Location is the sole reason to stay at Bright Angel Lodge. The lodge rooms are akin to a budget motel. The cabins are basic, not just rustic. The service at this Xanterra property doesn't come with a smile. The food at the lodge restaurant is mediocre, if not poor. Bright Angel Lodge is located in one of the park's most crowded areas; parking is difficult and rooms are noisy. But then again one doesn't travel to the Grand Canyon to sleep and eat in style. Bright Angel Lodge sits right on the South Rim. What's more, sleeping in the Grand Canyon Village beats driving from Williams for just a few dollars in savings. Family Travel Tips: Not all rooms and cabins have canyon vistas. Most rooms don't accommodate rollaways. Lodge rooms don't have TVs and only some have a private bath. Bright Angel Lodge is the check-in point for the Grand Canyon mule rides. Reservations can be made 13 months in advance.