Bright Angel Lodge: An Honest Review

Every year 5 million people visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, but where do they all stay? Fortunately, there are 5 hotels within the Grand Canyon Village.

The Bright Angel Lodge was designed by Mary Jane Colter in 1935 and built for tourists on moderate incomes. There are 90 rustic cabin units, some right on the rim. These cabins have no central air but most have a coffee maker, mini-fridge, and telephone. Depending on the unit you are in, you may or may not have a television or private bath. The Bright Angel Lodge Cabins are one of the most sought-after accommodations because they are the cheapest lodging option at the Grand Canyon.

I’m Cheryl and I live in the West. My husband and I write travel guides to help people have amazing vacations. I’ve stayed at lots of national park lodges, including this one. Read on to see if a stay at the Bright Angel Lodge is a good pick for you.

Pros and Cons of Bright Angel At a Glance

Pros	Cons
Right on the rim of the Grand Canyon	Expensive
Least expensive in-the-park lodging at the South Rim	More expensive than staying in Williams, AZ
Historic and charming	Very thin walls
Variety of dining on-site	May have to share a bathroom
Within walking distance to shuttle stops	No TV, AC, microwave or fridge
Hub of many park activities	No dedicated parking lot
My #1 choice of lodging at the Grand Canyon	No lobby
	Rooms are very small

Location

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is actually quite compact. The Grand Canyon Village and Visitor Center area is only 13 square miles.

All 5 of the lodges are within these 13 miles. There are free shuttles running throughout the village and the surrounding areas throughout the day every 15-30 minutes to make it easy for those visiting to park to get to and from the sights from their hotel.

Staying in the National Park means you won’t have to wait in any long lines just to get into the park. You can also get rooms so close to the canyon that you can see it from your window! If you want to know more about the other lodging options when visiting the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, you can read our blog post Where to Stay at the Grand Canyon: Options & Our Recommendations (South Rim)

Rooms

Bright Angel Lodge has a few different places to stay. There are some individual cabins, but we stayed in the Bridger Building which included a hall with several rooms. Our room was tiny, to say the least. Right next to the headboard of our bed was the door to our room. If you are in bed, someone walks by, and your door is open, you are literally 2 feet from each other. I’ve never seen a setup like this and my husband didn’t like it.

One thing that surprised me was that our room came with a coffee maker AND a mini fridge. Fridges are rarely in national park lodges. We also had a blow dryer and fan (since the room has no A/C).

Although we had a window, we did not have views of the Grand Canyon. The good news was that about 100 feet from our room, we were right on the rim and had amazing views.

The bathroom was small and had a pedestal sink. The included shampoos and soaps smelled nice and the towels were soft. Plus, perfect water pressure (what a relief!)

Our room was clean and our bed was comfortable. We paid ~$172 for our one night in a standard room and we were grateful we got it. Reservations open 12-13 months in advance and the rooms with private bathrooms go fast. The room isn’t worth the money but the lobby and location are.

One last thing to know is that TVs are rarely in national park lodges (at least to my knowledge). I guess the National Park Service wants us to get out and enjoy nature and mingle with other travelers. I’m grateful for the mild suggestion to get out more.

Prefer to camp? Read Where to Camp at the Grand Canyon (South Rim)

Amenities

Bright Angel Lodge is right in the middle of all the action. Many activities like mule rides and bus tours meet here making it really convenient.

I loved the easy access to the Grand Canyon Shuttles. In just a short walk, I could catch the Blue Line or Red Line Shuttle. It was perfect.

The Bright Angel History Room is another plus. You don’t need to be staying here to visit, but it’s a cool room filled with artifacts from the Grand Canyon’s history. My favorite is looking at the old dishes and uniforms that the Harvey Girls used to wear.

There is a small lobby with a cool fireplace and an old-fashioned stage coach, but it’s not like the fancy lobbies of many other national park lodges that include great views, lots of seating, and cool lighting. The Bright Angel Lodge lobby feels more like a transportation hub than a comforting lobby to relax and meet other guests.

Don’t Miss: Grand Canyon Beginner’s Guide: Itinerary + Lodging & Tips

Food

The Bright Angel Lodge is home to a few restaurants including Harvey House Cafe, Harvey House Tavern, Bright Angel Fountain, Bright Angel Food Truck (usually parked outside), and the Arizona Steakhouse. Reservations are recommended for the Arizona Steakhouse. There are also several restaurants within walking distance for Bright Angel Lodge including the El Tovar Dining Room and the Maswick Food Court. You can read Where To Eat at the Grand Canyon if you want to know more.

Know Before You Go

The Bright Angel Lodge is open year-round. Guests can stay in cabins or lodge-type rooms, some with private bathrooms and others with shared ones. Most rooms accommodate 2-4 people. I once called Xanterra (who runs most of the lodging in the Grand Canyon) and was told there was only 1 room in the entire Grand Canyon Village that accommodates 6 people, and that is one of the cabins at Bright Angel Lodge.

The Wi-Fi works well. This totally surprised me because it’s the only national park lodge I’ve ever stayed in where that was the case.

There is no designated parking. Parking in the Grand Canyon Village can be challenging. It’s one of the great things about staying in the Grand Canyon Village. Once you’ve parked and settled in, there is no reason to have to drive around and park again because the shuttle system can get you everywhere you’ll want to go.

The problem is that there may not be a parking spot available near your room or cabin. I found this to be stressful as we had to circle the parking lot like vultures for a few minutes before a spot opened up.

The cost is pretty affordable. If you are willing to sleep in rustic accommodations and share a bathroom, you can get a room/cabin for under $100 per night in the off-season. April-October, common rates range from $130-$230, depending on the room and the day. If you choose to stay in any of the other park lodges, you can expect to pay between $250-$400 per night.

Reservations are available 12-13 months in advance and they have a very generous cancellation policy.

In most cases, reservations are fully refundable if cancelations are made within the contracted time. It isn’t uncommon for rooms to become available on short notice. However, it does require vigilance in checking availability every morning and throughout the day for openings.

Cheaper lodging and better food in Williams, AZ. Even though I believe that $130 isn’t too pricey to stay within the national park, Williams, AZ, offers much more affordable lodging. It’s an hour away, but rooms can be as low as $50 at certain times of the year. It’s a cute Route 66 town with lots of good places to eat and many locally-owned places to stay. Plus, it’s the home of the Grand Canyon Railway. You can read all about it in 9 AWESOME Things to Do in Williams, AZ (+ Helpful Guide).

Tusyan, AZ may be a good choice for you. Just 10 minutes away from the Grand Canyon is Tusyan, AZ. This is a good place if you are used to staying in chain hotels and eating at chain restaurants. Typical rooms cost as much as it does to stay within the park but many have amenities including free breakfast, swimming pools, and fitness rooms that national park lodging does not.

We choose not to stay here because we think Tusyan lacks charm and if we are going to pay national park lodging prices, we’d rather stay in the Grand Canyon Village.

If you want to know more about lodging options, read Where To Stay At the Grand Canyon: Options and Our Recommendations.

Should You Stay At Bright Angel Lodge and Cabins?

If you want to be in the middle of the action, stay in a historic building, and save some money, this is a good pick. Even though I wasn’t a huge fan of the thin walls and the difficulty finding parking, I loved my stay here and would do it again.

Pros	Cons
Right on the rim of the Grand Canyon	Expensive
Least expensive in-the-park lodging at the South Rim	More expensive than staying in Williams, AZ
Historic and charming	Very thin walls
Variety of dining on-site	May have to share a bathroom
Within walking distance to shuttle stops	No TV, AC, microwave or fridge
Hub of many park activities	No dedicated parking lot
My #1 choice of lodging at the Grand Canyon	No lobby
	Rooms are very small

Is There Anything Else I Should Know?

Yes! Planning a trip to a national park can take days. It can be overwhelming and stressful. Let us lighten the load. Check out our must-have Travel Itinerary to the Grand Canyon.

Our itinerary provides you with a daily (yet flexible) plan to help you efficiently see the park. It will get you to the most important places, at the right time to avoid the crowds, by telling you exactly how to do it. You can’t go wrong. Get your travel itinerary today!