18 Best Hotels in Southern Arizona, Arizona

Bird-watchers are drawn to this contemporary hacienda-style B&B abutting the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. Hiking trails pass behind the property, and guided birding tours can be arranged. Each of the bright and modern rooms has handcrafted wooden furnishings from northern Mexico. A labyrinth for meditation and butterfly gardens surround the house.

Built in 1938, this Spanish tile–roofed motor hotel has been well cared for and was where Bob Hope used to stay during World War II, when he entertained the gunnery troops training in Yuma. See an impressive collection of historical photos at the on-site Yuma Landing Restaurant & Lounge, and an equally impressive exhibit of artifacts at the Casa de Coronado Museum, housed in one of the original hotel rooms. The updated rooms all have pillow-top beds, flat-screen TVs, refrigerators, and microwaves.

For a blast from the past, stay in one of the funky vintage aluminum trailers at this trailer park south of town, where accommodations range from a 1947 "Tiki Bus" to a 1951 33-foot Royal Mansion. The entire collection is decked out in midcentury style, including vintage magazines, coffee percolators, and vinyl records. Most units have small bathrooms, but only a few have private showers; the park restrooms are clean, with hot showers.

Steps from the heart of downtown, this all-suites inn includes seven pretty and spacious units of varying size, all with hardwood floors, 10-foot ceilings, and fully equipped kitchens. It is in the Allen Block Building, formerly a furniture store and miners' rooming house. Local art (for sale) adorns the walls.

Rimmed by giant sycamore, ash, and cottonwood trees and surrounded by the Patagonia–Sonoita Creek Preserve, this seasonal guest ranch with plenty of activities served as a setting in the movie Red River and in several episodes of Gunsmoke. Rooms in the adobe-style buildings have hardwood floors, area rugs, and antique Monterey pine chests. Riders from beginner through advanced can be accommodated on adventurous, scenic trails along the creek and up into the gorgeous rolling hills. All meals, riding, and amenities are included (rates are lowered if you opt not to ride).

The closest lodging to Kartchner Caverns State Park, this modern motel just off I--10 at the "Kartchner Corridor," a few miles west of Benson, has the comfort and amenities you'd expect, but with a bit of added Southwestern elegance. Rooms have coffeemakers and hair dryers, and a plentiful hot breakfast is included.

Twelve miles south of Chiricahua National Monument, this 27-acre property has plenty of wildlife, from deer to Mexican blue jays, and a U-shaped hacienda with five rooms, all with large walk-in showers, ceiling fans, and private entrances that open onto a flower-filled courtyard. A cooked-to-order breakfast is included, and a four-course dinner can be prepared upon request (for an extra fee) on evenings from Friday to Tuesday. Affable hosts Philip and Ramon advise guests on hiking, birding, and wine-tasting in the area.

Though not technically suites, all the rooms at this convenient hotel have kitchenettes, sitting areas with pull-out sofa beds, and king-size beds (the bedroom and sitting room are separated by a half-wall). Pleasant indoor and outdoor common areas, free Wi-Fi, and friendly staff make this property a great choice for business or pleasure travelers.

On the riverfront yet close to downtown, the Hilton Garden Inn Yuma caters to families and business travelers equally, with well-equipped rooms, an on-site restaurant and bar, a pleasant pool area, and convenience to historic sights and the highway. Colorado River State Park is right next door, or you can walk or run on the 3-mile path along the river banks. Breakfast is available for an additional fee.

The pickings for hotels are slim in cowboy country, so the Holiday Inn Express, with clean and well-furnished rooms and full breakfast buffet, is a welcome option. It's located just across the highway from historic downtown Willcox and around the corner from Apple Annie's Country Store.

This beautifully restored boutique hotel is perched above the galleries and shops of Main Street and well appointed with upscale comforts. Eleven-foot ceilings and bay windows accent elegant furnishings that blend British and Chinese influences. Don the plush robe provided as you await an in-room massage (for an additional fee) or indulge in a glass of champagne.

With a lodge, café, and general store on the eastern side of Chiricahua National Monument, this humble structure near the New Mexico border is notable less for its rooms (clean and pleasant but nondescript) than for its winged visitors: the elegant trogon, 14 types of hummingbird, and 10 species of owl are among the 330 varieties of birds that flock to nearby Cave Creek canyon. The rooms, all with two full-size beds, microwave, refrigerator, and coffeemaker, share a large deck. The café serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and cocktails every day until 6:30 pm.

The Ramsey Canyon Preserve is an internationally renowned bird haven, and the neighboring Ramsey Canyon Inn is a bird-watcher's delight. Antique furnishings and original watercolors of hummingbirds adorn the rooms in the inn and those in the well-equipped, creekside apartment suites (unlike the main inn, kids are welcome here, but breakfast isn't included). The innkeepers serve a rotating menu of breakfast treats, such as French toast stuffed with cream cheese and nuts, each morning, as well as homemade pie in the afternoon. Reserve rooms in advance during the busy spring season.

Set on 250 eucalyptus-shaded acres near the Mexican border and Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge, this tranquil late-19th-century ranch with adobe buildings offers guests plenty of activities like horseback riding, hiking, biking, and archery. The comfortable rooms, named for the dignitaries and celebrities who have stayed here over the years, have modern comforts, wood-burning fireplaces, and porches with Adirondack chairs. Rates include all meals and activities or, if you choose, just lodging and breakfast (with the option to add meals or activities for an additional fee).

The former owner of this small hotel also owned the Triple Crown–winning racehorse Secretariat, and the inn, built to resemble a huge barn, celebrates the horse's career with photos, racing programs, and press clippings. Hardwood floors, colorful woven rugs, and retro-cowboy bedspreads distinguish the spacious rooms, some of which have window seats with views of the Santa Rita Mountains.

Nestled into a hill just outside town, this modern two-story property offsets basic rooms with spectacular views of the mountains and desert valley. The rooms are Western-themed, of course, and nightly activities might include a singing cowboy, a Wild West storyteller, or an old Western movie screening.

Enjoy the romance of the Old West at this historic ranch on 160 acres of prime real estate in Texas Canyon. Although the cozy one- and two-bedroom casitas offer Western charm, the big draw to this rustic ranch is the immediate access to the startling and stunning rock formations found in the canyon. (Also available are campsites and RV sites.)