El Tovar

El Tovar, named after explorer Pedro de Tobar, is perched just 20 feet from the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Designed by Santa Fe Railway architect Charles Whittlesey, the lodge was built to accomodate visitors seeking adventure and romance in the West without foregoing elegance and luxury.

Using Northwestern firs and local limestone, Whittlesey combined the styles of a European villa and a log cabin. The lobby’s rustic elements and natural use of logs — dark-stained paneling, heavy beams and rafters, stone fireplace — extend the Americanized Euro-chateau feeling.

More like a hunting lodge than desert hotel, its wood joinery, varied roof line, and protruding log beams look more at home in a mountain setting.

Rounding out the hunting motif, several animals heads adorned the walls.

Above the far end of the lobby, the mezzanine lounge sits behind the octagonal balcony with its decorative jig sawn balustrades. This was once the ladies lounge. Here, in the classical manner of the Victorian era, women would retire after meals to chat. Today, it offers access to El Tovar's 78 guest rooms.

The lodge features two adjoining dining rooms. One, a converted porch, features massive picture windows with views of the canyon. The main dining room is flanked by two stone fireplaces added in a 1970 remodeling.

In January 2005, El Tovar turned 100 years old, and closed for three months to complete a $4.5 million renovation. The lodge celebrated its 100th anniversary in April 2005.