Avoid
Jan 27, 2020 smitty887
1/26/20
This review is for Yavapai Lodge East and is being written just a few hours after checking in, approximately 9:00 pm. We went to our rooms on the second floor of building 4. We were met with multiple drunk (what appeared to be college age) male & female guests sitting and standing on the outside staircase leading up to the second floor.…
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1/26/20
This review is for Yavapai Lodge East and is being written just a few hours after checking in, approximately 9:00 pm. We went to our rooms on the second floor of building 4. We were met with multiple drunk (what appeared to be college age) male & female guests sitting and standing on the outside staircase leading up to the second floor. When we got to the top of the stairs we found the entire length of the hallway filled with more loud drunk persons strewn all over the hall. There were 2-3 tables set up in the hallway for beer pong. Room doors were all opened to the hall and the noise was unbelievable. I am traveling with two females. We had to physically push our way through the crowd of drunken partiers who made no effort to get out of our way. The space on either side of the tables they set up for beer pong was not wide enough for us to get our bodies and luggage through. We had to endure cat calls and comments about our presence as we forced our way through. The scene was like a college frat party. Once we got into our rooms I immediately called the front desk and informed them of our experience and requested that we be moved. At this point we had to go back out into the hall and work our way through the partiers. It was at this point that some of them decided to intentionally impede our progress by purposely standing in our way. I had to physically force my way through leaving whomever and whatever in my wake. Once I made it down the stairs, which were literally strewn with drunken people, one so drunk that he was sick, I heard a male voice say “Just let him go”. I made the assumption that “him”, was me and someone was behind me and posing a threat. At this point I set down the two suite cases I was carrying and turned around to find a young man coming down the steps toward me. I held my position and asked him if he had a problem. He said that he did and I let him know that I was ready to deal with it. In my long life the way to deal with barking dogs, bullies and drunks is to confront them head on and sure enough this young drunk backed down. We finally made it to our car and drove back to the front desk. We informed them of our experience the front desk staff did their best to put us in a new room and contacted security. The part of this experience that really bothers me is that when the manager contacted Security, we could hear a female Security person siding with the partiers. She could be heard saying “there was no threat” and the manager replied in our defense that “…the guest is right in front of me and says there was a threat.” We then heard her say “well they can file a report with the Park Rangers”. The Manager said that the group we encountered was the “Contiki Group” and “We never have any problems with them.” He said they come every month. I observed that this group travels on the tour bus line TCS. While eating dinner I saw and elderly male security guard and a young physically unfit female security guard walking around. After dinner I crossed paths with female guard and I asked her if they had a handle on building 4. I also described the person who I had words with and informed her of the fact that I had to square off with him to get to my car. She said that “there was no such person, and there was no threat”. She wasn’t there and I can only surmise that she sided with the group because she is completely ineffective at her job and may be influenced by the fact that “Contiki” is a regular monthly cash cow. She should be fired. I then asked if the Park Rangers patrolled the parking lot as I was told the lodge security leaves at night. She said “I don’t know, they patrol the whole park, so they might go through the parking lot once, maybe” My concern was that since we broke up the party one of the drunk Contiki’s might decide to get revenge by damaging our vehicle. She appeared to not care at all about our situation and discounted anything I told her. The Grand Canyon is the last stop in a six park visit and all others have been spectacular. The Canyon is spectacular, but the stay at Yavapai Lodge East has been a terrible experience. Now that we are in the room, it leaves a lot to be desired. The toilet lid had excrement on the inside, and generally the room is very unclean. Management did give us vouchers for breakfast which is appreciated. The bottom line, I feel unsafe in this facility, I’m still shaken from the experience and the security personnel is a joke. Yavapai Lodge is run by Delaware North at Grand Canyon who is an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service. I’m proud as heck of our National Park Service, but they may need to review Delaware North’s and Yavapai Lodges East’s accreditation as they are an embarrassment to this proud American. Really disappointed. Avoid lodging here at all cost.
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