Grand Canyon Railway Hotel

The front desk staff have always been pleasant, and the rooms are a nice size and cleaned well, which is my top priority. We've stayed here two or three times. There's a giant fireplace in the check-in lobby with seats around it. I'm not sure whether they run it in winter, but it would be lovely if they do. There's an indoor pool that looks nice, though I've never used it. It's very close to the railroad for Grand Canyon train trips, the Polar Express, the aquaplex, and other spots. The coffee maker and in-room coffee are mediocre at best. There's no lobby coffee and no breakfast. They offer a paid option, but we haven't tried it because the reviews are mixed.

The early morning check-in attendant was wonderful, very helpful, and shared lots of information. The evening attendant, though, was rude and clueless. She didn't know when the on-site restaurant closed and sent us all the way around the hotel looking for an entrance that wasn't there. If she'd simply explained that the restaurant across the road was open, it would've saved us a lot of trouble. Many seniors stay here, so staff should be patient, kind, and courteous with them. I booked this hotel thinking it was the best choice for a Grand Canyon visit because of the train ride, but for us it wasn't worth the money, time, or effort. The hotel itself is okay. The lobby is small but nicely decorated with Canyon photos from the 1920s and later, a beautiful fireplace, and comfortable seating, with extra seats by the front and back entrances. The bathrooms look modern and renovated, but the carpets are old and grimy. As I said in my review of Grand Canyon Depot, I was duped into booking here.

We didn't stay at the grand canyon hotel, but from the outside it looked great, and the grounds and buildings were well kept. The train ride up to the Grand Canyon was fantastic. The conductor talked about what we were seeing along the way, and there was a short staged train robbery where several little boys and girls were deputized to help catch the robbers. Before we left the station there was also a staged gunfight at the ok corral, just good clean fun. The train has bathrooms, food, drinks, and yes, alcoholic drinks too. I skipped paying extra for the observation deck upstairs and was totally happy watching the scenery from where I was. A young man in striped overalls and a straw hat even serenaded us on his old Mandolins. It was a fantastic trip for the family. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The beds were VERY comfortable, and the rooms were clean. We also enjoyed the pool and hot tub, plus the good food at Spencer's Pub and the larger restaurant's fantastic breakfast buffet, though breakfast was a little pricey. The hotel is handy for catching the train to the Grand Canyon, with local restaurants easy to reach. The gift and coffee shop had small pastries and snacks. I wish Spencer's Pub had TVs for sports, and the rooms had smart TVs or HDMI and USB C ports. We'd definitely stay again.