Frommer's Review
Guests of Bright Angel Lodge stay in tightly clustered buildings along the rim west of the main lodge. In the 1930s, the Fred Harvey Co. needed to develop new, affordable lodging for the many visitors who had begun driving to the canyon. At the company's request, Mary E. Jane Colter designed both the lodge and the cabins alongside it. The cabins were built around several historic buildings, including the park's old post office and the Bucky O'Neill Cabin, the oldest continually standing structure on the rim. Since those days, Bright Angel Lodge has become the hub (and most crowded area) of the South Rim.
Low-end accommodations start with clean, spare rooms in two long buildings adjacent to Bright Angel Lodge. As low as $99 per night, the lodge rooms are the least expensive in the park. Each has a double bed and desk but no television and some without private bathroom. Other lodge rooms have double beds and toilets but no showers. Still others are appointed like standard motel rooms, only with showers instead of tubs.
Rooms in the historic cabins cost only about $10 more than the most expensive lodge rooms and are worth the extra money. These freestanding cabins, most of which house two guest rooms, recall a time when the canyon was a refuge from civilization. Most rooms have open-frame ceilings, brightly painted window frames, and windows to spare. The rooms nearer the rim are quieter than the ones along the Village Loop Road, where bus traffic can be heavy. At the high end of the price range are the twelve rim-side cabins, which have views of the canyon, cost from $107 to $130, and probably offer the neatest overnight experience you can have in the canyon. Four include fireplaces; the historic Bucky O'Neill Cabin, one of the oldest structures in the park, boasts a fireplace, wet bar, and canyon views. It goes for $245. The rim-side cabins tend to fill up far in advance.
Facilities:
Arizona Room (American); snack bar; lounge (worth seeing); tour desk
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
