Winter deal: Lodge rooms at Grand Canyon National Park for $82

If you think winter is a weird time to visit the Grand Canyon, think again. The snow-dusted scenery is stunning, the crowds thinner, the hiking can be great (absent a snowstorm) and some lodge prices are lower.

I know because I’ve been there in November. My hike down the Bright Angel Trail a few years back started out icy but soon turned comfortable. No scorching heat at the bottom, like in summer — or so they say. (OK, so I didn’t make it all the way down. But I had fun and bagged the perfect souvenir: a snowy snapshot  for my holiday cards.)

This year, Xanterra South Rim, the concessionaire for Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park, is discounting  rooms at Maswik Lodge up to 38% for most of the winter. These rooms, starting at $82 per night plus tax, won’t put you right at the canyon rim, but they’re only about a quarter-mile away — a short walk.

Deal: Book the Winter Value Rate and pay $82 per night plus tax at Maswik South and $105 per night plus tax at Maswik North (pictured above), which has more spacious rooms. Maswik rates are normally $90 to $170. Although it has neither the the historic charm of the Bright Angel Lodge nor the cachet of the top-end El Tovar Hotel — neither of which participates in this deal — Maswik is a comfortable place to stay.

Dates: The Winter Value Rate is good for stays Nov. 29 through March 4, except for Dec. 19 through Jan. 2, and Feb. 12 through 14.  You guessed it: During holiday periods, you’re stuck paying regular rates.

Tested: Checking online for a weekend stay, Dec. 4-5, I found Maswik South and North rooms available for the advertised discounts. Availability seemed to be good throughout the winter.

Tip: The El Tovar’s dining room, built of native stone and Oregon pine and decorated with murals depicting  Native American life, is worth a splurge. If dinner prices (entrees about $21 and up) are too steep for you, check out breakfast or lunch, which are more affordable.

Contact: Xanterra South Rim, (888) 297-2757.

— Jane Engle, assistant Los Angeles Times Travel editor

Photos: Top, Grand Canyon National Park in winter. Bottom, a king-bed room at Maswik North. Credit: Xanterra South Rim

Permalink | E-mail | Print | Add to My Trips

This entry was posted on Monday, October 5, 2009 at 5:59 am by Jane Engle and is filed under Deals, Eco-Travel, Family & Kids, Hotels, National Parks, News, Tips & Advice, Outdoors & Adventure, Ski & Winter, Weekend Getaways, Winter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.