Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel

Went here with my grandma, mom, sister, and step dad a few years ago and absolutely loved it. The staff was nice, the rooms made you feel like you were staying somewhere way more fancy, and there was dinner and breakfast vouchers for our meals where you could just grab what you wanted. While this might have changed because of the pandemic, I still highly recommend this. The train ride was peaceful and fun with all the different people you meet, and the grand canyon was beautiful. Would definitely recommend as the way to go to see the canyon itself. Made the experience so much easier and fun.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The hotel has the personality and look of a boutique hotel. It feels like a step back in time - to a simpler, calmer time. We stayed two nights and rode the Grand Canyon Railroad to see the Grand Canyon. The scenic train ride was enjoyable with storytelling by Lady Jane, our PSA (Passenger Service Attendant), and live music. We highly recommend this hotel and train experience to families of all ages. We were very satisfied with our package deal that included our stay, railroad transportation, and buffet meals at Fred Harvey Restaurant. We were also pleased and excited that our purchase of Railroad tickets also permitted us to return to the park by our personal vehicle the next day at no additional charge.

We had a fabulous stay at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel! The location couldn’t have been better—just steps from the charming downtown area with restaurants and shops, and right next to the railway station where we boarded the train to the Grand Canyon. The facilities were wonderful. The lobby was beautiful and welcoming, the bar was a great place to relax in the evening, and our room was clean, spacious, and very comfortable. Customer service was outstanding—friendly, helpful, and attentive throughout our stay. Overall, it was a perfect experience and made our Grand Canyon adventure even more special. Highly recommend!

When I was doing research on where to stay near the Grand Canyon for our 'end of summer family road trip, I found so many options, but what caught my attention was the option for family packages. And of course the train ride. I absolutely love riding on trains. Imagine my surprise when we get there and realize that everything and everyone in this hotel was amazing. I can't think of one negative thing to say. The rooms, the train ride, the food, the pool and the area are spectacular! I am already planning a return trip. You won't regret staying here!

We booked the 2 nights Grand Canyon railway package and enjoyed 2 nights at the hotel, its a very traditional hotel and a little dated but very clean. We booked the dulex room! ||Our package was brilliant value as included breakfast and a buffet dinner, the breakfast spread was really good and even offered freshly made omelette, the dinner for was average and the best was the freshly made pasta. ||The train experience was really good we booked first class going and the luxury parlor coming back. Both were great, with comfty seats, and complimentary soft drinks and the host was brilliant with useful information for when at the canyon.||Make sure you do walk into williams as its a cool town and part of the route 66 drive ||Id recommend, booking the package!

Amtrak Vacations booked the GCRH and I was very satisfied in general. The room was spacious and the bathroom had excellent hot water and body wash, shampoo/conditioner. Body lotion and hand wash in sink. Plenty of towels. The Fred Harvey restaurant right across street has a lovely gift shop and the trip included 1 breakfast and 1 dinner. On my last night I did find a stained bed sheet, which I reported to the front desk. The lobby had cold water in a decanter, which was welcome. I was booked for two nights; different rooms, 1st & last night in Williams Arizona.

Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel was a great place to visit. The whole town is geared towards these services. The hotel reception staff was warm, friendly and informative. All staff we encountered at the train depot and Fred Harvey restaurant were friendly and helpful. The train trip was relaxing and entertaining, from the tour guide to the roving singers. The entire experience was fantastic and fun. I highly recommend this experience.

Great hotel and had a great awesome time on the train out to the Grand canyon. That show that they do on before the train is fantastic, our kids loved it! Hotel staff was friendly and clean. Can't guarantee this but everybody at the hotel was also just very nice people.

We stayed at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel for one night for the Polar Express package. The hotel was packed for the weekend for the holiday season but the check in process was quite easy once at the counter. The hotel was decorated for the holidays with some cute photo ops around the property. The room was clean and had some nice toiletries that are environment friendly as they are in large bottles vs small plastic bottles. The Polar Express package included dinner and breakfast at the hotel restaurant which was convenient to stay on site. You can definitely hear noise through the walls as the hotel is full of families with young children. The workers are all really nice and accommodating. Overall we had a great stay here. We only did the Polar Express train ride but there's lots of people there for the Grand Canyon tours they offer. There's a few other places for families to check out while in Williams so you can make a nice family getaway weekend while you're here.

Very friendly front desk staff! Room was clean. Pub was cute and the drinks were great. Had everything organized for our railway package and spa lined everything thoroughly. Great experience.

We went for polar express. Very expensive. The dinner buffet was not fresh and the food wasn't replenished. Breakfast was yummy. The train ride is fun and long. But the room temp hot cocoa and hard cookies were not it. The rooms are fine but overall for the price, I didn't feel like it met the value of what we paid for.

We did the full package, which includes this awesome hotel, train ride to the Grand Canyon South Rim, and Fred Harvey Restaurant. All you can eat delicious breakfast and dinner. Everything in Williams is the Train Ride, the stay at the Grand Canyon Railroad Hotel and the Fred Harvey Restaurant. The service on all levels is outstanding. The entertainment on the train ride is fun and a variety of entertainers. Clean, well kept, and historic at the same time. This package is beyond words in value, adventure and enrichment in history.

We enjoyed the train ride. The staff was great. The views were lovely. It drops you off close to the main canyon area. I liked the luxury car better than the luxury view car, as the latter was very cramped. This is a great way of getting into the grand canyon.

We had a really great experience on our first time visit to the south rim of the Grand Canyon, booking the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel package. The package was perfect for us, as all we had to do was get to the hotel, check in and everything else was taken care of. The package included a two night stay, two breakfasts and two dinners at the on site Fred Harvey buffet restaurant. We also booked the Grand Canyon bus tour which included a buffet lunch at the Maswik. The hotel is grand with lots of old charm. We enjoyed cocktails before dinner at Spencer's. I was impressed with the cleanliness of the rooms. We were very comfortable. The train ride was about 2.5 hours each way. It was slow and leisurely. If you take this for the Polar Express trip, it would be only 45 minutes each way, stopping at the "North Pole" before heading back . Our hostess in the first class car was Teyrel, who shared many interesting stories. She was awesome! The first class car was definitely worth it for service, comfort, light snacks and drinks, and the nice woman's lounge. We were entertained with live one-man/one-woman band music and train robbers. The train drops off right below the El Tovar Lodge, where you immediately jump on the tour bus. The bus tour was about two hours and hit major view points. The GC is absolutely beautiful! The buffet lunch at Maswik was efficient and quick. Food was okay. We had enough time after the bus tour to check out the lodge and Hopi house before we had to board the train back to Williams. The hotel and train ride does a good job of accommodating handicap customers. Lots of seniors here! Some families with young kids too. In summary, this package is a great way to go to get a taste for what the Grand Canyon has to offer, and if you just want a leisurely, relaxing ride. This is not for the more adventurous hikers who don't have the patience for a train ride and who have the time to stay a while for exploring the trails and all that the GC has to offer.

Room was clean, comfortable and within walking distance to meals, train and downtown.

The hotel was fine for what it was but very mediocre at best. The check in they told us they'd reserve a king but when we got here they said they only have one king room in the whole place. They don't do housekeeping during stay. It's set up for volume. It's not meant to be welcoming. But it wasn't cheap

Thank you, Gina, for a fabulous train adventure to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. My wife and I were thoroughly entertained and informed with all of your knowledge as well as your upbeat personality as a train guide. Anyone who is interested in sitting back and taking a leisurely trip from the hotel to the Grand Canyon should reserve a spot on the Kokopelli car with Gina. Also, Gina recommended that we stop in Seligman on our way west and visit Lilo's Restaurant for some great food. Could not have been a better recommendation! We even visited Angel's Barber Shop in Seligman and learned a ton about the history of Route 66. Thanks again, Gina, for a great day on the railway!

Stayed one night in a deluxe room (2313). One queen beds mattress was so bad that I had to use the other one. The bathroom is large and the ac worked great and was pretty quiet. Their main restaurant is buffet style which is not my fav. However. The food was good and flavorful. They also have a pub that serves food and cocktails but didn't try it. Everyone who is employed here is super friendly and welcoming. It's a true inspiration. The train to the Grand Canyon is great. Recommend first class. For the price you can't go wrong. Xanterra is a great company and does a great job offering affordable travel. Highly recommend and would do it again.

Interested in a ride of your lifetime? Planning an adventure trip through time . Perhaps the most fun way of exploring history is Is by railway. I call it, reliving the unforeseen tales of history.. While making connections along a trail of historical sites. Suppose there is truth behind the old saying. Dead men tell no tales. Then let truth behold, unseen ghost always leave behind shining trails.

This is a fun place to stay because it is near the train and that's the point. You board just a couple of hundred feet from the hotel. It couldn't be easier. The rooms are nice and functional - not luxurious but they have what you need. One thing I noticed - instant (the fastest I've ever experienced) hot water and I assume that's because the hotel doesn't want you wasting water waiting for it to get hot. There is a serious drought in Arizona. We did not dine at the hotel restaurant but there is one and there are many restaurants all around. We went to a nearby, fun brewery pub and also a Thai place that was good. There are lots of restaurants and bars within walking distance of the hotel. The hotel staff was extremely nice and helpful especially the fellow who works the door. I would stay here again - no doubt. I have only one suggestion: remind guests that there is a drought and encourage them to save water. I noticed that the hotel has done this is operational ways (fast hot water in the bathrooms, low-flow shower heads, etc.) but I think guests would want to be aware and help out. We all need to pitch in on this problem.

Decided to take the family to Williams AZ, for the Train to the Grand Canyon! Hotels are scarce in Wiliams but the Grand Canyon Hotel & Train Package if for just the ease of staying from the departure & arrival point is perfect. Arriving at the property, workman were present, & painting the main drive entry. As we approached there was a lot of activity, with a man basket & such. We stopped to avoid getting in their way, & every one of these workman immediately recognized us in their area & responded with smiles & removing all obstacles so we could enter. They greeted us & as I apologized for us stopping their progress they stated "no, thank you for staying & excuse us" Now you may ask yourself why this part of the review is important. Because from their vendors to service providers everyone we engaged with over 24 hours was very hospitality minded & demonstrated how grateful they were for visitors. All of this made perfect sense when on our return trip the next day, our wonderful PSA on the train Teryl said "that the entire town & region were thankful for every one who came to take the train & stay in Williams because it's their towns most valued source of revenue". The entire team truly embodies making you feel welcomed & appreciated. I did the online pre check in & it helped. Desk agents were busy but pleasant. Room was adequate. Beds were on the firm side. The bathroom was roomy but the shower, water pressure & hot water temperature was five star! We added the dining options to the package at the onsite Buffet. The staff was awesome. The meal options were adequate but filling. Great mashed potatoes & the beef tenderloin were good. Now where the restaurant shined was the breakfast buffet. Lots of selections & great coffee. The French toast, fruits & omelette station were all fantastic but the staff again 5 star. Cowboy show happens at 9 am sharp. Here is the twist, not a one of these people knew my industry or background of 40 years or that I once operated an historic attraction in the state for almost 9 years, so I know a bit about hospitality & tourism. But all the cowboys were engaging, inviting, & genuinely making a few hundred people feel welcomed. We saw an actual surprise Engagement they assisted with & I got picked, to be picked on in the show by the cowboys & thank God the Marshall showed up, saved me from some cheating horse thieves...LOL It was FUN. Now here is where our day get away, became a full blown vacation adventure. We had our tickets & I upgraded to the dome car. That's the way to go. The view was incredible & we had the top of the car to ourselves. But the difference was the PSA. Teryl like Cheryl but with a T was her line but her stories, her smile & warm engagement was perfect. We loved her. Mind you she is also the bartender & hot chocolate maker, in the car, yet she juggled it all masterfully. On the way to the canyon she mentioned she was willing to show anyone that wanted to wait for her, a special heart stone in the rock wall that went along with one of her stories. We were the only ones that took her up on it. Now mind you she was older & so we took our time walking with her, along the way we asked her questions, & got to know her a bit. She was awesome & all the extra details she gave us, honestly it made the whole trip even better. Her stories are as amazing as the canyon & she has done her research! We did some follow up on what she shared, the history & stories she shared have even more crazy to it.. Her meal recommendations at the El Tovar were spot on. We got lucky to get in without a reservation. After we got to the heart shaped stone, to which she took our pic, wish now, we would have gotten a pic with her, we parted. On the way back we tried to request to ride with Teryl again because we were assigned another car but the computers were crashed. The staff though allowed us to ride back with Teryl. It was simply a great trip back to Williams & yeagh the Grand Canyon was gorgeous but Teryl & the Grand Canyon Railway team made sure it was going to be a life long memory for us. We did make some other friends along the way who tried to steal a few minutes in the dome & the way Teryl & team showed them patience but also made us feel appreciated for upgrading our seats & making sure we received the value of them. The train performers were awesome & the Marshall dropped by & saved the day yet again. that's a surprise. Make sure you have some cash, dollars or such for tipping & an added bit of adventure for your kids on the way back. It's worth the laughs. The Hotel, train & gift shops at the depot were great, but the staff, everyone of them from hostess to servers & our now family friend Teryl, are what made it 5 star.

Stayed here last night as part of the Polar Express train ride package. No idea why some of these reviewers are blown away they aren't seeing or receiving the same amount of service and amenities you'd get from a 5-star resort. We were in Room 2116. Sure, it could use some updates and the privacy shades on the blinds were fastened together by a paperclip. BUT the room was incredibly clean. No odd smells or stains. The bathroom was honestly one of the cleanest I've ever seen in any hotel. The room was quiet and comfortable for the little time we spent in it. Customer service was great. Zero issues whatsoever. Check in time is 3p. Says so right on the email, the receipt and numerous text messages they sent me. The parking lot is vast with plenty of spots. The hotel is clean, quiet and they made our stay a beautiful way to kick off the holiday season!

This hotel is super convenient for anybody going on the grand canyon railroad train. They have a really nice package that includes the Hotel , Dinner & Breakfast at the adjacent restaurant as well as the train ride. Price for my husband and me and our 2 grandchildren was about $650. One of the things that I really liked was everything is in one place. The depot, the restaurant and the hotel are all in one convenient location, so you don't have to drive from one place to another. It was snowing when we arrived yesterday, so this was really a plus for us. The hotel is a little vintage, but that's part of the charm. They have a beautiful huge fireplace in the lobby and nice comfortable couches. There is a nice indoor pool with a Jacuzzi. Rooms are comfortable. There are small refrigerators and a microwave, which is nice. Beds are very comfortable. The hotel is 2 stories tall. Parking is free, and lot is well lit. The hotel is very family oriented, but they do have a nice bar/lounge too. We had a fabulous time!

I will not stay here again. Found a bug in the bed, flying bug in the bathroom, ripped draperies and a smell that was so unpleasant. I also find using flat sheets in place of fitted such a cheap move. Whomever makes these decisions either doesn't sleep on them or doesn't move. The moment you move, entanglement and lumps begin. Stayed here the night before the train to Grand Canyon. This experience has tainted my view and my memory of the adventure overall. Please stay somewhere else so you predisposed to what should be an epic experience.

We came here on a Friday night for the polar express. Luckily, I had read reviews to get there before three because the line to check-in gets along. Technically check-in is not until three, but we got in line at 2:45 and didn't get to the desk until three, at which point there was a very long line to check in. I think my biggest gripe with this hotel is the logistical issues they have. The room itself was fine and had two double beds, which was perfect for my family of four. -package that we had included dinner, the train ride, and breakfast. The only issue is most of the events don't start until after 330/4, and with a 530 train time it makes it difficult to do everything. We tried to see Santa and got in line at 4:30 but at 5 o'clock we were nowhere near the front so we had to leave the line so we can make our train. We did dinner at 3:45 so we could fit everything in. The food was very mediocre. The hotel is very charming and cute for Christmas. We checked out at 7 AM and there were plenty of other families checking out as well, so I feel like they should have a way to allow some guests to check in earlier without paying a fee and help them stagger the 3 o'clock rush

I booked for 4 days and three nights. The room #1173 smelled like dirty feet! There was food on the carpet by the chair next to the bed. The mattress was not comfortable at all. Our room keys stop working on the second day. The waitress in the pub/restaurant in the lobby rudely told us we couldn't have outside beverages in the pub. Ask politely and you get better results! The food was mediocre. The pool is inside and the chlorine smell will knock you out! The pool water was cloudy and not inviting at all! The train trip was amazing! Just don't ruin the whole experience by staying at a subpar hotel! I would have rather stayed at Little America in Flagstaff and drove to Williams!

This hotel is nice. It's nothing special but it gets the job done. The rooms are normal, typical hotel rooms - clean with plenty of space. The staff is super friendly and helpful. The location to the train can't be beat. The lobby is pretty impressive with a nice big fireplace, cool furnishings, and a pretty chandelier. But again it's a hotel and nothing overly special. My only complaint was that we stayed two nights, which doesn't include any kind of room clean up or housekeeping services.

The place as an entire experience if you're going to ride the train to the canyon is pretty cool. I mean it's super convenient to stay so close to the train station. The hotel as a hotel leaves a lot to be desired. It's a bit run down in the typical hotel ways. Our room wasn't gross but we found a few things not quite cleaned up. We used the game room but one of the games was broke and the stuffed animal claw machine stole our money. The place is very busy. Being so close to the tracks you will hear some early morning train activity. Our hotel experience wasn't terrible but it wasn't great either.

Best family vacation I've experienced in quite some time! The hotel itself is not 5 stars, more like 3, but the overall experience is definitely worth it! The staff at the hotel also deserves 5 stars but it's kinda old so This review is about the experience. The train is segregated by different cars but you can move about freely. I recommend upgrading to first class as it's not much more but definitely worth it. There are more expensive packages than first class but I felt the value was good. If you can, request my girl Teryl (pronounced like Sheryl but with a "T") as she was just the best. She has such a relaxing voice and tells stories in between pouring some top shelf drinks. It's a 2 hour train ride, don't sleep on those bloody Mary's! You get roughly 3.5 hours at the Grand Canyon which was just enough time for my kids, but you can stay the night there and come back the next day There is a "train robbery" at the end which really just caps it all off. Highly recommended trip!

This hotel was very clean and had plenty of access to amenities. We also did the train ride to the Grand Canyon and had a fabulous experience. The staff was also so kind and so helpful. The only thing I didn't love was that the "crib" for our infant was actually a pack-n-play. It wasn't even and the pad didnt fit the bottom. It didn't feel like it complied with the AAP's Safe Sleep recommendations and my son didn't sleep at all the two nights we were there. I LOVED the experience and the hotel, but I probably wouldn't visit again until my son no longer needs a crib for sleeping.

We stayed here as part of a package deal on our epic trip where 6 adults and 3 littles travelled to the North Pole via boarding the Polar Express to get handed a bell by Santa. Our package included a stay here for one night, the tickets on the train and dinner on the evening of arrival/breakfast the following morning. The hotel itself was okay. It's dated but the suites are spacious and worked well for our group to hang out in before/after the main event. Here are some areas for improvement: ***The check-in process: Think long Disneyland lines. And the rooms aren't ready for many people. In our party, 2 of our rooms were ready but the third room was not...since we were on the 5:30 pm departure for the train, the folks at the front desk were nice enough to provide a room that was ready however it was not close to our other rooms. ***The Restaurant (Fred Harvey): We never got to eat here although we did wait in line for a long time for both meals before giving up. From the reviews, it doesn't seem like we missed much but waiting in line for excessive times to get into a buffet just seems like a place to look into efficiencies. ***The insulation: The train whistle blows loud throughout the night which you would expect since you're at the Railway hotel. However, it sounds like the train is in your room. We had a sound machine blasting and this did not help. ***The parking: It's limited for how many people they are cramming into the hotel every night. I can't tell you how stressful it was for us to find a spot. The best parts of The Grand Railway are the location, the activities and the staff. From a location perspective, you are right by where the train takes off. And this is a short walk into their cute town that has tons of great dining options. There are numerous activities like an area where you can watch the Polar Express Movie (this is also constantly playing in your room), a place to do crafts, a place to meet Santa etc. And the staff that we interacted with was all super nice. Would I stay here again? If we do the Polar Express again, probably. I'm going to look really hard into other options, but I just can't see staying anywhere else due to the location. And it's also super close to Bearizona as well as about an hour from the Grand Canyon, so you can't beat that either. #OperationPolarExpress

The check-in lady was very nice. There is a lot of confusion as to whether we have to check out and then check back in after the train ride. The room is very nice and comfortable. They should offer king-size rooms instead of 2 queens for a couple. A waste of a bed for a party of two. There are usb ports in the alarm clock. A mini fridge, microwave, closet with hangers, pants wrack and iron, and single serve coffee cup machine. The bathroom is a shower/tub combo with a hair dryer and signature collection shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, and bar soap.

We bought one of the packages offered at the Grand Canyon railway hotel which included stays at the hotel in Williams, food at the hotel in Williams, train rides back and forth to and from the canyon and an overnight at the park at Maswik lodge. Everything we had included was amazing (except for the included food at the Fred Harvey restaurant). But the best part was the train ride. We upgraded to the luxory parlor aka the caboose of the train. You can stand on a platform at the back of the train as it's moving and view the wildlife and outdoors as the train is going. You also get complimentary snacks and drinks. Alcoholic drinks are extra. On the ride you get stories and information from the designated PSA who is your guide for the duration of the train ride. Our PSA, Teryl, was so much fun. She had a lot of stories to tell about the historical aspects of the canyon and some little hidden items to find such as the heart shaped rock near the El Tovar lodge! The train ride back you get complimentary champagne (or sparkling cider). And you also get to experience a train robbery! We had a wonderful time and whenever we decide to visit the canyon again we will definitely be staying at the grand canyon hotel and riding the train!

Number one complaint? WiFi. It's terrible. The instructions on the back of the keycard are wrong, for starters. If your phone can even find the free guest access, it takes forever to connect and nothing loads. I'm sorry but in this day and age, nobody should have to deal with this. Emails don't even load. If anyone is trying to have a working holiday or doing ANY sort of business, DO NOT stay at this hotel. Two - the rooms smell. They smell old, mildewed, and musty. My in-laws were also staying here at the same time and their room smelled the same. Three - the buffet at joe Harvey's. Breakfast is decent. Dinner is terrible. Everything is over cooked. We got the two night package for four which included the train ride to the Grand Canyon plus all meals (except lunch) and we deeply regretted that decision. It's like school cafeteria food quality. Dry meat, cold, hard rolls, mashed potatoes that had been sitting under a heat lamp so long that it tasted metallic somehow. Desserts that had probably been sitting in the back for a week, purchased at Walmart. Both nights were unexceptional. It cost $25/pp and $15/kid and it was not in any way worth the price. Four - to piggy back off of the buffet, this hotel has decided to offer "musical entertainment." I use this in the loosest sense of the word. It's sh*t karaoke sung by locals who can barely warble a tune. I'm usually not a grouchy, complaining type of person - I'd rather go with the flow, not cause any ripples. But I wanted to shove a fork in my ears the first night we were there, the lady was THAT BAD. We met several other guests at the Grand Canyon and we all commiserated on the quality of "entertainment." Is there no vetting process?! Now, the good - and the ONLY reason I gave this hotel two stars. The actual train ride experience was fantastic. Entertainment on board was top notch - cowboys strumming guitars with songs about bygone days, a funny conductor, an MC who entertained the entire time! (Shout out to Cameron, you are LEGIT!). There was even a staged train robbery on the way back! So much fun, especially for our kids. Bottom line - buy the train ride to the Grand Canyon for the experience - it's awesome! But buy it separately from the hotel stay - their package deals are a joke. We couldn't wait to leave.

Our first visit to Arizona and saw this bundle package online for a hotel, meals and a train ride into the Grand Canyon. The rooms were of good size and hotel service at the front counter were courteous and efficient. The train ride, round trip was relaxing and entertaining with lots of interesting sites on the way to the canyon. One way trip to the canyon is 2 hours 15 minutes where you can relax, chat with others on board, walk around from cabin car to cabin car as well as get food and drink from the cafe car. Buffet meals, breakfast and dinner were provided at our stay. Typical buffet with lots of items to choose from. The meals were just average. A bar and grill area just off the lobby, Spencer's provided better options than the buffet. A great package deal for families with children to keep them entertained

Nice location for the hotel, but it needs to be updated. We stayed here two nights as we were taking the train to the Grand Canyon on one of those days. The beds were comfy and the room was clean. The hallways need to be updated in decor and in lighting. I found it odd that when a guest checked out of the room, you were to prop your door open to let housekeeping know that you checked out. When we first arrived, it was odd to see this and didnt give me a feeling that the place we booked is clean.

My stay here was part of the whole train package. I figured it would be easier to stay overnight here and walk over to the train the next morning. Little did I know that most of the hotels are pretty close by; still it was nice to walk 50 feet to the train. The grounds are pretty big but parking was still kind of a challenge, but it was during the holidays so it makes sense. The lobby is beautiful and it was nice to be able to grab a beer from Spenser's and sit in front of the fireplace. The rooms were a surprise, not the beds they're pretty standard. The bathroom was remodeled and had subway tile and in it. If you're booking the railway package you won't be going back to the same room you stayed in. It makes sense, I was in the park for 2 days and it just makes more sense to do that. I also ended up putting my dog up in their 'dog hotel' I mean, it's a kennel and due to the season he wasn't able to go on their outside run. The staff though were friendly and treated my dog well and you got to take him out whenever you wanted. Overall, if I had to stay in Williams again I would probably stay here again.

The hotel first. Has everything you need to be comfortable and easy access to the train. Did not try the attached restaurant or bar. There was a "My Cousin Vinny" style train even on Sunday night with three different times train whistles throughout the night. So sleep was not peaceful. Monday night no trains. The train to the canyon was awesome. About a 2.5 hour ride. At the canyon we had a tour shuttle. I would say not worth the money. You can take free busses to the two stops we went to. Granted the free busses will be more crowded but it's free. The trip up and back in a day is kind of quick to see much. If you can swing it stay the night in the canyon. Reserve way in advance if you want El Tovar or Bright Angel. The first class cars are reserved seats and definitely worth the upgrade to the dome car seats. Boarding and service on the train is very easy. Bring cash tips for the host/hostess they work for it. The rest of the train is cashless. Bring some singles you'll need them. (Just take my word on that one) All-n-all well worth the $800 for the 2 nights and train/bus tour. Lot's of good food and sights to see in Williams on Route 66 close to the hotel. Fun trip I will do it again when I can stay in the canyon overnight.

Fantastic time!! My husband booked the weekend for a fun event for us!! I throughly enjoyed everything! The hotel has elegances you don't expect when you walk in!! The rooms are comfortable and nicely styled in a railway theme! The buffet that is included with your package is standard buffet fare. It wasn't super fancy- but, it was pretty good. The service at all meals was super attentive and very appreciative of your business. The train experience was more than I expected for sure! A cute pre-show with the robbers- that you see later, musical entertainers and yummy snacks while you enjoy the leisurely ride to the Grand Canyon! It was a memorable experience we will treasure.

The 4* is due to the convenience of having restaurants on site, otherwise, I'd give a 3* review. The room was clean but basic and if you have any sort of disability, walking/breathing issues, be sure to get a room near the lobby. This hotel is a maze of rooms, my husband has asthma and by the time we reached our room, he was out of breath. We paid $180/nt which, in my opinion, is a bit too much. The convenience of the restaurants was nice but I'm paying a good price to eat in them so they shouldn't have a bearing on the price of the room. Also, it is about a two block walk to the center of town so again, if you have any type of disability, be aware of the distance. The hotel grounds are nice, there is a lot of parking but we checked in at 2:45 and the lot was almost 100% full as I'm sure those that take the GC train are not all staying here so between the hotel guests & train riders, you may have an issue getting a parking space. Would we stay again, only if the price was a bit less, there are enough other choices, some right in the middle of town that don't charge as much and are well kept.

We booked a two night stay with train tickets package, and no meals, as we opted/like to eat at various restaurants in town. This was a great choice, as Route 66 and all the shops & restaurants are a short walk from the hotel. Our room was very clean, and nicely decorated/furnished. The front desk staff was friendly and check in/out was a breeze. There is ample parking, and the grounds & hotel lobby are well kept & attractive. There is also an indoor pool, jacuzzi, and arcade with games. We would definitely stay here again, as it was a great experience.

We've stayed at over a hundred hotels and never been rushed out of my room like this place. It was a Sunday morning, nobody was there to check in to the hotel. The cleaning lady OPENED our room door without knocking at 10:45 AM. Check out is at 11:00. She did it again at 10:55. Rushed us out and we forgot a valuable item that we left in the room. This hotel uses the "Chargerback" App/company for lost and found. What a headache and such poor customer service. Never again!!!

The Grand Canyon Railway Hotel is a great option for convenience and one-stop all inclusive when visiting for the Polar Express (as we did) or taking the train to the Grand Canyon. Our kids thoroughly enjoyed their stay and exploring the amenities the hotel had to offer like walking the train tracks, seeing the pool and game room, and taking various photos. The rooms have been upgraded as best as could be for a hotel that is over 100 years old. I also appreciated that we didn't need to leave the premises for any meals since breakfast and dinner were included in our hotel package and were served buffet style. My only doubts are to expect to wait a long time for check in, particularly when there is a polar express event. It might even be best, if your Polar express ride is at 730, to come check in around 5PM to avoid the 3PM check in line. On top of that, our room wasn't ready and they didn't call us to let us know.. we had to come back after dinner to check. Second, expect a TON of kids and noise throughout the hallways at night. My kids are younger so they slept by 10PM but some of the other guests were much older and were still roaming the halls around 11-12AM which, which paper thin walls and shared doors, was not pleasant. Otherwise, the rooms and service was great, especially in catering to families and children. Definitely recommend staying here!

This hotel is in the heart of Williams and a very nice place. Looks brand new on the outside with a rustic feel on the inside. There are couches for sitting and enjoying quiet time, chatting with friends and family, or enjoying the nice, warm fire in the fireplace. You can enjoy a drink and appetizers at Spenser's Pub as well. The rooms are very nice and the beds are comfortable. My friend and I stayed here while in town for the Polar Express & Bearizona. We really enjoyed staying here and the hotel staff is very nice and hospitable. Also, we enjoyed the buffet at Fred Harvey Restaurant, located on the hotel property.

Booked hotel and train package. First hotel: the hotel itself seemed nice enough until I was getting into the shower 20 mins after checking in and the fire alarm went off. Then they forgot to tell us it was ok to go back to our room. The room itself was clean, however the bed, I felt, was a bit hard. And it was wonderful to have super soft pillows l, but four stacked on each other and I still couldn't sit up in bed. Lol. The package included meals. And I was not mores see with the empty buffet set up. For dinner the first night they had a choice of chicken (which my hubby liked), roast of some sort that was good and dry ribs. The gravy totally tasted like the lawreys packages of brown gravy you buy when you're in a pinch. Breakfast wasn't any better. Powdered egg which I didn't have bacon sausage and they had an omelet station. Blah The wait staff we had were very good and attentive. Loved their attention to us. That was the best part of the restaurant experience. Now the train: loved it! We had a guy that entertained us going and coming back. Musicians and yes...robbers. That, we thoroughly enjoyed.

The Grand Canyon Railway Hotel is a very comfortable and convenient way to see the Grand Canyon. Our 2 queen bed room was clean and warm and I appreciated being warm since it was freezing outside during our February visit. You'll find a coffee maker, small refrigerator and microwave in your room. My only negatives were in-room housekeeping services were suspended and the jacuzzi was under repair during our visit. The friendly and helpful staff make your stay a pleasant one.

We stayed three nights and in three different rooms. We paid to stay one night in a deluxe room with two queens, and then two nights in a suite with two queens. Strangely, the hotel manager, who was a white female about 60 years old, put us in a standard room for all three nights. Of course, I complained and sorted everything out. But the rooms here are not well kept and are not clean. We are people of color, and many white hotel patrons went out of their way to blow smoke or vape in our faces and glare at us as we walked passed them. This happened atleast 8 times on the hotel grounds and near the train depot, so if you are a family of color traveling to see the Grand Canyon, I would not recommend staying at this establishment. The restaurant was odd as well, it's a buffet style and one night our waitress just ignored us and didn't take our dtink orders but served and checked on all the white patrons at other tables around us. After 25 minutes of waiting, my husband went to the front desk to ask them. My husband and I didn't let these experiences ruin our trip, but if you are a family if color please be aware and careful.

Early check-in is $20. We opted to go sightseeing then checking in. Good customer service however just thought it was weird seeing employee at the end of hallway just standing for several minutes on phone texting when we passed him we said hello and he gave us a blank stare then we passed windows viewing pool area and employee hiding texting. We can see her squatting to hide using her phone. I think employee forgot 2nd floor windows. Not a good introduction when we just checking in. Room was clean but smell musty. Small fridge in room. Indoor pool but not heated. Dont let people at the front desk tell you it is. They told me it was & it was ice cold. Their is a Jacuzzi. Close to everything. Beautiful place. Issue we had beside someone knocking on our door at 1230 am was the bed. Beds were similar to being on boxspring. HARD & extremely uncomfortable. I had shoulder surgery 3 months ago & bad back so with many pillows I was able to get in a position to sleep. Luckly we are here for 1 night. Ok for 1 night however more than 1 night dont recommend if you have a bad back.

This past weekend we decided to head to Williams for an event in the area. Instead of making the several hour drive Saturday morning we decided to go up on Friday afternoon and spend the night. After looking at a few hotels online and some reviews I ended up choosing Grand Canyon Railway Hotel. The exterior of the hotel was nice but did have some flaws. A few of the doors leading to the outside that looks as though they should have been secured (hotel key card readers outside the door) were not and the parking situation was very poorly designed. Luckily as we were parking another car was leaving so we were able to get a decent parking spot, otherwise we would have had to park a good distance away from the hotel. Inside the lobby of the hotel was pretty nice with the fireplace all fired up and the older looking motif to give the feeling of "back in the day". The hotel staff was really friendly and helpful. The room left a lot to be desired. As we walked into the room it was clear the hotel was trying to save on electricity. The temperature outside was in the 30s. Walking into the hotel room you could tell that it was cold outside and inside when you had to put your jacket/sweatshirts back on to keep from freezing in the room. Looking at the thermostat in the room it was set to "OFF"! The current temp in the room at the time was 58°! We decided to turn the heat on to get the chill out of the room and go grab something to eat for dinner. Our room wasn't far from Spencer's (the quaint little pub in the hotel). The decor of Spencer's was nice and rustic to a time when the railway was in high demand and the waitstaff was knowledgeable and polite. The food was good for pub food but we did simply keep it to the appetizer menu. Finishing dinner we decided to return to the room to see if it had warmed up any. To our delight it was now in the mid 60s but still a little chill in the air but promising. Bed time! Waking up the next morning proved to be a little task. I should have heeded the few reviews I read on other sites about the quality of the beds. They were so uncomfortable that it was hard (or more impossible) to get a good nights sleep. The pillows (after about 20 mins of having your head on them) were nearly nonexistent as they easily crushed down and provided no support. I knew my girlfriend thought the same when I woke up to find her sleeping in the chair in the room instead of either of the beds!! Getting ready for the day proved even more of a disappointment. Have you ever taken a camping shower? Last time I checked that wasn't supposed to happen in a hotel. I think the pipes between the water heater and our room must have frozen or something because there was ZERO hot water in the room but there was plenty of ice water coming from the sink tap and the bath/shower faucets! Yup, a birdbath shower with baby wipes was going to have to do. I don't think I have ever been so happy to LEAVE a hotel. During checkout, I was going to address the water issue but when I got to the counter and said that I was there to check out the person behind the counter simply pointed at the small tray for key card turn in, smiled and turned to talk to a coworker. I figured it was pointless to mention anything as the staff clearly seemed to not care. Suggestion: heed the reviews, visit the hotel for the pub but stay at one of the other hotels!

Wow.. what a wonderful place to stay the night before boarding the train to Grand Canyon. I had great communication texting with Alexander before arriving. His customer service along with hotel accommodations are 5+. We were able to receive an upgrade room which was lovely. The 4 star comes due to the restaurant unable to keep up with the demand of the people. The food was very good however the servers couldn't replace the empty trays in the buffet fast enough. I did ask a server that was truly trying & she stated someone called in sick. Which of course I'm grateful they stayed home.. however the rest of the team definitely takes a hit. It truly wouldn't stop me from coming back I just would arrive at5pm when it opens instead of 7pm. Same happened at breakfast the next morning. Let's hope it was a fluke however as I appreciate reading reviews I'm needing to be honest in my writings. Everything about this AAA package we took was outstanding & I would do it again. Enjoy the experience!

The room was clean and well kept. Checking is easy. In room small refrigerator and microwave, coffee maker. Booked the package deal with the train ride and tour in the Grand Canyon. This made everything simple. Check in the hotel, then walk across the parking lot to pick up train tickets

My family of mom dad, 6 and 4 year old kids arrive at around 9pm, check in, get to our room, and all we want to do is shower and go to bed for the day ahead. Guess what? No hot water. Call down to front desk: "known issue" but god forbid they mention it at check in. It's 9pm. It's too late to do anything else, plus we have to ride their train in the morning, so oh well. Tough out a quick cold shower and sleep. Next morning, stop at front desk, they say hot water will be fixed by 10am. We board the train, visit the Grand Canyon, get back at 530, go grab a bite to eat, return to room at 730pm, and guess what? No hot water. They didn't even offer excuses, just gave me a refund for the night. Left to go find another hotel with working water. Love the train ride and the train staff, would give them 5 out of 5 all day. Hotel needs updates and better maintenance. 48 hours with no hot water should have been a nightmare scenario for them but business as usual - and while I am as waiting in line to turn in my keys and leave, not a single other person checking in was given a notice about the hot water. Unacceptable business practice. Will never stay there again, and will make sure no one else that asks me does either. Hotel down the block has hot water and free breakfast. Next time we'll Uber to the train.

We stayed at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel over mother's day weekend. We purchased the hotel and train package. This review is for the hotel only. Check in process was fairly quick. The lobby is absolutely beautiful as well. There is a huge fireplace and comfy couches. The girls at check in, though, weren't nearly as friendly as I expected. The rooms are your standard hotel rooms. The beds are comfy and the shampoo, conditioner, etc are very nice. I wish I would have bought some in the gift shop. The reason for the four stars, instead of five is the hotel check in/out staff were curt and cold (could have just been the day) and the fact that currently, the hotel does not have housekeeping. They will bring you extra towels and sheets, but there is not a daily housekeeper for your room. This was not told to us so when we called down to the front to see why our room wasn't cleaned, they basically laughed when they told me they did not have daily housekeeping. I don't know if this is due to COVID or not enough staff, but it definitely needs to be disclosed as the majority of hotels are back to daily housekeeping. The hotel also has a nice pool and hot tub which we were able to enjoy every night. There is also plenty of parking. The hotel is close to the restaurants and bars and you can actually walk to the brewery.

I really enjoyed the train ride BUT the hotel/dinner breakfast package was a disappointment and made me regret spending my hard earn money Was spent on this experience especially during these horrible times we are in. The beds were so uncomfortable and the hand soap was in the shower and the body was was near the sink which was impossible to move. The dinner was somewhat decent but I was so shocked that no one was cleaning the stations from the outside ..it was a dirty mess and actually made me loose my appetite. Now the breakfast buffet was just plain horrible. People work hard for their money and when we plan a very expensive trip to Polar Express we are expecting not only a great experience but great quality and that just was not there. Very dissatisfied.

Highly recommend. We stayed two nights and went on the railway ride to the Grand Canyon. The hotel is well maintained. The service is great. We love that there is a pub and a buffet onsite as quick food options because we didn't feel like leaving to look for food when we arrived. This hotel is about 2-3 blocks from the downtown area. There are great restaurants options there as well. The city thrives off tourists and people are very welcoming. My sister, nephew and I plan to return next year with our spouse's and adult children.

We had an amazing stay. Checkin was super fast and easy. The rooms were clean and cozy. They were able to get me a handicap accessible room which was amazing and I definitely needed it. The Friday and Sunday night we spent at Spensers Pub in the hotel was great. The two lady bartenders were just so pleasant and enjoyable to chat with. The food was great too. My Fiancé had the French dip and beer on Friday and a pizza with pepperoni and jalapeños on Sunday both were great that he ordered a second pizza to go. I had the cottage pie on Friday with the strawberry bliss drink and a prickly pear margarita and on Sunday I had the penne Alfredo. That was ok I preferred the pie but their tiramisu was awesome I ordered one to go too. Was such a beautiful hotel. The staff was just amazing. Was a bit disappointed that the coffee and fudge shop was closed on Sunday and I really wanted both. But we will be back when it warms up

Our stay was booked on veterans day weekend, and it was the first weekend of Polar Express in November. So you can imagine the hoards of families roaming around, but our stay included the railway package to Grand Canyon so being on property was a nice convenience. The hotel was very festive and you saw groups of families in holiday pj's, so if you're on a couples getaway (like we were) be prepared to see and be around plenty of little ones. I haven't been around children in a while so it was definitely a culture shock lol but the parents were on top of it, I give them props! Upon arrival, check in was easy and fast, our room had a small hiccup it was not ready for us, but front desk, housekeeping and management swept in to save the day and they did a phenomenal job! They also comped us $50 and provided extra linens and such. There were very few cons with our stay. Cons: The pool was being renovated but it was 20 degrees so we didn't mind, be weary of the arcade room upstairs it mostly took our coins with no play. Also, if you slept in and wanted to shower (8am) there was no hot water at all. Pros: The staff was all friendly and quick on every request we had. Our favorite employee had to be Marisa in night housekeeping she made our stay extra special! We ate at Fred Harveys buffet as part of our package and every meal was delicious. Staff was also very accommodating throughout the restaurant. The room was very clean and beds were comfy for the two days we stayed. Parking was tight but we managed in a 4x4 truck. The gift shops were fully stacked, so if you forgot something, they had it. I especially liked the hotel hand soap used in the rooms, which they also sold in the gift shop, so you know it was good. :) I will be making a separate review for our train ride on their page so go check that out! Overall our stay here was a Great Experience! We will be back again soon! A++++