5 Best Hotels in Tucson, Arizona

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If you like being able to walk to sights, shops, and restaurants, plan on staying in either the Downtown or University neighborhood. For a quieter but equally convenient base, opt for one of the charming B&Bs near the U of A campus.

The posh resorts, primarily situated in the Catalina Foothills and Northwest areas, although farther away from town, have many activities on-site, as well as some of Tucson's top-rated restaurants, golf courses, and spas; resort staff can arrange transportation to shopping and sights.

For a unique experience, you can check into one of several Southwestern-style dude ranches on the outskirts of town. If you’re seeking accommodations that can change your life, book a stay at one of Tucson's world-class health spas for pampering, serenity, and guidance for attaining an improved sense of well-being.

Summer rates (late May through September) are up to 60% lower than those in winter. Note that unless you book months in advance, you'll be hard-pressed to find a Tucson hotel room at any price the week before and during the huge gem and mineral show, which is held the first two weeks in February. Also, resorts typically charge an additional daily fee for "use of facilities," such as pools, tennis courts, and exercise classes and equipment, so be sure to ask what’s included when you book a room.

Canyon Ranch

$$$$ | 8600 E. Rockcliff Rd., Tucson, AZ, 85750, USA Fodor's Choice

This award-winning resort draws an international crowd of well-to-do health seekers to its superb spa facilities on 70 acres in the desert foothills. Two activity centers include an enormous spa complex and a health and healing center where dietitians, exercise physiologists, behavioral-health professionals, and medical staff tend to body and soul. Just about every type of physical activity is possible, from Pilates to guided hiking to Watsu treatments, and the food is plentiful and healthful. Rates include all meals, activities, taxes, and gratuities.

Pros

  • A stay here can be a life-changing experience
  • Gorgeous setting
  • All-inclusive activities are varied and engaging

Cons

  • Very pricey
  • Not family-friendly
  • Vast property means greater distances between activities
8600 E. Rockcliff Rd., Tucson, AZ, 85750, USA
520-749–9000
Hotel Details
240 rooms
All-Inclusive

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JW Marriott Starr Pass

$$$$ | 3800 W. Starr Pass Blvd., Tucson, AZ, 85701, USA Fodor's Choice

Set amid saguaro forests and mesquite groves in the Tucson Mountains (yet only 15 minutes from Downtown), the city's largest resort has massive sun-bleached stone walls that blend rather than compete with the natural surroundings and stunning views from the interior dining areas and lounges. Outside terraces, with chairs and sofas clustered around kiva fireplaces, overlook the pools, golf course, and vast desert valley. Complimentary tequila shots, along with a dramatic recitation of the story of Pancho Villa, liven up the bar nightly during happy hour.

Pros

  • Posh and beautiful
  • Excellent spa and golf
  • Great walking/hiking paths

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Parking is far from lobby areas and guest rooms
  • Setting may feel too isolated for some
3800 W. Starr Pass Blvd., Tucson, AZ, 85701, USA
520-792–3500
Hotel Details
575 rooms
No Meals

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White Stallion Ranch

$$$$ | 9251 W. Twin Peaks Rd., Tucson, AZ, 85743, USA Fodor's Choice

A 3,000-acre working cattle ranch run by the hospitable True family since 1965, this place is the real deal, satisfying for families as well as singles or couples. You can ride up to four times daily, hike in the mountains, enjoy a hayride cookout, and compete in team cattle penning. Most rooms retain their original Western furniture, and newer deluxe rooms have whirlpool baths or fireplaces. A spa and fitness center bring even more comforts to this highly civilized but authentic setting. Rates include all meals, riding, and entertainment such as weekend rodeos, country line dancing, telescopic stargazing, and campfire sing-alongs. Economical room-with-breakfast packages are available during summer months.

Pros

  • Solid dude-ranch experience with exceptional riding program
  • Plentiful ranch activities and evening entertainment
  • Charming hosts

Cons

  • No TV in rooms
  • Alcohol not included in the rate—pay extra or bring your own
  • Rustic, rather than luxurious
9251 W. Twin Peaks Rd., Tucson, AZ, 85743, USA
520-297–0252
Hotel Details
41 rooms, 1 house
All-Inclusive

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Recommended Fodor's Video

Miraval

$$$$ | 5000 E. Via Estancia Miraval, Tucson, AZ, 85739, USA

This New Age health spa 30 miles north of Tucson, popular with celebrities, has a secluded desert setting and beautiful Southwestern rooms. Most of the spa services and wellness programs, based primarily on Eastern philosophies, aim to put you in touch with your inner self. Choices include being pampered with a hot stone massage or seaweed body mask, and participating in fitness, meditation, equine, and nature activities. All gratuities and meals, including tasty buffets (with calories and fat content noted), are included.

Pros

  • Very high-end getaway in the middle of nowhere
  • Tranquil
  • Abundant wellness activities

Cons

  • Posh attitude makes some uncomfortable
  • Very expensive
  • Far, far away from town
5000 E. Via Estancia Miraval, Tucson, AZ, 85739, USA
520-825–4000
Hotel Details
117 rooms
All-Inclusive

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The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain

$$$$ | 15000 N. Secret Springs Dr., Tucson, AZ, 85658, USA

The most elegant and exclusive of Tucson's golf and tennis resorts is the ever-posh Ritz-Carlton, set in the rolling hills of Marana, about 20 miles northwest of Central Tucson. The hotel has modern Southwestern-style rooms and casitas with featherbeds and Jacuzzi tubs, a fabulous spa, and an indoor-outdoor restaurant, CORE, with excellent food and spectacular desert views. Guests have privileges at Dove Mountain's 27-hole, Jack Nicklaus–designed golf course. The resort highlights the Indigenous people of the region, with Native American art, a library filled with books on the area's cultural and natural history, and a sunset celebration each evening outdoors in which notes played by a Native American flutist float into the petroglyph-studded hillsides.

Pros

  • Great golf, spa, and dining
  • Top-notch service
  • Beautiful desert setting

Cons

  • Somewhat isolated location in the far Northwest
  • Priciest resort in town
  • May feel too opulent for some
15000 N. Secret Springs Dr., Tucson, AZ, 85658, USA
520-572–3000
Hotel Details
250 rooms
No Meals

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