Best Historic Hotels

Hotels have been important pillars of Arizona towns for more than a century. They serve as elegant community gathering places in their restaurants, lounges and banquet rooms. Thanks to hoteliers and community support,  the state still has these vital, historic buildings. Here are the best from around the state:

La Posada Hotel, Winslow, 1929
Hassayampa Inn, Prescott, 1927
Hotel Weatherford, Flagstaff, 1900
Gadsden Hotel, Douglas, 1929*
Hotel Monte Vista, Flagstaff, 1927
Hotel Congress, Tucson, 1919
Copper Queen Hotel, Bisbee, 1902
Grand Canyon Hotel, Williams, 1891
Hotel San Carlos, Phoenix, 1928
Jerome Grand Hotel, Jerome, 1927**

Honorable mention: Beale Hotel and Hotel Brunswick, both in Kingman, both in need of major restoration.

*The original Gadsden Hotel, built in 1907, was destroyed during a 1928 fire.
**Served as United Verde Hospital from 1927 to 1950. Renovation as  a hotel started in 1994

Hassayampa Inn was built in 1927 northeast of the courthouse square.

Flagstaff's Weatherford Hotel opened Jan. 1, 1900 when the town's streets were unpaved. It has been a hub of local music for more than four decades.

Gadsden Hotel was rebuilt in 1929 after a fire destroyed the 1907 building.

Copper Queen includes a saloon and patio a half block from Brewery Gulch.

Opened in 1928, Hotel San Carlos was Arizona's first high-rise hotel with air conditioning. Owner Charles Harris lived in a penthouse atop the 7-story building.

Jerome Grand Hotel was a hospital converted to a hotel in 1994.

Grand Canyon Hotel on Route 66 in Williams is one of Arizona's oldest.

Hotel Congress played a key part in the capture of gangster John Dillinger in 1934 when fireman recognized him during a fire in the hotel.

The Monte Vista Hotel's coffee shop and bar.

A garden courtyard at La Posada designed by Mary Jane Coulter.

The colorful lobby of the La Posada Hotel in Winslow. It was a former Harvey House that served rail passengers until 1957.