Arizona hotels

Arizona is a sunshine-filled, southwestern state that pairs an awe-inspiring natural wonder with a dazzling modern metropolis, and endless red-baked desert with pine-clad snow-topped mountains. There are elegant natural cathedrals of rock and canyons filled with roaring rapids. Its cities are melting pots of cultural diversity, while its deserts are haunted by tales of the Old West, and blossoming with a revitalized Native American culture. In every respect, the Grand Canyon State can be said to be truly grand.

Hotels in Arizona

Accommodation in Arizona is as varied as its landscape. The big cities spoil visitors with their luxury hotels and glitzy resorts, while opulent retreats and spas in Arizona’s hinterland offer the pleasures of cooling pools and lush golfing greens. Off the beaten track, close to the state’s many areas of true natural wonder, you can find quieter and more reflective lodges and haciendas. Perhaps some of the best Arizona hotel deals can be found in the many motels scattered along its highways—perfect for road-trip explorers looking for adventure on a budget.

Things to see in Arizona

Running more than 200 miles across the northern half of the state is the unequalled splendor of the Grand Canyon—one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World. Reaching up to a mile deep, the Colorado River has unearthed 2 billion years of history here, creating some astonishing views. There are more fabulous vistas to be had in the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, where wind and water have worked for eons to carve spectacular towers from its banded red sandstones. The millennium-old culture of the Pueblo Peoples comes to life in the cliff-side settlements of the Canyon de Chelly National Monument. More recent, but equally inspirational, are the 300-year old Spanish colonial missions of Tumacacori National Historical Park. And for a touch of the eclectic cultural mix that Arizona is famed for, try staying at a hotel in Sedona and soak up its unique artistic atmosphere of New Age and Old West.

Where to stay in Arizona

For the widest choice of hotels in Arizona, Phoenix undoubtedly tops the list. Both business travelers and vacationers will find plenty of options here. There are shopping hotels and luxury resorts catering to the city break crowd. For a touch of romance and pampering, the spa resorts in the hills around upmarket Scottsdale provide style and opulence you’d expect from 5-star hotels in Arizona. To the south is Tucson, which has some more smaller establishments scattered among its historic Hispanic neighborhoods. But for the spectacular canyons and buttes of the north, try Flagstaff, which has the best accommodation to view the state’s splendor at its most dramatic.

How to get to Arizona

Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport is the main point of entry for those flying in, although Tucson also has a well-connected airport. Fly into Flagstaff Pulliam from Phoenix if you’re heading for the north and the Grand Canyon. If you want to travel to Arizona by car then you’ll find good connections both to California in the west (on I-10 from LA and I-8 from San Diego) and New Mexico in the east (I-40 from Albuquerque, which then heads on to Las Vegas and northern California). The Amtrak Southwest Chief line has stops in Winslow, Flagstaff, Williams, and Kingman.