Arizona is just packed with natural beauty. Even though the Grand Canyon is its most famous sight, the state in the American Southwest is home to many more bucket list destinations to tick off. But where to stay in Arizona for the best experience?
Grand Canyon Village offers majestic lodging right on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. In addition, other popular options for where to stay in Arizona include Holbrook, Tucson, Page, Chinle and Monument Valley.
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Jump to
- GC Village – Grand Canyon NP
- Holbrook – Petrified Forest NP
- Tucson – Saguaro NP
- Page – Horseshoe Bend & Antelope
- Chinle – Canyon de Chelly
Grand Canyon Village
On the south rim of the Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon Village makes jaws drop. It’s an option for where to stay in Arizona that in breathtaking fashion showcases the state’s most renowned attraction.
Its unique position within Grand Canyon National Park makes the town the perfect home base to have. When staying at a hotel in Grand Canyon Village, you’re just steps away from the jaw-dropping vistas.
As it’s so easy to get from the cute village to the park’s most famous viewpoints and trails, everyone effortlessly can enjoy the magic of the huge United States wonder together.
The lodging in Grand Canyon Village is also appreciated for its historic and rustic character. But if you want more modern elements, you need to look towards the hotels in the nearby town Tusayan.
Recommended hotels at Grand Canyon
El Tovar Hotel
El Tovar Hotel is a hotel that is as known for its prime location as for its many famous guests throughout the years. Theodore Roosevelt, Albert Einstein and Oprah Winfrey are just a few of the many famous guests that the historic place to stay has hosted.
Yavapai Lodge
Yavapai Lodge also offers the perfect Arizona location within Grand Canyon Village. However, at this more low-key accommodation, you get to see the world wonder from a humbler perspective.
The Grand Hotel
Outside the park, but just a few miles from the awe-inspiring overlooks, the town Tusayan offers hotels with more facilities. At the luxury Grand Hotel you can treat yourself with superb amenities after a long day in the park.
Can you stay on the north rim too? The north rim of the Grand Canyon is much more remote and only open during the warmer months of the year. There the Grand Canyon Lodge is your only in-park lodging option.
Holbrook
There are more remarkable national parks in Arizona than the mighty Grand Canyon. Holbrook in the Painted Desert area, known for its colorful landscape, is an option for where to stay in Arizona close to Petrified Forest National Park.
From the town, it’s only roughly 20 miles (32 km) and as many minutes to drive to the Arizona park. That makes Holbrook the best place to stay at Petrified Forest National Park.
Even though it’s easy to be overshadowed by the magnificence of the Grand Canyon, the Petrified Forest offers a completely different experience. Time after time the park surprises its visitors.
Home to one of the largest concentrations of petrified logs in the world, it’s a mind-blowing place. Although the logs actually are fossils, they sure look like real wood.
As a nice bonus, Holbrook is a classic Route 66 town with a good selection of accommodation. In the town, you can find everything from modern hotels to retro roadside lodging.
Best hotels in Holbrook
La Quinta Inn & Suites
If you want a modern Arizona hotel, you can stop the search. At La Quinta Inn & Suites, you comfortably stay in Holbrook just a short drive from the Petrified Forest. Its great amenities, including a refreshing pool, makes a stay a pure joy.
Brad’s Desert Inn
Big hotel chains is not for everyone, and at Brad’s Desert Inn the vibe is something else. At the Route 66 themed motel, you travel back in time. Yes, to get a dose of nostalgia, Brad’s Desert Inn is a place to stay in Arizona that can’t be beaten.
Tucson
In southern Arizona, the state’s second largest city, Tucson, is located. Tucson offers the benefits of a big city but in particular stands out for its celebrated outdoor lifestyle.
Most impressively, Tucson is home to a large population of saguaro cacti. Saguaro National Park, home to one towering cactus after another, literally surrounds the city.
It’s tough to choose between the eastern and the western district of the national park. But if you only have time for one of them, it’s worth to note that the celebrated Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is located at the western district.
After a long day of outdoor exploration, the city of Tucson invites you to a good time in civilization. There are good hotels both right at the park and in the heart of the city.
Best hotels in Tucson
Hampton Inn Tucson West
If you want to stay close to the trails within Saguaro National Park, the Hampton Inn West is a superb choice. In less than 15 minutes, you get from the hotel to the park adventure.
Downtown Clifton
At Downtown Clifton, you get the best of both worlds. Here, you fully recharge in the heart of the city after a long day out in the hot southern Arizona sun.
Page
Page in northern Arizona is home to some of the best sights in the American Southwest. Although the Page attractions aren’t national parks, that certainly doesn’t make them less stunning.
The incised meander Horseshoe Bend is the result of tireless work by the Colorado River. It’s a jaw-dropping viewpoint to enjoy just a few miles from where Grand Canyon National Park begins.
Across town, Antelope Canyon is one of the most famous slot canyons in the world. Above all, its wavy canyon walls and iconic light beams are features to write home about.
As both the best place to stay at Horseshoe Bend and the best place to stay at Antelope Canyon, it’s easy to motivate a trip to Page.
On top of the attractions, Page is also one of those small towns that offers a surprisingly good selection of hotels and restaurants. In the visitor-friendly town, you have everything you need for a comfortable stay.
Best hotels in Page
Hampton Inn
Page’s Hampton Inn is a place to stay in Arizona that ticks every box for a good stay. The hotel is both conveniently located and provides great amenities, including pool and hot tub, for its guests to take advantage of.
Wingate
At Wingate, you get to enjoy comfy rooms and appreciated facilities, such as a pool area. In addition, the lodging also gives you walking distance to the Colorado River and Glen Canyon Dam Overlook.
Chinle
If you want to get off the beaten path, the tiny town of Chinle welcomes you to the remote northeastern part of Arizona. It’s an alternative for where to stay in Arizona that takes you far away from the hustle and bustle.
In the rural Four Corners region of the US, where the states Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah meet, it’s certainly easy to find solitude.
Most of all, Chinle is known as the gateway to the spectacular Canyon de Chelly National Monument. From Canyon de Chelly hotels in Chinle, you easily get to the dramatic scenery inside the monument.
But Canyon de Chelly is both about nature and history. The majestic canyon has been inhabited for more than 5,000 years, and the attraction is also home to numerous well-preserved archaeological sites.
Best hotels in Chinle
Thunderbird Lodge
In the very first row, Thunderbird Lodge is the only lodging within Canyon de Chelly. Although it’s far from luxury accommodation, Thunderbird Lodge is one of the best places to stay in Arizona if you look for serenity.
Final words about where to stay in Arizona
If you haven’t been to Grand Canyon, that’s the first Arizona attraction to tick off. Bed down at a hotel in Grand Canyon Village, and when waking up — you can walk to the very edge of the world-famous rim.
It’s a jaw-dropping experience that’s with you forever.
Then enjoy everything else there’s to see and do in Arizona, from more natural attractions to inviting desert cities. Even though this is the Grand Canyon State, the Grand Canyon is only Arizona’s first chapter.
You might wonder…
There are many fantastic places to stay when visiting Arizona. For the state’s most famous attraction, the Grand Canyon, consider the majestic location of Grand Canyon Village. Other great options for where to stay in Arizona include Holbrook, Tucson, Page, Chinle and Monument Valley.
Grand Canyon Village is the best place to stay in Arizona to see Grand Canyon’s south rim. The unique town offers both unbeatable access and a good selection of hotels. At the more remote and less visited north rim, the seasonal Grand Canyon Lodge is your only option.
The national parks in Arizona are known for their spectacular hiking trails. Above all, Grand Canyon Village stands out as the optimal alternative for where to stay in Arizona for hiking. When you base yourself in the town, you’re just steps away from the state’s most famous vistas and trails.
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