Built on the site of an early trading post at the mouth of Canyon de Chelly, Thunderbird Lodge is the closest hotel to the national monument. The red-adobe construction of the lodge itself is reminiscent of ancient pueblos, and the presence on the property of an old stone-walled trading post gives this place lots of character. However, the rooms here are not quite as modern or as comfortable as those at the nearby Holiday Inn. The old trading post now is a cafeteria that serves a few Navajo dishes. There’s also a shop that sells Navajo rugs.