We are traveling to Sedona for 2 nights with our infant son so we would like a hotel with the largest rooms, child friendly, good views, and a nice sized pool. We are considering Amara ($179/night includes bkfst), Best Western Arroyo ($159-$179/night with cont bkfst), or the Matterhorn Lodge ($125). All have good reviews, but we are looking for some specific things. If you have stayed at any of these places please give feedback. Thanks!

Suggest you look into Sky Ranch Lodge, too.

I second the vote for the Sky Ranch Lodge.

www.skyranchlodge.com/

You can walk 1/4 mile up the road to have a great breakfast at the Airport (a great experience). Great sunset views (much quieter than at the point further down the same road that all the people staying in town have to drive to to watch), and they have rooms with kitchenettes. Rooms are big and they have a pool.

I don't want to hijack this thread but I see USNR is here and he lives in Sedona. USNR, can you tell us how the Brins Mesa fire is burning today? I have been following the fire news on the internet this a.m. A friend of mine has some unites at Junipine, and I see that all of Oak Creek has been evacutated. The pictures I see of people watching the fire last night from the Sedona airport vista are very dramatic. Are the firefighters containing the fire?

We stayed at the Matterhorn Inn in March and thought it was great. The views from the room are amazing, the staff is quite pleasant, good sized pool and hot tub, and having a mini-fridge was a plus. It was nice being able to walk to shops and restaurants, so we found the location to be excellent.

or you can have a look here at this link:
http://destinia.com/hotels/hotels--i...erica/36358/en

emd: I am watching the fire from our deck. We returned to our home Monday morning after being ordered by the police to evacuate the house about mid-afternoon Sunday. The fire appears to have moved from Brins Mesa at the end of Soldier Pass and to be on top of Wilson Mtn., has spread to 3,000 acres or more, and is being fought by ground and air personnel and equipment. Slurry bombers and helicopters with water constantly go over our house. A small twin-engined plane seems to be circling constantly, quarterbacking the fight by radio. Westerly and southern winds are moving the flames and smoke toward the east, which is toward Oak Creek Canyon. The canyon highway, 89A, has been blocked since yesterday. No structures have been damaged and no persons have been injured. I have no info about Junipine, but all efforts are being made, I believe, to keep the fire from spreading into the canyon itself. We are grateful for all those who are working on the fire, maintaining good order here on the flats, and hope they can contain the fire today. We just hope the winds do not rise; temperatures are about 95+ here and likely are lower up where we can see the fire. We are at 4,500 ft. and the fire now is at about 6,000 ft. Flames occasionally leap high, black or gray or white smoke rises in a gigantic plume, you would swear there is a volcano up there. All we can do is watch and hope.

Oh USNR, I am crying as I read your post. I love Sedona not only for it's environment but for that great community of people who are there. I know others who live there- one friend who is also retired from Chicago and who also lives up Soldiers Pass Rd. close to you.

This article below has 68 reader's photos posted if you click on the right side where it says "reader's photos", and I can see from the last few that the fire is jumping up to Wilson mtn. ridge as you said.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...fire19-ON.html

Please know that I am thinking of you and the whole town of people. Thank God for those firefighters who are putting themselves in harms way on the ground and in the air trying to stop the spread. I just hope the winds die down.

Thanks for your thoughts. The smoke plume (we cannot see flames from our house now) is moving southeasterly. If you are familiar with Jordan Road and the Sedona Historical Society's museum, firefighters have set up a CP there. Today's efforts are critical.