On our driving holiday around Arizona, we are scheduled to stay one night near the Petrified Forest. I've had a look at all the usual sites for Holiday Inn, Best Western and other hotel/motel chains but I have to say the accommodation all looks pretty grim! Basic we can handle but the photography on the websites is unflattering to say the least!

SO, if we are looking to stay in Holbrook, Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside or anywhere else, really, within 60 miles of the Petrified Forest, where should it be? I'm not disregarding any chain or independent hotel and just need some frank and honest guidance.

Price range really anything from $50 USD to $200. (But obviously we would prefer the lower end!)

Thanks a lot!

I don't know where you are coming from or going, but in my opinion the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert can be seen by a drive-through. There are many motels in Flagstaff and Gallup.

I stayed in Flagstaff coming from Gallup. It's a nice, small college town with a great Natural History Museum and a well-known observatory.

If you decide to stay in Pinetop, the Holiday Inn Express is really nice. The manager, and all of the staff were very friendly and helpful, and our room was spotless. Nice breakfast, too.

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/hd/PINAZ

If you stay in Holbrook, you might want to try a relic from old Route 66, the Wig Wam Motel.

http://www.galerie-kokopelli.com/wigwam/

Thanks for your help - we are leaving Monument Valley that morning and seeing Canyon de Chelly. The Petrified Forest will be the last thing on our itinerary that day. A bit "whistle stop" but we don't have too much time!

The next day we are going to drive the Coronado Trail and our next stop for the night will be in Benson - so two full driving days and we need somewhere convenient to stay in between!

Pinetop is definitely that - any other suggestions?

Thanks again.

The Wigwam Motel. Really.

Read the reviews on tripadvisor.com.

Talk about a blast from the past - the old Route 66 days. And, they have new mattresses too!

I booked my res this week for my trip. I'm so excited!

Nice choice staying in Pinetop. It will be nice and cool, at about 7,000 ft. elevation. Take 60/77 through Globe, then 77 to Tucson. You will go through the Salt River Canyon before Globe. Do stop at turnouts for some nice views. As you head towards Tucson, at Winkleman you can do some rafting on the Gila River (if there's enough water running.

If you want a long list of things to do around Tucson / Benson, please send me an email. My list has clickable links so you can explore to see what might be fun. A kind of fun place near Benson to stay might be the Triange-T Guest Ranch. http://www.triangletguestranch.com/

Anyway, just send me an email and I will send you my list.