The Grand Canyon National Park - Yavapai Lodge

On our March 2018 trip to Grand Canyon National Park, we were fortunate enough to stay on property. I had read that Park Lodges filled up a year in advance. Since we were looking for four rooms, just two months prior to our trip, I was pretty sure we were out of luck. While I was unable to make reservations for one of the lodges near the historic Grand Canyon Village - El Tovar, Kachina Lodge, Thunderbird Lodge, or Bright Angel Lodge and Cabins, we were more than happy to find rooms available at Yavapai Lodge. Someday when we return to the Grand Canyon, we will definitely book early and stay in "the Village". Those lodges are situated almost directly on the rim, are surrounded by many interesting studios and museums, and have a great view of the Grand Canyon Railway. Until then, it was Yavapai Lodge for us!

Check-in was located at the main Lodge, just off Yavapai Lodge Road. There was ample parking outside the Lodge which shared a parking lot with a bank, a post office, and a general store. This area was considered "Market Plaza". We were pleasantly surprised by the general store which we thought would be grocery only, but actually contained a good deal of souvenir options as well as a small deli.

After parking, we entered the Yavapai Lodge and found the check-in desks immediately to our left. We were quickly attended to and received our room keys and maps. Besides check-in, the Lodge consisted of a waiting area with a fireplace, a gift shop, a small coffee counter, a bar, and a restaurant.

Once checked in, our party of four families drove a short distance to the Yavapai East section of the Lodge. Yavapai East was located on a side-street off Yavapai Lodge Road, but very close (walking distance) to the main Lodge. This area consisted of six 2-story buildings. The air-conditioned rooms were all interior facing and opened onto a hallway with an exterior entrance/exit on either end that was only accessible with a key card.

We stayed in a Yavapai East King Family room and was very comfortable. We chose this room due to the sleeping arrangement - a king sized bed and bunk beds which were a first for our kids! The room appeared newly refurbished. The beds were very comfortable and the room contained all the necessities like a mini-fridge and coffee maker. The bathroom was also very adequate. It worked well for our family of 4.

Yavapai Lodge East King Family room at Grand Canyon National Park, March 2018

We ate dinner at the Yavapai Lodge Restaurant. There were large menu boards listing food choices and then you placed your order at the counter. The food was brought to your table. I thought the entrees were tasty and that there was plenty to choose from. Others in our party thought the food was bland. My kids ate, so it was a winner in my book. In the morning our family ate the breakfast we packed - fruit, yogurt, and granola bars, but we accompanied the others to the Lodge Restaurant. The breakfast items looked hardy, but nothing special. We did purchase drinks from the coffee/hot chocolate counter and everything was delicious.

Yavapai Lodge was ideally located for our needs. We were not far from the Grand Canyon's Visitor's Center. While I suppose you could walk, there was a bit of traffic on the road and no real sidewalks, so I would suggest driving or catching a Park bus which conveniently has a stop just at the entrance to the Yavapai East Buildings (Blue Route - Market Plaza Westbound) and also the Yavapai Lodge (Blue Route - Market Plaza Eastbound). We decided to wake up early one morning to view the sunrise. We chose to drive ourselves to Yavapai Point. It was a really short drive with no traffic to speak of and the view was amazing! See our "The Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona" post for the views.

The only issue we did run across was that cell reception was terrible and there was no Wi-Fi. We were able to call between rooms, but with a large group of people on the go, it was hard to coordinate things without the use of cell phones or texting. Otherwise, I was quite happy with our accommodations at Yavapai Lodge and think you will be too.

Duration: at least 2 days
Fun Meter: 4 thumbs up
Visit date: March 2018