Lodging recs for the Southwest?
 

My parents 30th wedding anniversary is next year and my husband and I are trying to plan a vacation for them to celebrate but we want it to be a surprise. I'm basically looking for some neat lodging recommendations around Arizona and New Mexico. They like sightseeing, trying local restaurants, and visiting reservations, etc. I would like to find a really neat lodge-type place for them to stay. They are definitely *not* into resorts that offer golfing, etc. Any recommendations for great B&Bs, cabins, interesting hotels, etc. would be great.

Thanks!
Tracy

Also should add that I'm open for suggestions on where to go as well. They will be gone for about a week.

Thanks!
Tracy

AZ and NM as in you're planning to have them visit both, or are you trying to decide between the two?

Try the Arizona Inn in Tucson.
www.arizonainn.com -a very neat historical lodge w/style. They could sightsee at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Sabino Canyon, Mt. Lemmon,
the Mission San Xavier AKA the white Dove of the Desert is on a reservation.
A day trip down to Tubac is the enjoy
regional art and craft. The Arizona Inn is just super IMHO! See what you think.
R5

Will they have a car? If so, I have a suggestions that I would certainly go for if it were my anniversary. Let me know and I'll email you about it. (I don't want to share it with the whole world!)

You might want to check out the Sky Ranch Lodge in Sedona Arizona. I don't recall what they call the rooms that overlook Sedona's famous red rock cliffs, but, the view is spectacular. FABULOUS sunsets! Sedona is a neat little "artsy" town. The setting is breath-taking. There are also Indian ruins in the surrounding mountains. Sedona is about 2 hrs. from the Grand Canyon. Along the way there is a volcanic crater to visit and more very interesting ruins. Oh, and Sedona has lots of fun restaurants to try.

I visited in January of '03. The weather was uncharacteristically warm-in the 70's. Be aware that Sedona is NOT like Phoenix and Tucson. It does have some cold weather during the winter months.

I also LOVE the Tucson area. If I can arrange it I will be spending the month of March there next year. Someday I would like to spend about four months there each winter. There is SO much information online about these places. Only you can decide if they offer the kind of activities your parents will enjoy. Good luck! You're doing a very nice thing.