Where to Stay at Grand Canyon South Rim

This is the historic district run by Xanterra: El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, Kachina, Thunderbird, and Maswik. El Tovar sits 20 feet from the rim on Village Loop Drive. Bright Angel and Kachina are next door. Maswik South is a 10-minute walk back through the ponderosa pines. Book 13 months out for summer. The dining room at El Tovar takes reservations 6 months ahead and fills the same day they open. You pay a premium and the rooms are dated, but you trade that for sunrise at Mather Point with a coffee in your hand instead of sitting in the South Entrance line at 7 a.m.

Best for

First-time visitorsphotographersanyone who wants to skip the entrance gate twice a day

Walk times

El Tovar to rim: seconds 30 min
Bright Angel Lodge to Bright Angel Trailhead 2 min
Maswik to Bright Angel Lodge 10 min

Skip if: You booked late, hate dated decor, or want a pool and gym

Local tip: Book Maswik North if El Tovar is sold out. It was renovated in 2019 and costs $150 less than the historic lodges for a nicer room.

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$269per night

Tusayan

The strip just outside the South Entrance.

Luxury $180-$320/night

Tusayan sits on Highway 64, two miles south of the park gate. The Grand Hotel, Best Western Premier, Holiday Inn Express, and The Squire Inn line a single road. Rooms are newer than anything inside the park, most have pools, and the free Tusayan shuttle (purple route) runs into the park from May through September so you can leave the car parked. The IMAX theater shows the Grand Canyon film if weather kills your hiking day. Plan for the entrance line. From late May through August, expect 30 to 60 minutes at the South Entrance between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Drive in before 7:30 or take the shuttle.

Best for

Families wanting a poollate bookersanyone driving an RV

Walk times

The Grand Hotel to Tusayan shuttle stop 1 min
Best Western to IMAX 3 min
Hotel strip to South Entrance gate 4 min

Skip if: You want to walk to the rim from your room

Local tip: The Tusayan shuttle is free but only runs March through September. In winter you must drive in, and the Mather Point lot fills by 10 a.m. on weekends.

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$202per night

Williams

Route 66 town, hour from the rim, half the price.

Mid-range $110-$220/night

Williams is 60 miles south on I-40, a one-hour drive to the South Entrance. Historic Route 66 runs through downtown with neon-lit motels, the Grand Canyon Railway depot, and Cruisers Cafe on Railroad Avenue. The Grand Canyon Railway Hotel sits next to the station if you want to take the 2-hour, 15-minute train ride into the park (it drops you 100 feet from El Tovar). Rooms here cost half what Tusayan charges. The trade-off: you spend two hours in the car each day, and gas in Tusayan runs about a dollar more per gallon than Williams, so fill up before you leave.

Best for

Budget travelerstrain enthusiastsanyone visiting Sedona and Flagstaff in the same trip

Walk times

Grand Canyon Railway Hotel to depot 1 min
Downtown Williams to Cruisers Cafe 5 min
Williams to South Entrance gate 60 min

Skip if: You want sunrise at the rim or hate driving

Local tip: Skip the railway gift-shop dinner package. Walk two blocks to Pine Country Restaurant for half the price and pies that locals actually eat.

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$123per night

Valle and Highway 64 Roadside

Cheapest beds within striking distance of the gate.

Mid-range $95-$160/night

Valle is a wide spot on Highway 64, 30 miles south of the South Entrance and 25 miles north of Williams. The Grand Canyon Inn and Bedrock City sit at the junction of Highway 64 and Highway 180. There is a Flintstones-themed campground, a small airport, and a Chevron. That is the town. Rooms are basic but clean and run $95 to $130 in shoulder season. You are 25 minutes from the park gate, faster than Williams, cheaper than Tusayan. Bring snacks. The nearest real grocery store is back in Williams or up at the General Store inside the park, where a sandwich runs $14.

Best for

Road-trippers on a strict budgettravelers passing through from Sedona

Walk times

Grand Canyon Inn to Bedrock City 4 min
Valle junction to South Entrance 25 min
Valle to Tusayan 22 min

Skip if: You want any restaurant choice or a grocery store

Local tip: Fill the gas tank in Williams. The Chevron in Valle is the most expensive fuel for 50 miles in any direction.

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$106per night