Grand Canyon Hotels: Planning Ahead for the Perfect Vacation

Jan 10
09:03

2011

Winslow Sandy

Winslow Sandy

  • Share this article on Facebook
  • Share this article on Twitter
  • Share this article on Linkedin

Research and well-laid plans are the keys to ensuring your vacation is one to remember. Here are a few tips to help you find Grand Canyon hotels and p...

mediaimage
Research and well-laid plans are the keys to ensuring your vacation is one to remember. Here are a few tips to help you find Grand Canyon hotels and plan ahead.

When taking a trip to the Grand Canyon,Grand Canyon Hotels: Planning Ahead for the Perfect Vacation Articles where you stay can have an undeniable bearing on how much you enjoy your vacation. There are many Grand Canyon hotels in the area to choose from, but all of them are different, so you will have to decide what amenities are important for you and weigh your choices.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself when choosing between Grand Canyon hotels.

How close do you want to be to the park?

There are plenty of lodgings available only about a mile away from the park, in Tusayan, as well as lodgings right inside the park, at the South Rim. You give up something either way: If you stay inside the park, you make some sacrifices as to the food that you'll be eating during the vacation, and certain niceties such as wireless Internet access and cell phone service. If you stay in a Tusayan hotel, on the other hand, you will forego the convenience of having the park right there when you walk out your doors in the morning, not to mention the spectacular view outside your windows!

Do you need Internet access and cell phone service?

Staying inside the park can mean beautiful views right outside your window, but at the same time, it also means you will be rather cut off from your ordinary life -- no cell phone service and no Internet access. You will have a TV and a telephone, but for visitors who want to be able to talk to friends and family members, and blog or Facebook about your trip, you will need to stay outside the park in order to find those amenities.

What else are you planning on doing during your vacation?

If you plan on spending some time in the park, but also doing other things such as eating at nicer restaurants, you will probably want to stay outside of the park. Staying in Tusayan is still pretty convenient, since you are only a mile from the South Rim entrance, but at the same time you will enjoy nicer hotels and have more choice in restaurants and other entertainment. If you are planning on focusing almost solely on the park, on the other hand, taking tours and going hiking as well as other activities, you might benefit from staying right in the park. The accommodations are typically pretty functional and the food is mostly cafeteria-quality, but for the serious park-goer, staying here makes sense!

How much do you want to spend?

How much you spend on Grand Canyon hotels will depend on how close to the park you stay. Staying inside the park is typically the most expensive, as you are paying for convenience and magnificent views. The cheapest lodging is about $80 a night, with prices climbing from there, depending on how nice of a room you choose. If you stay just outside the park in a Tusayan hotel, you will likely also pay a little more than usual, as you are combining close proximity to the park with the offerings of a tourist town. The farther you get away from the park, the more reasonable the rates will be, but of course, the longer you have to drive to get there and back every day.