My husband and I booked the Yavapai East property for a 4-night stay in the Grand Canyon for our anniversary/birthday trip and we are so glad we did! The rooms were normal size and as to be expected for a more “wildernessy” hotel. They were clean, well-stocked, and had an ice and drink machine in each building. We had no trouble parking near our room, but were also there when it wasn’t quite as busy (Saturday-Wednesday).
The free shuttle was a very short walk away, as was the Yavapai dining hall and tavern, both of which had pretty good food! There was also a Starbucks in the lodge which was great for morning coffee and grab and go breakfast sandwiches. The dining hall area also had a water bottle filling station and microwave, which were very useful! The shuttle was also very easy to utilize/figure out and took you pretty much everywhere. It did get a bit crowded at times, so be prepared for that.
The general store was also within a short walk and was massive! It had a great selection of beer, drinks, food, and anything you may have forgotten (I.e. sandwich bags, clif bars, or bottled water).
All in all, we are very glad we stayed at the lodge inside the park as it was very convenient to the rim, restaurants, and everything we needed for our stay!