More about Thunderbird Lodge
loved the Thunderbird Lodge
by TripAdvisor Member mousemmw
Stayed one night at the Thunderbird. Opened our curtains to a sunrise over the canyon. Convenient location. Bad parking. Room was very clean. A Dinner at the Bright Angel was good for teens and adults. Food in the Bright Angel bar was mediocre. Small burgers, artickoke dip was commercial. Best deal in bar- $1.95 hot dog. We came in the afternoon and the park was overrun with tourists. The next morning it was wonderful to walk outside our room and enjoy the canyon without all the people.
View with a room
by TripAdvisor Member enzopdoodle
We stay in national parks often, so we're used to paying a premium for so-so rooms. We were pleased with the Thunderbird Lodge and thrilled to find a room there though we had booked the Yavapai Lodge, away from the rim and decorated like a minimum-security prison. Frankly, I could stay in a shack at the Grand Canyon and not care--I love the place that much. You're not there for deluxe accommodations; you're there to gaze at one of the most gorgeous landscapes on earth. We got up at 5:30, walked a few steps out the door, and drank in the quiet wonder of the sunrise.
Great view! Comfortable with the best location.
by A TripAdvisor Member
Stayed here two nights. The room has been obviously remodeled recently. The bathroom was very nice. (Tile, Nice Soaps, Etc.) While it is stated that it is a one star establishment, I would give it a two and a half to three star. If the view and location mattered when giving stars, it would be a 5 star. We ate at the resort’s Arizona Room restaurant. The food was very excellent. Really though, you are here for the canyon. The thunderbird lodge gives you the amenities to thoroughly enjoy your canyon experience.
Not a nice experience
by TripAdvisor Member jds349
My wife and I planned to stay in the park during our US holiday. We had booked a room at the Thunderbird Lodge many months ago after finding the advertisement on the internet and reading some reviews here. We weren't expecting the Hilton but just the same we were quite disappointed once we arrived. There was no parking to be found anywhere closeby, we parked across the railway line and walked up to the checkin. The girl behind the desk apologised about the lack of parking explaining that National Parks would not allow the lodge to reserve spaces for customers. We would just have to take our chances if we found a vacancy. We went to our upstairs canyon side room and found that the room had an overpowering stuffy smell. My wife was instantly turned off, we opened some windows to find that the canyon view we were expecting to see was a view of a roof. Considering the lack of parking and view, but mainly the terrible smell, we decided not to stay and checked out. The staff were very understanding and apologetic, and checked us out without fuss. At least that was a positive experience.
Kick off the New Year at the Grand Canyon!
by A TripAdvisor Member
Our family of 5 spent our first few days of 2006 at the Thunderbird Lodge. Our travel agent had recommended it to us, so we booked it not knowing it was only a 1-star hotel. But we were up to an adventure! We arrived late at night so we couldn't see much except the beautiful stars! When we woke up, WHOOOAAA! The Grand Canyon was right out of our lodge! We would highly recommend this lodge. It is clean & has ALL the necessary items needed...tv, remodeled bathroom w/nice toiletries & a good amount of room. But the whole point is to see the Grand Canyon, right?! The scenery is breathtaking & you don't have to drive to it because it's right outside your door...literally! That's what we really loved about it! It's more like a 4-star hotel! And the food is great! Both the Arizona Room & the Bright Angel Restaurant as well! We would definitely stay here again!
Unexpectedly nice!
by TripAdvisor Member tinka14
We arrived here after 7 days of Vegas fantasy at the Bellagio expecting to get real with a bump.To be honest, we didn't know what to expect, Lodge in the UK could mean a log cabin! The building isn't the prettiest to look at but it is right up close to the edge of the Grand Canyon and we did book a side Canyon View room which we got....wasn't the best view of the Canyon but yes, you can see it from your window and you only have to walk for 30 secs to get a better view! Inside, the rooms looked quite fresh with fridge,TV, coffee making facilities,two queen beds and everything you need to ensure you had a good night's rest and yes, it was very quiet after Vegas! You check in at the Bright Angel Lodge next door which is very pretty and we ate at the restaurant that night, had excellent food and service and had breakfast there as well. I would recommend the Thunderbird Lodge and would stay there again.
It was fine.
by TripAdvisor Member st-bird
We stayed one night in the Thunderbird Lodge, ground floor, canyon side. It was supposed to be a canyon view room, but you really could only see the very top. That was okay. The best part about staying here or at any of the other park hotels/lodges, is that you have that rim area in the evenings and mornings with very little crowd. In fact, I suspect that very few of the day use people actually come to that part of the canyon. It just didn't seem crowded. The room itself was okay. It was clean, but in bad need of being renovated, I think. The service was good and everyone was very nice. It has a bolted down room safe which I liked--didn't have to take my purse everywhere. The little soaps, etc., were better than most hotels. We were pleased to find a newspaper outside our door in the morning. There was no VCR or DVD in our room, and there were limited cable channels on the TV, but you really don't spend much time watching TV!! We ate both breakfast and dinner at the Angel Bright Restaurant--the one inside the lodge. There is another one (can't remember the name) at Bright Angel which you enter from the outside--it serves steaks and ribs. I think I'd try that next time. The Bright Angel restaurant was okay and we'd eat there again. We were lucky to drive in and get a parking spot right away. I'd suggest that you plan to arrive between 10 and 11 a.m. if possible. A lot of people leave at that time since it is check out at 11. Day people who come in and take the parking spaces usually leave late afternoon. We enjoyed our stay there and the canyon is beautiful.
What a View!
by TripAdvisor Member Canton,MI
I made the reservation 10 months in advance for our 2nd floor room with a view on the rim of the Grand Canyon at the Thunderbird Lodge. What a view! Don't be put off by the looks of the hotel from the outside. The rooms have been recently updated with fresh carpet, nice beds, a small fridge, safe and beautiful tilework in the bathrooms. Look for the cute animal tiles in the shower! The area was very busy in the middle of the day, but by sundown everything quiets down and you have the view practically to yourself. There were also very few people out in the early morning. This is the perfect time for a leisurely stroll 20 feet from your room to take another look down. The lodge is where the action is with ranger programs in the area, numerous restaurants, trailheads, and shops. The train stops right in front of the hotel and should be considered instead of driving.
Parking is a big problem, but we nabbed a place right in front of the hotel at 3:00 and didn't move the car the whole time since the buses are right there and take you all around the park.
Try the Arizona restaurant for a very nice meal. I recommend the beef tenderloin highly. They open at 4:30 and it is best to arrive there then if you don't want a long wait. They do provide buzzers so you don't have to just sit there.
The Bright Angel restaurant is OK and less expensive with a good selection of the usual meals. We had 2 breakfasts and a dinner there.
The kids will really enjoy the fossil walk where you look for fossils with a ranger and the condor talk about the 70 condors currently in the park. The condors are often found near the lodge in the late afternoon. Both talks start close to the lodge.
On the edge!
by TripAdvisor Member JB30
For the price the national park accommodation is very good value. The canyon view room was precisely that albeit with a lower floor obscuring some of the view of the rim. The room was fine but the location more than made up for it. You are literally steps away from the rim and the place to be to maximise your visting time to the Grand Canyon. Remember it is about 15-20 minutes to Tusayan and longer if you try to get in the park at peak times. Parking is terrible if you get there in the afternoon and there is far too few places to eat, queues of 45 minutes to 1 hour at 7:30, so we headed to Tusayan for more choice and less wait. Booking in advance is thoroughly recommended but if the hotels are full when you go to book keep looking, cancellations are fequently made and some lucky people who checked in in front of us even turned up on the day and paid the same rate as we did!
Forum Posts
Route for Canyon de Chelly to Monument Valley
by kop-queen
I've keyed the route into Mapquest for this trip and it appears to take us on a "cross country" route. My map suggests main roads would be 191 North then 163 west.
We will be haeding from MV towards the GC the next day so it would also seem sensible not to have to back track.
About how long does it take in practice - either way? Again Mapquest is suggesting 4hrs 17 and 108 miles but our previous days travel from Holbrook to CdC is suggesting 2hrs 34 for 127 miles?
I'm trying to anticipate stop over requirements. Holbrook will be one then we will drive thro Petrified Forest on the way to CdC where we should spend at least a half day. Then probably almost a full day at MV??? What do you think?
KQ
Re: Route for Canyon de Chelly to Monument Valley
by Jadorry
Hi,
Sometimes Mapquest is not practical....Holbrook plus the visit of Petrified Forest/Painted desert, plus the drive to CdC will take less than a day...depending how early you start from Holbrook !!
Yes indeed, frm CdC take 191N, cross 160 and then left into 163W. That's a very easy half day but arriving at end of afternoon in MV is magnificient ! It will also give you a chance to get a motel in Mexican Hat (sanjuaninn.com, for instance) and then next a.m enjoy the sunrise colors to drive the road inside MV Navajo land Don't bother to ride the Navajo's trucks...bumpy and without air conditionning !!.
I don't know which of the 3 motels you picked up in Chinle/CdC but I stayed at the Thunderbird lodge...VERY nice at the entrance of CdC
Well enough of my talking !!
have a good trip
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