The Desert Pearl Inn, Zion National Park – Our Pearl of a Getaway

I don’t know why I have not written about this truly lovely inn before. We like to discover new destinations and hotel properties, so for our family to go back to the same location more than once is an exception. Indeed, The Desert Pearl Inn, Springdale, Utah is exceptional and has been my family’s getaway oasis for about 5 years now. We try to go there at least twice a year to recharge and to take a break from our own Las Vegas desert (climatic and cultural!).

We discovered the Desert Pearl after our first visit to Zion National Park, at which time, not knowing any better, we stayed at a less than satisfactory place.

This is the type of sharing of “best kept secret” that is hard to do. When too many people know about a good thing, it becomes too popular for its own good. Not that I think that I have that kind of influence, but you know what I mean…

Anyhoo, here are the facts. We love the Desert Pearl Inn for so many reasons, but mainly because:

• of its location, right smack in the center of cute Springdale, Utah, walking distance from restaurants and little shops
• it’s about 1 mile from the entrance of Zion National Park. You can drive or take the shuttle, with a stop conveniently located in front of the Inn. We prefer taking the shuttle than fighting for a parking spot
• its owners, Robin and her husband have built this place with passion and it shows. Besides the idyllic location, the inn was built with every detail & amenity that a guest could want or expect. Rooms are very large and sleep 4 very comfortably. The decor is a cool contemporary southwest style, totally in keeping with the surroundings. The whole is enhanced by handcrafted furniture and local art
• we love reserving one of the first floor rooms which open either on the pool view (with a wonderful grassy area perfect for Frisbee or football throwing) or on the other side of the property, on the river view. Either way, the personal patio space is fitted with two comfortable Adirondack chairs, perfect for watching the children play on the grounds, for savoring our morning coffee or indulging in a glass of wine. Usually our kids make new friends and adults start talking. It makes for a real sense of community.
• we love the heated pool and the generously sized spa
• we love that the rooms are equipped with a refrigerator and microwave. Makes snacking and appetizer preparation easy.  You know, need some hors d’oeuvres to go with the wine
• always first on the list for me: free WiFi. Registration not even required
• the Inn has just completed some suites, 1100 sq. ft. each (we visited. They are Fab with a capital F) that we hope to stay in next time.

So, what is there to do in beautiful Zion? Well, just being in Zion quiets the mind and rejuvenates. But, we really love the hiking. Most especially the Virgin River‘s “The Narrows” hike in warm weather. We do a 6 mile return hike through the river. Always an exhaustingly satifying hike. Other than that, we love going to Zion to catch up on reading and family time and conversation and to just plain relax and take in the beauty of the surroundings. There is also plenty of cycling and mountain biking, ATV-ing, horseback riding and tours. Lots of equipment rental places are around if you don’t have your own. And then there are sites like the Coral Pink Sand Dunes and the tiny ghost town of Grafton, UT. This one is fun for a 20 minutes detour; parts of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were filmed there.

I hope that you get to discover this wonderful and very scenic part of the American Southwest.