Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel

For most visitors to Bryce Canyon, the practical question is where to sleep within easy reach of sunrise at the rim, and the Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel is the most reliable answer. It stands at 30 North 100 East in Bryce Canyon City, the small cluster of hotels, restaurants and shops at the park's northern gateway on State Route 63, roughly a mile from the park boundary and a short drive to the visitor center and the classic viewpoints. The hotel is one of the newer properties in town, and its rooms are bright and comfortable, each with a TV, microwave, refrigerator and free WiFi; some have jetted tubs and some have kitchenettes, and accessible rooms are available. The facilities are a step up from the motels that dominate the area. A heated indoor pool keeps swimming possible all year, which matters at an elevation where winter nights are well below freezing, and in summer an outdoor pool and hot tub are added. A fitness center rounds out the amenities. A free buffet breakfast is served every morning, which makes it easy to fuel up before heading to the rim for sunrise or packing out for a long day on the trails. Check-in is from 4pm and check-out at 11am. The hotel is part of the cluster of properties around the historic Ruby's Inn, so the restaurants, general store, gas station and activities of Bryce Canyon City are within walking distance or a short drive, and in summer the park shuttle has a stop in town. Confirm the pet policy directly before booking if traveling with a pet.

Bryce Canyon City is an unusual town: it grew up around Ruby's Inn, founded in the early twentieth century by the Syrett family, who were among the first to bring tourists to the rim. Today it is a compact strip of lodgings, restaurants, shops and a rodeo arena on the high plateau just north of the park entrance, and the Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel is one of its most modern and comfortable options. Rooms are well designed and quiet, the beds are good, and the pools and breakfast make it a favorite with families and road-trippers.

Making the most of it. Set an early alarm for sunrise: from the hotel, it is a short drive to Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, Inspiration Point and Bryce Point, and arriving before dawn is the single best thing you can do in Bryce. Have breakfast afterwards, then hike the Navajo Loop and Queen's Garden or drive the park road to Rainbow Point. Spend the afternoon at the pool, and in the evening, look for stargazing programs in the park or simply walk out into the dark sky. In winter, the indoor pool is a welcome warm-up after snowshoeing, and Presidents Day weekend brings the Bryce Canyon Winter Festival to the Ruby's Inn complex nearby.

Who should stay. Families, road-trippers and anyone who wants modern comfort and a pool close to the park. It is a chain hotel rather than a characterful lodge, and it lacks the canyon views of The Lodge at Bryce Canyon, which closes for winter. But with the in-park lodge seasonal and options limited, the Bryce Canyon Grand is the dependable choice year-round.