We did the three night stay - one night stay in Williams, one in the park, and one again in Williams. Included four meals. We also did the Sunset tour which included a lunch.
What a fantastic trip! Our first visit to the Grand Canyon was so special. The train rides and added amenities made it very easy for us “mature” travelers!
Although some of the hotel desk staff were not overwhelmingly friendly, or helpful at times, our room there was big, clean, and nicely appointed. The Harvey restaurant was very convenient and despite being a buffet served our needs very nicely. Some items weren't that hot, but they had a great selection of meal choices and the meats, in particular, were excellent. Our servers were all very nice, don't forget to tip them! The live music was nice too.
The train rides up and back were just wonderful. Don't go if you expect speed and gorgeous scenery. For us, the chance to relax and just take it all in and enjoy every minute was fantastic. Yes, the hostess's jokes are corny and the “robbers” are hokey, but if you can enter into the spirit of it all you'll have a great time. On the trip back we were treated to the two older steam engines pulling the train, a special day for us!
Because this was a special anniversary trip we splurged for the Dome car (with a nice buffet, champagne toast, and super cute ladies's room and lounge!) and Sunset Tour. Our tour guide, Howard, was, in a word, exceptional, and so knowledgeable about many aspects of the park. He was great!
Our one night at the Maswik Lodge was really very nice, not as rustic as we had thought it might be! Way at the end near the railroad tracks, so we got a chance to wave to the train as it left the Canyon that day! We were very happy that we stayed at least one night. We saw deer and elk right in close by the buildings.
All in all a wonderful experience with the whole railway and hotel package. We would highly recommend it!