The Historic El Tovar

We were fortunate to get reservations for this historic lodge at the last minute. The El Tovar, is a former Harvey House hotel situated directly on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. The hotel was designed by Charles Whittlesey, Chief Architect for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway and was opened in 1905 as one of a chain of hotels and restaurants owned and operated by the Fred Harvey Company in conjunction with the Santa Fe railway. The hotel is one of only a handful of Harvey House facilities that are still in operation, and is an early example of the style that would evolve into National Park Service Rustic architecture.

The El Tovar sits right on the South Rim.