HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena, as catalogued
Williams' 1890s Route 66 hotel, billed as the oldest in Arizona, reopened in 2005 after decades empty
145 W Route 66, Williams, AZ 86046
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Boutique room rates vary by room and season; many rooms share hallway bathrooms in the historic European-pension style. See website.
Access
Limited Access
Two-story 1890s commercial building; guest rooms are upstairs and reached by staircase
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1891 · Billed as the Oldest Hotel in Arizona · Route 66 Heritage · Williams Railroad and Tourism History
The Grand Canyon Hotel stands on the Route 66 strip in Williams, the Coconino County town that served as a jumping-off point for the Grand Canyon after the railroad arrived. Sources date the hotel's opening to the early 1890s, with accounts citing January 1891 or January 1892, when it operated as the Boyce Hotel: a two-story commercial building with lodging upstairs and retail at street level. It is widely described as the first hotel in northern Arizona and the oldest in the state, predating Arizona's 1912 statehood.
The hotel hosted a range of travelers over its early decades; visitor accounts name figures such as John Muir among guests drawn to the region. As automobile tourism along Route 66 rose and fell, the building's fortunes followed. Around 1970 the hotel closed, and it stood empty for more than thirty years.
Amy and Oscar Frederickson purchased the property in the early 2000s and renovated it, reopening it as the Grand Canyon Hotel in 2005. It now operates as a boutique hotel with 29 individually themed rooms, leaning on its age and history in its marketing. The building's architecture and history are recorded in the SAH Archipedia survey of Arizona buildings, and its claim as the state's oldest hotel is repeated across regional travel coverage.
Sources
The Grand Canyon Hotel's haunted reputation tends to be framed around its age rather than a single named figure. Coverage of the property describes guests reporting comparable experiences from one stay to the next, often in the older upstairs rooms, including apparitions and a sense of presence in the historic corridors.
The building's long vacancy from around 1970 until the 2005 reopening is part of the lore that visitors are told on arrival: more than three decades empty in a town that otherwise kept moving along Route 66. The restored rooms, individually themed, are the setting for most guest accounts, and the hotel does not discourage the stories.
The property's claim as the oldest hotel in Arizona has made it a regular stop in regional 'most haunted' roundups and travel features. The reports remain at the level of guest experience rather than documented investigation, and the hotel presents the reputation as one more reason to stay in a building that has been receiving travelers, on and off, for well over a century.
Book a room in the restored boutique hotel on Williams' Route 66 strip. The 29 individually themed rooms occupy the building's upper floor, and the property markets its long history and its reputation as Arizona's oldest hotel. Guests interested in the lore tend to ask about the older, upstairs rooms.
Some links on this page may earn HauntBound a small commission when you book, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial picks are independent. Full disclosure
See current room rates and availability at The Grand Canyon Hotel.
Check rates and bookRates come from booking partners, so a small property may not be listed. Book direct with The Grand Canyon Hotel
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
Free Guide
10 verified stops, rated for families, mapped in order. Free.
One email to confirm, then the guide link. Unsubscribe anytime.
Apalachicola, FL
The Gibson Inn was built in 1907 as the Franklin Hotel at the height of Apalachicola's lumber and shipping trade. Sisters Annie Gibson Hayes and Mary Ellen Gibson purchased and renamed it in 1923. During World War II, the U.S. Army requisitioned it as officers' quarters near Camp Gordon Johnston. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Long Beach, CA
The RMS Queen Mary was constructed at John Brown & Company's Clydebank shipyard beginning in 1930, launched September 26, 1934, and sailed her maiden voyage on May 27, 1936. Requisitioned as a troopship in 1939, she carried 810,000 soldiers under the nickname 'The Grey Ghost.' The ship has been permanently moored in Long Beach, California since December 1967.
Rapid City, SD
The Hotel Alex Johnson began construction in 1927 and opened July 1, 1928, in downtown Rapid City as the vision of Alex Carlton Johnson. The Art Deco masterpiece represents early 20th-century hospitality luxury, featuring architectural distinction and historical significance throughout the Black Hills region. Johnson himself operated the hotel until his death in 1938. The facility has remained continuously operational and is now part of the Curio Collection by Hilton.