La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham at Zion Park/Springdale

Surrounded by the famous red rock formations of Zion, this hotel celebrates its location with large, colorful photos of park landmarks. The sandstone wall behind the wood front desk and the natural stone tile floors enhance the look, as do multicolor, tree-pattern rugs in the breakfast room and lobby. Rounds cut from trees grace a wall above a circular sitting area with sofas and armchairs surrounding a brown leather ottoman. More lobby sitting areas offer comfy armchairs below large paper chandeliers. The adjacent breakfast area is a busy place in the morning, with wood tables and bench seating along back walls. Like the lobby, it’s bright and open, with soft yellow walls. In the afternoon, the outdoor pool gets busy with returning guests unwinding after a fun day on Zion’s trails. This is a busy property chock-full of park visitors seeking a comfortable place to stay during their adventures. Note, there are no elevators to second-floor units, but there are ramps for wheeling luggage.

La Quinta is on the main drag of small-town Springdale, surrounded by restaurants, shops, and a grocery store -- all within a five-minute walking radius. There's a free shuttle that runs throughout Springdale and takes visitors to all Zion National Park stops, and it stops right in front of the hotel. The shuttle takes about five minutes to reach the park’s south entrance gate. The Zion Canyon Village is a short two-minute drive away, with its giant screen theater, outdoor outfitter, brew pub and other attractions. The Obert C. Tanner Amphitheater is about six minutes by car, and the Zion Visitors Bureau office is a five-minute drive. McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas is about a three-hour drive, and Salt Lake City International Airport is about four and a half hours by car.

Rooms are clean, fresh, and nicely sized. Of the 132 rooms, 24 are suites. Decor remains essentially the same for all room options. Dark reddish-brown headboards, nightstands, dressers, and desks give the rooms a dark backdrop, but soft-yellow painted walls, beige drapes and white linens help lighten things. Like the public areas, rooms feature colorful photos of Zion landmarks, which add splashes of color. Bathrooms are also similar throughout the room categories, with hardwood floors, yellow painted walls, tan granite/dark wood vanities and standard white shower/tub combos with curtains.

King Rooms have brown upholstered sectional sofas with two small copper-top steel tables in front. Dressers hold 32-inch flat-screen TVs on top and microwaves and mini-fridges below. Double Queen Rooms offer the same layout minus the sofa and tables. Family Suites have king beds in their master bedrooms, along with separate rooms with bunk beds and granite-top corner counter with microwaves and mini-fridges. Each room has a window and flat-screen TV, but there's only one bathroom in the whole suite. 

Many rooms offer mountain views, while others have views of the nicely landscaped hotel grounds. Free Wi-Fi, voicemail, and coffeemakers are standard. Small pets are welcome in select rooms for a fee. More units designed for longer stays are scheduled to open sometime in 2016.

The free shuttles that take visitors throughout Zion National Park and to various spots around Springdale stop in front of the hotel. Guests with their own cars can make use of the hotel's free parking. A continental breakfast buffet with hot items is included in the room rate, and free breakfast sandwiches are offered for guests getting an early start. A 24-hour pantry offers various sundries, snacks, and beverages. The large, heated outdoor pool has fountains and other fun features for children, as well as covered lounge chairs. It, like the whirlpool, is open seasonally. The fitness center offers only a few cardio and weight machines along with free weights. There's also a meeting space and a 24-hour business center with a printer and one computer station with Internet access. Valet laundry, dry cleaning, and self-serve laundry are available, and free Wi-Fi is offered throughout the facility. An outfitter that rents and sells equipment for park adventures is adjacent to the hotel entrance.