Moab Hotel Options: Price, Location & Amenities

When planning a trip to Moab, Utah, the area of natural wonder with over 90 percent of Grand County which is "public land" administered by the Bureau of Land Management, the most difficult question for the "never been to Moab" is where to stay. Surprisingly, the area offers over 30 motels, bed and breakfasts, houses and apartments to rent, plus a wealth of camping opportunities.

For now, we're going to eliminate camping from the choices; they are a subject unto themselves. By the time night comes in Moab, you'll be ready for a shower and a bed. With your eyes filled with wonder and your body braced with challenges, a clean pillow is a welcome relief, preparing you to face the next days challenge after a renewing night's sleep. So if you are planning a trip to Moab and want to stay in a place with a bed, read on to find the right place for you.

First a word about the people. Moab is filled with really nice, sincere, friendly people. The biggest topic of conversation is about finding ways to live in Moab year round since there isn't much work in the off-season.

When you are planning your accommodations, one initial question is what type of vacation you want. Assuredly, you're planning on lots of time in the outdoors. If you're not, cancel your flight and go elsewhere- everything that's great in Moab is done out of doors. Well, almost.

How important are the views from your hotel. Unless you are in one of the high-end hotels on the Colorado, or at the Camelot Lodge, don't make the view a deciding factor. No matter how nice the view is from your hotel in town, the real beauty will be when you are out and about, biking, hiking, rafting, horseback riding or even driving. So don't spend extra for a view that will pale in comparison to the rest of your day. Also, several website photographers seem to be magicians, with a hotel in the middle of town seeming to be set alone near rock cliffs.

Even though it's a long drive, try to make the trip from Salt Lake City on the scenic byway. You will forget how long the drive is as your breath is taken away. You will experience the serenity of the wilderness, the anger at the areas that have clearly been destroyed by mining (they are limited and just enough to give you a feel for how important preserving our national resources are) and the awe and the spacious beauty. There's even a sprinkling of the charming signs for now-defunct businesses and some very interesting sites at rest stops for us city slickers; a huge 12 point buck in the back of a pickup, and learning that the amazingly cheap pine nuts being sold by the roadside are sold au natural, and you have to take them home and shell them.

When looking at motels, location is the consideration. Stick with Moab proper if you want to minimize your driving- other areas like Green River look close, but you'll spend a lot of time driving if the activities that interest you, like Slickrock Trail, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Dead Horse State Park. Consider a staying a few days in each area if you also have interests closer to Green River.

In order to determine the location of your hotel, ask how long it would take to walk or drive to the Moab Visitors Center- this is a dead give away. It's right smack in the middle of downtown Moab, at Center and Main Street. Plus it is a great place to get info and plan your activities. Mileage is near meaningless in this area where you have to drive around mountains and state parks to get anywhere. The town of Moab includes the immediate downtown where everything seems to be in a 4-block radius that you can walk to after even a full days mountain biking. There are other motels that are very nearby on Main Street or the side streets and you can certainly walk to the main area of town from. Those tend to be priced a little lower to offset the difference.

You don't need to fear the privately owned hotels in Moab. Most of them are not in the dead center of town, but they are priced a little bit less than the chains, and are fine basic hotels. The staff is friendly and helpful and the hotels are well managed.

Amenities vary by hotel. If you are bringing your bike, that's your first consideration. Some motels allow bikes in the room; others insist that you keep your bike in their bike room. Some offer cleaning areas. Remember that if you go for a motel with a bike room, you will need to get someone from the hotel to let you in and let you out every time you need access to your bike.

A pool is a nice treat at the end of the day in the warmer weather, but if you are going in the fall through early spring, don't bother with a pool, since it will be too cold. Indoor pools are pretty much non-existent in Moab hotels.

There's an abundance of chain motels in Moab, and the pricing seems directly related to the locations. Right when you cross over the Colorado there is an efficient looking Motel 6. For the price savings, you'll be a bit further from town, so you may want to drive to dinner. There is at least one restaurant that you can walk to.

When it comes to the Best Western, there are two: Canyonlands and Greenwell Inn. You can labor over which one to stay at, but in truth they are a block apart, and seem equally satisfactory for a multi-night stay. They include a nutritious breakfast buffet. This is a great way to go since in the morning you just want to get up and get going. Nothing fancy but just what you are looking for before you head out for the day. Hard-boiled eggs, oatmeal, cereals, a few different kinds of fruit, some carbs, pretty low on the fat and cholesterol. At the end of the day they have fresh baked cookies, a very welcome treat after the day's activities.

The Ramada Inn, also in the center of town, provides coffee and tea and an adjacent restaurant serves up a nice breakfast. The pool here is nice if you are coming in the warmer months. The Inn is offering some amazing weekday packages if you call 435-259-6869 (Monday through Friday 10a.m. - 5p.m. MST) and ask for Marion. There are some restrictions, but the prices are unbeatable for families.

The Gonzo Inn is one cool place. The accommodations are nice, you don't get the chain feel, and it is about 3 blocks from the visitor's center. They are serious about no bikes in the room, which results in nice, clean rooms. Rooms here run from $135 for 2 to $299 for a suite.

A word on bookings: call if you don't see what you want on the Internet. The hotel that I chose said there were no rooms available for my dates. Finally I picked up the phone and called. The manager was very accommodating, asked if she could have about a half hour to see what she could do. She called back with my 6-night stay in an upgraded room for less than the Internet price for the smaller room. When we arrived, that was exactly what we got.

If you are looking for a more unique adventure, the Camelot Lodge is remote Adventure Lodge and offers interesting packages, great value, and, well, camels! There are camel treks into areas that only the Lodge has access to, and they'll provide interesting history and local info throughout your stay. Camelot has its own beach on the Colorado River, and you can head out your door onto miles of biking trails. The folks at Camelot will provide a complete adventure and help in planning all aspects of your trip. Each room is unique, and the setting will give you a remote, wilderness feel. Rooms start at $175 double occupancy, and there is no hype here, just some down to earth people with great ideas on how to enjoy Moab. You are far from town, but you won't need much here: the concept at Camelot Lodge is that "you play where you stay." Each morning your hosts provide a lovely pastry basket and each room has cooking facilities. This place getting very popular very fast, so book early.

If you want to be pampered, there are very nice, high-end hotels on the Colorado. These aren't too far from town and they are pricey by Moab standards, but not compared to other areas. These resorts will take care of everything, book it all for you and have many activities that originate from their grounds, or arrange to have you picked up.

Sorrel River Ranch offers luxury family suites and Colorado River view lofts from $209- $389 per night, and they list as the only 4 star resort in Moab. Colorado River view or Mountain View rooms all have jetted hydrotherapy tubs to soothe you at day's end. Sorrel Ranch offers extensive selection of packages that from $249 (pp) for a basic weekend, to a 7day 6 night "Magnificent 7" package with Riverview spa suite accommodations, a 4x4 tour, rafting trip, horse trail ride, canyon expedition and a scenic flight for $1499 (pp), which is an amazing price. The spa on the premises is a rare find in Moab. It's about half hour drive into town, but this is one of the places where the setting really is magnificent.

Red Cliffs lodge also sits on the Colorado River, with decks encircling the main lodge and conference room. Every room in the lodge has a deck that faces the Colorado, so there are no bad rooms here. At Red Cliffs, you should call and speak to someone and they will customize the package for you. It's hard to figure out pricing from the website- you need to call to speak to a live person to figure it out. Red Cliffs Lodge also has a spa on the premises. The lodge is 14 miles from town, and the road is a scenic drive along the Colorado. In May 2006 the Lodge is opening individual cabins.

When it comes to staying in Moab, you'll find a friendly down to earth atmosphere. In Moab, you get what you pay for at the hotels, from the location to the amenities to the room size. There are great places to stay in every price range, and no unpleasant surprises. And I have not doubt that in a pinch, you could always find a place that you can afford to stay in Moab. Just be sure to check for your dates in case there is an event when you want to go. And don't be afraid to call, since you can talk to a live person in Moab, not an 800 number operator that is far, far away.