History
The Heart of Salt Lake City, Since 1966
Built on a simple but enduring belief that every guest deserves to feel genuinely at home, Little America has become one of downtown Salt Lake City's most beloved destinations. Since 1966, families have returned year after year to the familiar warmth and the classic American character that makes this place feel less like a hotel and more like a tradition.
More Than a Mascot
The Name, the Penguin, and the Promise
The Little America name dates back to 1934, to a Wyoming outpost named after Admiral Richard E. Byrd's Antarctic basecamp, a place that stood as a lifeline of warmth and welcome at the end of a long journey. That founding spirit and the cheerful penguin mascot that came with it have traveled with the brand ever since. You will find him here too, woven quietly into the fabric of the property, a small but enduring symbol of everything Little America has always stood for.
Growth and the Family of Properties
Part of Something Larger
Little America Salt Lake City has become the anchor of a growing family of properties across the American West. Today, Grand America Hotels and Resorts encompasses Little America Wyoming, Little America Cheyenne, Little America Flagstaff, The Westgate Hotel in San Diego, and The Grand America Hotel, located directly across the street from our front door. Together, the two downtown Salt Lake City properties have served as the heart of the Utah hospitality story for decades, and both played a proud role in welcoming the world when Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.
Little America Today
Your Enduring Home Away From Home
Sixty years after its opening, Little America remains one of downtown Salt Lake City's most distinctive and cherished destinations. A comprehensive renovation refreshed the property while preserving everything that has always made it feel like Little America: the fountains and landscaped gardens, the classic American warmth, and the sense that every guest genuinely matters. When the 2034 Winter Olympic Games return to Salt Lake City, Little America will once again serve as an official lodging partner, ready to welcome a new generation of visitors to the city it has called home since 1966. Until then, we will continue doing what we have always done: making every guest feel like they have found a home away from home in the heart of Salt Lake City.