simple lodging options here and most people staying in Valle are just passing by. Nevertheless, if you are looking for cheap lodging near Grand Canyon and only need a place to stay for a night or two, it might be a good budget-friendly choice.
Here are the best lodging options in Valle:
- Grand Canyon Inn and Motel. This simple 3* hotel with spacious motel-style rooms for up to 5 people offers good value for your money. There is a restaurant and their bar serves specialty beers from Grand Canyon Brewery. Wi-Fi is available, but usually spotty.
- Under Canvas Grand Canyon. This highly-rated accommodation offers glamping inside the tents. With comfortable beds, bed linen, and towels provided, you have all the luxury of a hotel in combination with outdoor camping. Some tents are more budget-oriented and have shared bathrooms, but there are also luxury tents and stargazer tents with private bathrooms available. If you are looking for more unique accommodation near Grand Canyon, check this out. Family tents are also available, so this is also a great option for families with kids.
TIP: Using the map below, you can compare hotels and short-term rental accommodations close to Grand Canyon South Rim. Simply insert your travel dates and group size, and you’ll see the best deals in the area for your stay. Check it out!
Williams Hotels
Situated on historic Route 66, Williams town (est. 1881) calls itself ‘the gateway to the Grand Canyon’. It’s about 60 miles, 1-hour drive from the South Rim.
Staying in Williams is convenient for those who are visiting the Grand Canyon as part of the bigger road trip. Furthermore, this is a historic town that has a lot to offer by itself. It’s also one of the livelier towns in the area where you’ll find lots of dining options, bars, cafes, and old-fashioned American shops.
The historic Grand Canyon Railway connects Williams to the Grand Canyon. So if you want to embark on a nostalgic train journey to the Grand Canyon, staying here is a great choice. Just make sure to book your railway tickets in advance! And of course, you can also opt to drive to the Grand Canyon by car.
Other highlights in Williams include Pete’s Route 66 Gas Station Museum, Bearizona Wildlife Park, and Historic Route 66 ZIPLINE.
There are many lodging options in Williams for all budgets. In any case, staying here will cost you much less than Grand Canyon Village or Tusayan hotels and you have better facilities including Wi-Fi. Williams is a good base for those who not only want to visit the Grand Canyon, but also some of the Route 66 attractions.
These are the best-rated Williams hotels:
- Grand Canyon Railway Hotel. Adjacent to the William Depot Railway Station, this historic hotel is one of the nicest places to stay in Williams downtown. An indoor pool and a hot tub are available and the hotel has an excellent location close to all the facilities in town.
- Sheridan House Inn. This adults-only B&B is probably the most luxurious of all the Williams’ hotels. If you have the budget and are looking for really nice vacation accommodation near Grand Canyon, check it out!
- The Lodge on Route 66. This luxurious motel is one of the best-rated accommodations in Williams. Featuring beautiful rooms and spacious suites, this hotel prides itself on offering affordable luxury. Breakfast is included in the rates.
- La Quinta by Wyndham Williams. This is the best-rated mid-budget hotel in Williams. Beautiful modern rooms, an indoor pool, an excellent breakfast, and a good location makes this a good option for those who are looking for quality at a medium budget.
- Quality Inn Near Grand Canyon. This 3* hotel with a seasonal outdoor pool is one of the most popular choices in Williams. Breakfast is included in all rates and this hotel offers some of the best price-quality lodging in town.
- Red Roof Inn PLUS+ Williams. This hotel has lower ratings than all the ones mentioned above, but it offers very good value for your money. It’s the most popular budget-friendly accommodation in Williams, so we felt that this list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning it.
Flagstaff Hotels
Flagstaff is the biggest town close to the Grand Canyon. ‘Close’ might not be the best word since it’s 80 miles, 1.5 hours drive to the South Rim. So I’d only recommend staying here if you are only going to the Grand Canyon for one day. In that case, start early in the morning so that you have enough time for the main sights.
Because it’s easily accessible from the main highways in the area, Flagstaff is a good town to base yourself for visiting a variety of Arizona attractions, not just the Grand Canyon.
There is a big variety of organized tours departing from Flagstaff. So it’s a good town to stay in for those who want to visit the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Sedona, and other nearby places without having to switch hotels every night.
TIP: If you stay in Flagstaff, make sure to also take a day trip to Sedona!
There are many accommodation options in Flagstaff for all budgets. Here are just a few options, the very best Flagstaff hotels:
- Little America Hotel Flagstaff. Located in the beautiful Ponderosa Pine Forest, this is one of the nicest hotels in Flagstaff. The hotel offers a free airport shuttle and because most tours offer hotel pick-up, you can plan the whole vacation here without even having to rent a car. It’s somewhat more expensive than the other hotels in the area but is still very affordable. So if you are looking for a really beautiful place that has it all, look no further.
- Residence Inn by Marriott Flagstaff. One of the best-rated hotels in Flagstaff city center. If you are looking for self-catering accommodation, you’ll love this modern hotel with spacious rooms that have a separate seating area and kitchen facilities.
- La Quinta by Wyndham Flagstaff. This is one of the nicest 3* hotels in Flagstaff. Offering nice modern rooms, a seasonal outdoor pool, and a very good breakfast that’s included in all rates, this is one of the best price-quality hotels in Flagstaff.
- Sleep Inn Flagstaff. Conveniently located next to the main highways around the city, this is one of the most popular quality budget hotels in Flagstaff.
As I said, there are so many more options. We only picked a few that offer great value and have excellent customer ratings. Here you can find all the best deals for Flagstaff accommodation.
North Rim Accommodations
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is much more off the beaten path and there are very few accommodation options nearby. This part of the park is also closed in winter.
Here are the best accommodation options near the North Rim:
- Grand Canyon Lodge-North Rim is the only North Rim accommodation inside the National Park. If you want to stay here, you’ll have to book well in advance. Bookings for the summer season usually start around mid-January and you have to be quick.
- Kanab. This small town has several nice accommodations for all budgets. Located 80 miles, 1.5 hours driving distance from the North Rim Visitor Center, this is the best place to stay for visiting the North Rim if the lodge inside the park isn’t available.
- Lee’s Ferry Lodge at Vermilion Cliffs. This lodge is also located about 80 miles, 1.5 hours driving distance from the North Rim, but on the northeast side. If your road trip continues to Monument Valley, then this is a good option. Otherwise, try the town of Page, AZ, even further away.
So, this is our guide to the best Grand Canyon hotels and lodging options nearby. I hope that this will help you find a nice place to stay when visiting the Grand Canyon and plan a truly memorable trip.
Staying closer to the park will help you make the most out of your stay!
READ ALSO: One Day in Grand Canyon – complete guide to the best viewpoints and things to do at the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, plus suggested 1-day itinerary and practical tips. Check it out!
FAQ
Here is an overview of the most popular questions that we get in regard to the best places to stay in and near Grand Canyon:
Yes, you can stay inside the Grand Canyon National Park. Grand Canyon Village at the South Rim has several nice lodges for different budgets. There is also a seasonal lodge at the North Rim – Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge.
By far the best location to stay at the Grand Canyon National Park is the Grand Canyon Village at the South Rim. Staying here gives you easy access to the most beautiful viewpoints (also at sunrise and at sunset) and to some of the best hikes.
If the Grand Canyon accommodation is fully booked, is above your budget, or if you need facilities that are not available there, the best alternative place to stay near the Grand Canyon is Tusayan. It’s just 6 miles, 10 minutes drive from the South Rim.
The main advantage of staying in the Grand Canyon Village inside the National Park is its proximity to the best viewpoints of the South Rim. You don’t have to worry about parking and can easily walk to the best sunrise and sunset spots.
The main advantages of staying outside the Grand Canyon National Park is that the hotels are usually cheaper and they also offer better facilities than the park lodges. So if you need a reliable Wi-Fi connection or are looking for accommodation with a swimming pool, it’s best to look for hotels near Grand Canyon and not inside the park.
While you can see the main highlights of the South Rim of Grand Canyon in one day, we recommend staying here for at least 2 nights. That way, you can spend one full day exploring the park and catch at least one sunrise and a couple of sunsets. If you are planning to do any hiking, we recommend staying for at least 3 nights, 2 full days.
READ ALSO: Best Things to Do in Sedona. Sedona is just a short ride from Grand Canyon and is well worth a visit as well. Check it out!
More travel inspiration for places nearby:
- Top Attractions & Things to Do in Las Vegas
- Las Vegas Travel Tips
- 1 Day in Las Vegas
- Grand Canyon & Antelope Canyon Itinerary
- Best Things to Do in Arizona
- Best Things to Do in Utah
- Monument Valley Scenic Drive
- Best Day Trips from Las Vegas
- Sedona Day Trip
- Phoenix Itinerary & Travel Tips
- Best Hikes in Zion National Park
- Zion to Bryce Canyon Itinerary
- Best Places to See in Death Valley National Park
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Joel
Thursday 13th of January 2022
One more to mention is the Cameron Trading Post Hotel in Cameron. I lived in AZ for years before realizing it was there, and it doesn't come up in many searches making it often available when others aren't. Much closer to the Grand Canyon than either Williams or Flagstaff and in a very scenic location! The attached trading post is a good stop for lunch/dinner/souvenir shopping en route.
Jurga
Thursday 13th of January 2022
Thanks for the suggestion, Joel. We already have it mentioned in our Grand Canyon - Antelope Canyon itinerary, as a place to stay between the two. I think it's not ideal for those who want to explore the Grand Canyon South Rim for a few days as it would mean driving up and down quite a lot, but it's definitely a nice stop when road-tripping in the area. Absolutely. Happy travels!
Patti
Sunday 23rd of May 2021
Hi there!
I'm researching lodging in/near the Grand Canyon. Do you have any feedback on Red Feather Lodge?
Thank you!
Jurga
Wednesday 26th of May 2021
Hi Patti, there are thousands of customer reviews of this hotel on the internet. I don't think there's anything I could say that hasn't been said there yet. :) You pay for the location and it's one of the more budget-friendly options at the Grand Canyon, so of course, it won't be perfect. I think it's all about expectations.
Sara
Thursday 11th of February 2021
Agreed. Great post and insight. I’m coming to Az end of March. First three days in the Grand Canyon area, final four in Sedona. I would like to go to Antelope Canyon and with the road closures this makes the drive long. I’m still debating whether to stay in the park and make the long drive to Antelope one day, or stay more central in Flagstaff and just plan on driving early for a sunrise/day of hiking in the GC. Thoughts ? I know I just read the post! .....but weighing convenience vs. setting is hard for me not living there or having visited those sites before. Thank you!
Jurga
Thursday 11th of February 2021
Hi Sara, there is no one 'best' way to do this, I suppose. But I wouldn't go from Grand Canyon all the way to Antelope Canyon in a day and back on the same day, I think. It's a drive of over 2,5 hrs one way, taking the fastest roads and assuming there are no traffic problems. Why not just stay in Page for a night and drive to Sedona from there afterwards? You could make a mini 'road trip' this way. So start with Grand Canyon for two nights, then go on to Page, visit Antelope Canyon and also Horseshoe Bend, stay a night. Afterwards continue to Sedona from there. If you don't mind changing hotels just a bit more often, this would probably be a bit more relaxing. Have a great trip! And feel free to come back to our blog after the trip to tell us what you decided and how it went. I'm sure it would be helpful to other readers in a similar situation!
Tim Scottious
Wednesday 10th of February 2021
Very detailed blog. Thanks for sharing your insights about where to stay in Grand Canyon.
Jurga
Thursday 11th of February 2021
Glad to help, Tim. Enjoy your trip!