Frommer's Review
This hotel has got to be one of the world's most remote. Accessible only by floating down the Colorado River or by hiking or riding a mule to the bottom of Grand Canyon, Phantom Ranch is the only park lodging below the canyon rims, and it often sells out on the first day of availability -- 13 months in advance. To reserve a spot, call as early as possible. If you arrive at the canyon without a reservation, contact the Bright Angel Transportation Desk (tel. 928/638-2631, ext. 6015) for information about openings the next day. Hikers will have an easier time getting lodging here in winter, when there are fewer mule rides to the bottom.
The reason for the booked slate? Clean sheets never felt better than at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, cold beer never tasted this good (not even close), and a hot shower never felt so, well, miraculous. The ranch's nine air-conditioned cabins are a simple pleasure. The famous Grand Canyon architect, Mary Colter, designed four of them -- the ones with the most stone in the walls are hers -- using rocks from the nearby Bright Angel Creek. Connected by dirt footpaths, they sit, natural and elegant, alongside picnic tables and under the shade of cottonwood trees. Inside each cabin, there's a desk, concrete floor, and four to ten bunk beds, as well as a toilet and sink. A shower house for guests is nearby.
While most of Phantom Ranch was completed in the 1920s and ?30s, four 10-person dorms, each with its own bathing facilities, were added in the early 1980s. Used mostly by hikers, these are ideal for individuals and small groups looking for a place to bed down; larger groups are better served by reserving cabins, which provide both privacy and a lower per-person price than the dorms.
During the day, some guests hike to Ribbon Falls or along the River Trail, while others relax, read, or write postcards that, if sent from here, will bear the unique stamp, "Mailed by mule from the bottom of the Grand Canyon." In the late afternoon, many guests and hikers from the nearby Bright Angel Campground gravitate to the canteen, which sells snacks and serves meals.
Facilities:
Canteen (American)
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.
