Northern Arizona
The Hassayampa Inn opened in 1927 in Prescott, Arizona. At one time, Prescott was the capital of Arizona, settled by easterners hoping to take advantage of the gold strikes in the area. The town is more quaint Victorian than Old West. The railroad originally served the city, but the line was discontinued with the advent of automobile travel.
The Inn is located within walking distance of the historic district, old court house, shopping and restaurants. The Peacock Dining Room in the hotel is reminiscent of the Victorian age, with plush velvet banquets, chandelier lighting and rich carpeting. The menu includes a wide range of entrees, from steak and lamb to seafood. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The lobby is furnished with deep comfortable leather sofas and chairs and is usually occupied by guests reading by the fireplace. The Hassayampa Inn boasts one of the first elevators in the state and it's still in working condition.
Hassayampa Inn
122 East Gurley St.
Prescott, AZ 86301
(928) 778-9434
http://www.hassayampainn.com
Southern Arizona
Since 1902, the Copper Queen in Bisbee, Arizona has been catering to the executives of the copper mines in Bisbee as well as guests. While the mines are no longer operational, the hotel is--it is the oldest hotel in Arizona that has been continuously open. The hotel's 53 rooms are non-smoking and several of the rooms are themed, such as the Lily Langtree room, Three Amigos and the Teddy Roosevelt room.
The Winchester restaurant offers fine dining, with several items that were on the original 1902 menu. It's open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Copper Queen Saloon offers a rowdier atmosphere and an outdoor patio.
Copper Queen Hotel
11 Howell Ave.
Bisbee, AZ 85603
(520) 432-2216
http://www.copperqueen.com/
Phoenix
The 128-room Hotel San Carlos is one of the oldest hotels in Phoenix, opening in 1928. It was also the first air-conditioned high rise building in the city.
The San Carlos is conveniently located near the baseball stadium, basketball stadium and theaters. Fine dining is available at nearby world-class restaurants as well as on site at the Via Roma Ristorante and Café.
Hotel San Carlos
202 North Central Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 253-4121
http://www.hotelsancarlos.com
About The Author
Brian Hill's first writing credit was the cover story for a national magazine. He is the author of three popular books, "The Making of a Bestseller," "Inside Secrets to Venture Capital" and "Attracting Capital from Angels." Among his magazine article credits are the March 2005 and June 2008 issues of "The Writer." His interests include golf, football, movies and his two dogs.
