11 Best Hotels in North-Central Arizona, Arizona

The sleek rooms at this boutique property next to gurgling Oak Creek but convenient to town come with many extras, including yoga classes, access to a spa and fitness center, complimentary mountain bikes, and a shuttle to nearby shops and restaurants. Step out onto your room's private balcony or terrace to take in expansive views of the red rocks or pool and waterfalls.

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.

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.

This stunning hacienda, one of the most beautifully designed boutique hotels in the Southwest, has decor accents including authentic Tiffany and Roycroft pieces, French doors leading to balconies or a grassy central courtyard, stained-glass windows and ceiling panels, river-rock or tile fireplaces, and huge custom-designed beds. Wine and hors d'oeuvres like cheese and lavosh crackers are served in the afternoon.

The outdoor veranda at this 1898 B&B affords sweeping views of the Verde Valley and Sedona. Most rooms are decorated in Victorian style and all have private entrances and baths. Afternoon tea with cookies is an unexpected luxury for this formerly rough-and-ready town.

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.

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. Chef John Sharpe creates a spectacular menu that 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.

Rooms in this rambling wood-and-stone Craftsman house have a refined rustic style; most have fireplaces, and some have jetted tubs, redwood decks, or hot tubs. For solitude, walk the seven-path classic labyrinth (made of local rock) and through the gardens. A chef prepares a lavish and healthy breakfast, as well as "sunset snacks" in the evening.

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.

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.

Though it may be hard to believe, there are still bargains in Sedona, and this one-story, no-frills, family-run motel delivers. All rooms have refrigerators and microwaves, and the pool and hot-tub area serves as a gathering spot for swapping hiking or biking tales with fellow travelers—many from Europe—at the end of the day.