17 Best Hotels in North-Central Arizona, Arizona

One of the great railroad hotels, La Posada ("resting place") exudes the charm of an 18th-century Spanish hacienda, and its restoration has been a labor of love. Architect Mary Jane Colter, famous for her work at the Grand Canyon, designed and decorated the 68,000-square-foot hotel. Individually finished rooms are restored to 1930s style (although some have been modernized and include whirlpool tubs) and named for the famous guests who stayed there. If you can't stay for the night, take a self-guided tour of the hotel and visit the restaurant. Although most things here are a trip back in time, the stately Turquoise Room---serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner---is decidedly modern. The spectacular menu stays true to original Chef John Sharpe's vision and incorporates traditional fine-dining fare with locally sourced foods of the Southwest. It's a unique culinary experience in this part of the state, well worth the trip from Flagstaff.

Impeccably renovated to reflect its heyday as a circa-1960 motor hotel, this boutique property delivers comfort and great value as well as a fun blast from the past. Friendly owner-hosts greet you with complimentary drinks, and most of the whimsically decorated retro rooms have gas fireplaces and private patios. As an added bonus, you can pedal around downtown Prescott (three blocks away) on loaner bicycles—they even have a tandem.

About 6 miles from the canyon, this clean, family-run lodge has a two-story motel building and a newer, three-story hotel building, both good values. The motel portion of the lodge, with smaller but comfortable rooms, has showers only; all rooms have cable TV and refrigerators. An outdoor pool and hot tub are open seasonally, and a Mexican restaurant next door offers discounts for Red Feather Lodge guests.

About 2 miles from the park's south entrance, this motel lacks the historic charm of the lodges at the canyon rim but has more amenities, including pools, a bowling alley, a gym, a small cowboy museum, and one of the better restaurants in the region. Updated rooms with flat-screen TVs, microwaves, and refrigerators are spacious and furnished in Southwestern style. Those in the rear have a view of the woods. A casual restaurant and a sports bar and grill round out the dining options.

Sleep in a historic railcar or a stone cottage from a 1938 motor lodge at this 13-acre property at the forest's edge on the outskirts of Williams. The best rooms are the 1929 Santa Fe red cabooses: both are family-friendly (and can sleep up to six people), with two sides separated by a bathroom, giving parents a little privacy. The original wooden floor and tool equipment add to the authenticity. Cottage rooms are built from the local sandstone known for its variegated colors. The motel also has grills and an outdoor fire pit, seven "dry" campsites (there is no water in the campsite, but restrooms, showers, and laundry are close by), and a 47-space RV park with full hookups.

Close to the lion’s share of the trailheads in the Village of Oak Creek, this clean, older property is a good base for outdoor adventures, and the front desk has plenty of maps and advice on offer.

So clean it sparkles, the Drury Inn sits at the edge of Northern Arizona University's campus and packs in the amenities, like happy hour dinner and drinks, an indoor pool, and comfy lounge areas with mountain views. Solar panels heat the water for the entire property, and the staff—many are student interns—are friendlier than you typically find at large properties. Rooms are spacious and modern.

Designed to resemble the train depot's original Fray Marcos Hotel, this upscale place features attractive Southwestern-style accommodations with large bathrooms and comfy beds with upscale linens. Neoclassical Greek columns flank the grand entrance, which leads to a lobby with maple-wood balustrades, an enormous flagstone fireplace, and oil paintings of the Grand Canyon by local artist Kenneth McKenna. Original bronzes by Frederic Remington also adorn the lobby. Adjacent to the lobby is Spenser's, a pub with an ornate 19th-century hand-carved bar; next door is the Fred Harvey Restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

At the south end of Tusayan, this popular hotel has bright, clean, and contemporary rooms, a cozy stone-and-timber lobby, and free Wi-Fi. Live cowboy singers lead the entertainment in the Canyon Star Steakhouse and Saloon every evening. At the bar, you can sit on a saddle that was once used for canyon mule trips.

Built in 1927 for early automobile travelers, the Hassayampa Inn has a lot of character; the ceiling in the lobby is hand-painted, and some rooms still have the original furnishings. Don't get a room by the old-fashioned elevator or you'll be jarred by the clanging metal gate every time it opens and closes. The Peacock Dining Room, the hotel's pretty—and pricey—dining room, serves Continental food. In the cocktail lounge, listen to live jazz while you sip a martini.

This full-service hotel at the highest point in town, housed in Jerome's 1927 former hospital, has comfy rooms with homey furnishings that part with the institutional past, and many have splendid views. The hotel's restaurant, the Asylum, is superb.

This deservedly popular hotel is a little distance from the roar of the trains, the grounds are surrounded by evergreen forests, and it's one of the few places in Flagstaff with room service. Plush rooms have comfortable sitting areas with contemporary Western decor. Other pluses are an above-average in-house restaurant, courtesy van service to the airport and the Amtrak station, a deli, and a great Southwestern gift shop.

There may be no better vantage point in town from which to view Sedona's red rock canyons and sunsets than the private patios and balconies at Sky Ranch Lodge, near the top of Airport Mesa. Some rooms have stone fireplaces, and some have kitchenettes; all have refrigerators and microwaves. Local wines and craft beers are served at their garden bar. Paths on the grounds wind around fountains and, in summer, through colorful flower gardens.

Close to the lion's share of the trailheads in the Village of Oak Creek, this clean, older property is a good base for outdoor adventures, and the front desk has plenty of maps and advice on offer. Large rooms have refrigerators and microwaves, and they are quiet enough for a good night's rest after a day of exploring.

There may be no better vantage point in town from which to view Sedona's red rock canyons and sunsets than the private patios and balconies at Sky Ranch Lodge, near the top of Airport Mesa. Some rooms have stone fireplaces and some have kitchenettes; all have refrigerators and microwaves. Local wines and craft beers are served at their garden bar. Paths on the grounds wind around fountains and, in summer, through colorful flower gardens.