A group of us stayed at the Caverns the night before heading to the Grand Canyon. It was like stepping into the John Cusack movie "identity". It looks like it hasn't changed in about 30 years. It was clean and comfy enough, and if you are looking for a place to stay enroute to the Canyon,this is fine. There is no mobile (cell phone) coverage whatsoever. But its fine, cheap and clean. Stuff works and its $2 for a 20 ounce bud. What else is there?

We spent one night here on our way to hike to Havasu Falls. It was pretty run down. Looks like nothing much has changed since the 60's. We had hoped to eat breakfast in the restaurant before heading out for the hike but since it doesn't open until 7am we decided to skip it. The store opens at 6am so we were able to purchase breakfast items there and eat on the run. There are no microwaves in the rooms but there is one in the store that we used to cook our breakfast.

I loved this hotel!! It's not a 5-star, uber modern hotel, but it had charm and nostalgia like no other! Vintage 60's....you can just imagine what it was like in its hay-day! A little run down, but only because its off the beaten path and traffic has died down on Route 66. The hotel has some "gimmicky rooms (in the cavern, under the stars, etc)...we saw these rooms, but didn't stay in any of them. We stayed in the main hotel for a week as part of a large group. The rooms were modestly dressed, but clean and comfortable. Daily housekeeping made the beds, emptied the trash and supplied fresh towels, but not much else. We ate several meals at the lodge which was located at the top of the hill (a mile away). The food was OK....not fabulous but not awful. The staff was amazing! Everyone was very nice, very helpful, and obviously very grateful that we were staying at their hotel. There are a number of old and vintage cars "decorating" the property. They were actually kind of cool! There was also a small museum with Americana nostalgia stuff...again, kind of cool.
Overall, it was a nice stay. Don't expect too much, step back and enjoy a piece of Route 66 history and you will enjoy the stay!

I'm a native Arizonan who had never seen the Grand Canyon. I had originally planned to stay at the Grand Canyon Railway for my family's visit to the GC, but the budget wouldn't allow for the expense to do it right (i.e. pay for a package that includes train fair and meals and lodging). I had to find a more budget-friendly option.

After much internet research into surrounding towns and motels, I stumbled across the Grand Canyon Caverns Inn (www.gccaverns.com). The first thing that caught my eye was the photo of the T-Rex out front of the GCCI restaraunt--not a Spielbergy "those are impact tremors" T-Rex, but a kitzy upright version reminescent of 1960's stop animation.

Now this may date me, but seeing that dino, I knew exactly what I was getting into. Anymore, we've grown accostomed to "resorts" that boast their choice of matress and thread counts, and have an over-priced selection of cafe's, lounges, grills, or bistro's that serve stuff with mango salsa or avacado reduction. They have gyms and spas and shuttles and wifi and fancy soaps with fancy smells. The Grand Canyon Caverns Inn doesn't have those things.

What the GCCI does have is good old-fashioned family fun from eras gone by. I ordered up a "Family Package" that included a tour of the caverns, telescope, bicycles, and BB gun use, and horse back riding for four, for two nights/3 days for just over $300.00 with tax, and they're pet friendly too, with a pet deposit, add $5.00 per night. Those are the basics of this wonderful little time warp of a place, now let me get to the gravy.

The rooms are what I remember from my childhood; they provide the amenities that make a stay comfortable. While on the small side, the package doesn't include a fridge, so bring a cooler with you for your cold stuff. We packed food for sandwiches and burgers and dogs, a small propane stove, and plastic utensils and paperplates. We cooked dinners outside our room, and that saved even more money. The decor was 1960's authentic but all of it was clean and simple. We had an adequate place to bed down and clean up in between adventures.

The bicycle rentals, BB guns, and telescope all have seen their fair share of abuse, but the boys didn't notice. While we were struggling with a heavy ice chest, a nice man named Jimi helped us unload it as he was passing by with a back hoe. Remember that name, because I'll write about him and Donna later. When the boys went for bikes, another man there who gives tours at the caverns helped them air up the tires and pick out the ones that worked best. Worn as they were, it didn't matter to them. They were tooling all over the grounds for hours.

Our first day, we took the cavern tour. Part natural wonder, part mine, the cavern is a fascinating place, more so because of our guide. He told us all about the different "rooms" and handled any question with ease. To be honest, I didn't expect to be so awed by the place or it's story. But we were talking about it all the way on the trip home! The caverns connection to the Grand Canyon itself is fascinating, but no spoilers here--take the tour for yourself.

The Inn is located in the middle of nowhere, along expansive high mountain plains, but it's between Seligman and Peach Springs. You can see why it was part of the inspiration for the animated movie "Cars" with Lightnening McQueen. You half expect to see Mater around every corner! It's also right off Historic Route 66, a lonely one lane strip with Burma Shave signs along it. Twenty or so miles beyond are Seligman, the birthplace of Route 66 and a gem in of itself, Ash Fork and Williams, both worthy of a days exploration. To get to the Grand Canyon takes about an hour and a half, but the drive is splendid. And when you come back to roost from the South Rim, the Inn is a welcome sight.

We spent our time wandering the grounds, shooting BB's guns, playing frisbee golf, relaxing and watching the weather and sky perpetually change. The Inn is a popular stop for bikers and hotrodders alike, some who stay and some who just pass through. Expect to wave at everybody. Expect to engage in friendly conversation. Expect a place that remembers that hospitality is more than thread count and fancy chutney--it's about family. And this Inn is truly that, you feel it right away.

When we returned from the Grand Canyon (gave me shivers, why did I wait so long?), I called up to schedule a horse ride. It was getting late, and I was asked if I could wait until morning, but since we were leaving, I indicated that we had hoped to do it that afternoon. I mention this, because while I was told they'd put the horses up for the day, they cheerfully agreed to pull four horses for a trail ride.

Now, when I hear trail ride, I cringe. Being a former horse owner myself, nothing irks me more than being aboard a horse that just follows a trail carved out in the dirt, and nothing more. When we all arrived where the horses waited for us, we got a special treat--and you will too if you go there. Jimi and Donna give you a history of every horse set before you. And they both treat their horses with endearing care, even procurring rescue horses. I like that. We embarked on a roaming tour that was obviously no trail. We all talked and joked and took in the scenery. For these two, I get the feeling that every ride is as much their adventure as it is for those they take out. And the horses were all "working" horses, they didn't just plod along. They were some of the best horses I've ever seen, and that's a credit to Donna and Jimi. Truly memorable and I thank you both.

Our last day heading out, it wasn't without a pang of longing. I know all good things come to an end, but after a full year of stress and work, this place unraveled all that, and I truly felt at peace there. The Inn is a diamond in the rough, and what it lacks in glitz it makes up for in hospitality and adventure. Will we go back? You bet! There's more I want to see of the three towns before the Canyon. And when we get back from a long day of exploring, the leisurely drive back on a strip of highway Elvis probably travelled takes us back to a sleepy little diamond in the rough called the Grand Canyon Caverns Inn.

And if you've read this far, should the travel bug bite you someday and you want to cruise out and see the beauty of the southwest, take a bit of advise: bring sunscreen, bring pennies for the "penny smasher" machines, and hang your hat at the Grand Canyon Caverns Inn. They have a dinasour for Pete's sake!