Grand Canyon Hotel & Suites, the former Holiday Inn Express in Tusayan, is the straightforward value pick a mile from the South Entrance, with free breakfast and an indoor pool. Tusayan hotels sit outside the park gate, so they are a dependable alternative to in-park lodging.
You may know this hotel as the Holiday Inn Express Grand Canyon. Xanterra Travel Collection, which runs most of the South Rim's lodges, took over the property and renamed it Grand Canyon Hotel & Suites. It sits in Tusayan about a mile from the park's South Entrance, directly across the street from The Grand Hotel, and it is a convenient alternative to lodging inside the park. With 197 rooms and suites, it is a good mid-size option when you want something predictable and close to the gate.
The appeal is simple and practical. Breakfast is included: a continental spread of pastries, bagels, cereal, yogurt, fruit, juice, coffee and tea, which gets you out the door early for sunrise. There is a heated indoor pool and hot tub for the evening, and rooms come with air conditioning, satellite TV, Wi-Fi, a refrigerator, microwave and coffeemaker.
Room types include standard rooms with one or two queens or one king, king suites, and a family suite with a king bed and bunk beds that sleeps up to five. Rollaway beds are not allowed, but cribs are free. All rooms are non-smoking.
What you do not get is a full restaurant on site. For dinner, walk across the road to the Canyon Star Steakhouse at The Grand Hotel, or eat elsewhere in Tusayan or at the rim. It is a chain-style hotel in feel, so it lacks the character of the historic lodges, but it is usually cheaper than The Grand Hotel and the Squire for similar convenience.
The free seasonal shuttle into the park, run by NPS, saves you the parking hunt in the village; outside shuttle season you will drive the 7 miles to Grand Canyon Village. Book well ahead for spring and summer, when Tusayan fills quickly, and check whether your rate is refundable in case your plans change.
Why stay here
- ✓Formerly the Holiday Inn Express Grand Canyon, now operated by Xanterra
- ✓About a mile from the South Entrance, across the street from The Grand Hotel
- ✓197 rooms and suites, including family suites with a king and bunk beds
- ✓Free continental breakfast
- ✓Heated indoor pool and hot tub
- ✓Refrigerator, microwave and coffeemaker in rooms
- ✓On or near the seasonal Tusayan shuttle route
- ✓Cribs are free; rollaway beds are not allowed
Good questions
Is this the old Holiday Inn Express?+
Yes. The former Holiday Inn Express in Tusayan is now Grand Canyon Hotel & Suites. Some booking sites still show the old name, so look for the Tusayan location across from The Grand Hotel.
Is breakfast included?+
Yes, a free continental breakfast is included with your stay, which makes early starts for sunrise easy. There is no full-service restaurant in the building, but the Canyon Star Steakhouse is across the street for lunch and dinner.
Is it a good choice for families?+
Yes. The family suite has a king bed and bunk beds and sleeps up to five, cribs are free, and the indoor pool is open year-round. Note that rollaway beds are not allowed, so pick the right room type when you book.
