El Tovar Hotel, National Historic Landmark hotel in Grand Canyon Village, United States.
El Tovar Hotel is a historic limestone and pine building at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona with 78 rooms furnished with classic pieces and natural materials. The public areas display handcrafted woodwork, stone fireplaces, and heavy timber beams that echo the rustic exterior.
The Fred Harvey Company and Santa Fe Railway built the structure between 1903 and 1905 to attract wealthy travelers arriving by train at the canyon. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987 and has since served as an important example of early national park architecture.
The name honors Pedro de Tovar, a 16th-century Spanish conquistador who was among the first Europeans to hear accounts of the canyon. Guests today visit the lounge with its dark wood paneling and stone fireplace, where they gather after long hikes.
Reservations for the dining room should be made several weeks ahead, especially during summer months and holiday periods. The concierge assists with arranging hikes, mule tours, and sunrise excursions along the rim.
The building was the most expensive hotel west of the Mississippi when it opened, costing 250,000 dollars. Architect Charles Whittlesey designed it after traveling through Europe, where he studied alpine lodges and Scandinavian country houses.
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