Where to Stay in Sedona: Best Hotels for Your Budget

An important factor to consider is the location of your hotel. There are several neighborhoods in Sedona to choose from, as well as a few nearby towns that also make great options. If you are traveling on a budget, or are planning your visit at the last minute, it will most likely be cheaper and easier to find a hotel just outside of Sedona.

To make your decision about where to stay in Sedona easier, we took the long list of hotel options and organized them by location, budget, and traveling style.

Overview of Sedona

When choosing where to stay in Sedona, your options extend beyond the town of Sedona.

Sedona is made up of two sections. Uptown Sedona is the busier, more touristy area of Sedona and this is where you find some of Sedona’s best restaurants and shopping. West Sedona has more of a local feel. There are still many hotels and restaurants in this section, but you will also be closer to some of the best hiking trails.

The Village of Oak Creek is a short drive south of Sedona. For those on a budget, this is a great place to stay.

Cottonwood is a bit farther away, but it’s a great location for budget travelers, for those who want to escape the crowds in Sedona, and for those who plan on spending some time on the Verde Valley Wine Trail.

On the map below, each color corresponds to a different area: Uptown Sedona is red, West Sedona is blue, the Village of Oak Creek is yellow, and Cottonwood is green. The black markers indicate the top sights, hiking trails, and things to do in and around Sedona.

In this article, I list hotels as luxury, upscale, mid-range, and budget. A luxury hotel is a 5-star hotel, an upscale hotel is a 4-star property, a mid-range hotel is a 3-star property, and a budget hotel is a 2-star property.

I did not include any Airbnb properties in this post. In recent years, Airbnb has helped drive up housing prices and reduced the number of properties available to the local residents, creating a housing crisis in Sedona (and many other cities around the world). 

Best Hotels in Uptown Sedona

Uptown Sedona is the eastern section of Sedona. This area sits just above the “Y,” which is the intersection of Highway 89A and Highway 179.

Pros: Central location with quick, easy access to many of Sedona’s top sights; close to the best shops in Sedona; many great restaurants to choose from

Cons: Can get very busy and crowded during peak season and traffic delays are common in this area; most expensive area in Sedona

LUXURY: L’Auberge De Sedona. This 5-star hotel has an excellent location, overlooking Oak Creek. Take your pick from cottages with creek or mountain views or traditional hotel rooms. The onsite restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and the hotel offers a free shuttle service.

UPSCALE: Amara Resort & Spa. This resort has a beautiful location. From the hotel, you have gorgeous views of the surrounding red rock mountains. There are a wide variety of room types, some of which can accommodate up to six people. We had dinner at their on-site restaurant, SaltRock Kitchen, and the margaritas are fantastic!

Amara Resort & Spa

UPSCALE: Whispering Creek Bed & Breakfast. This 4-star property gets rave reviews from prior guests. It is tucked away in a more residential area of Uptown Sedona. Rooms can accommodate two people and children are not allowed to stay at this property.

MID-RANGE: Sedona Views Bed and Breakfast. This property is located northeast of Uptown Sedona on State Route 89A. Rooms can accommodate two people and children are not allowed.

MID-RANGE: Arabella Hotel Sedona. This is one of the most recommended hotels in Sedona. When I am on forums about where to stay in Sedona, the Arabella gets the highest number of recommendations from prior visitors. This hotel is located on Highway 179 just south of Uptown Sedona. There is an outdoor pool, hot tub, and free breakfast. The Arabella even has its own hiking trail. Some rooms can accommodate up to 4 people. The Arabella makes a great pick for families.

Arabella Hotel Sedona

BUDGET: Sedona Uptown Suites. This 2-star hotel gets great reviews. From this hotel, you can walk to many of the shops and restaurants in Uptown Sedona. For families, there is a 2-bedroom suite that can accommodate up to five people. Prior guests love the location of this hotel.

Sedona Uptown Suites

Best Hotels in West Sedona

Highway 89A travels east-west through West Sedona. This area is more residential than Uptown Sedona, so it has more of a local feel to it.

When we visit Sedona, we stay in West Sedona.

Pros: Close location to many hiking trails; slightly cheaper than Uptown Sedona

Cons: Longer drive to get to the Village of Oak Creek and hiking trails such as Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock

LUXURY: A Sunset Chateau. This 5-star boutique property offers studios, one-bedroom suites, and villas that can accommodate up to eight people. Every room has a kitchenette. There is a pool, hot tub, and tennis court onsite. Tim and I stayed here in 2019 and we highly recommend this property.

A Sunset Chateau

UPSCALE: Casa Sedona Inn. The Casa Sedona Inn gets almost perfect reviews on Booking.com. All rooms can accommodate two people and include a balcony or patio, a fireplace, and a seating area. There is also an on-site restaurant. Children are not allowed.

MID-RANGE: Courtyard by Marriott Sedona. This is where we stayed on our most recent visit to Sedona. It is located on the far western side of West Sedona, so it is a longer drive to get to the shops and restaurants of Uptown Sedona, but we were close to some of the top hiking trails. We liked the location, since it was in a quieter area of West Sedona. From our room, we could see Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock. There is an on-site pool, bar, and restaurant.

Courtyard by Marriott

MID-RANGE: Sedona Summit by Diamond Resorts. This hotel is located almost across the street from the Marriott. If you are traveling as a family or group, this hotel makes a great option. The two-bedroom suites can accommodate up to six people. Rooms have either a kitchenette or full kitchen. There are also four outdoor heated pools.

MID-RANGE: Lantern Light Inn – Romantic Getaway. This boutique property has an excellent location in West Sedona. Rooms are beautifully decorated and there is an outdoor terrace and garden. Children are not allowed.

BUDGET: GreenTree Inn Sedona. This 2-star hotel has an outdoor pool, a sun terrace, and on-site bar. Rooms are spacious and can accommodate up to four people.

GreenTree Inn

Best Hotels in the Village of Oak Creek

The Village of Oak Creek is a very small town that sits just to the south of Sedona. There are limited hotel options here, but this area tends to be cheaper than Sedona.

Pros: Cheaper than staying in Sedona; there are several very good restaurants in the Village of Oak Creek, such as Cucina Rustica and Miley’s Café; it is a quick drive to the Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock trailheads

Cons: Longer drive to get to many hiking trails (Boynton Canyon, Devils Bridge, Soldier Pass, etc.)

UPSCALE: Canyon Villa Bed & Breakfast Inn of Sedona. This bed and breakfast gets rave reviews and offers gorgeous views of the red rock mountains. There is a small outdoor pool. Rooms can accommodate two people and children over the age of 10 are welcome.

Canyon Villa

MID-RANGE: Element Sedona by Marriott. This is a relatively new property. It’s modern, it gets rave reviews for cleanliness and comfort, and it is conveniently located in the center of the Village of Oak Creek.

BUDGET: Sedona Village Lodge. Take your pick from standard two-person rooms to suites that can accommodate up to four people. Some rooms have views of the nearby red rock mountains. For those traveling with pets, this hotel is pet friendly.

Best Hotels in Cottonwood

Cottonwood is often overlooked by those searching for where to stay in Sedona. Due to its location, hotels here are cheaper and it is much less crowded than Sedona or the Village of Oak Creek.

Pros: Cheaper hotel prices; located on the Verde Valley Wine Trail; less crowded than Sedona

Cons: Longer drives to go hiking and visit the sights in Sedona; limited restaurant options

UPSCALE: Highlands Resort at Verde Ridge. This 4-star hotel is located next to a golf course. All rooms come equipped with a full kitchen and dining area. Rooms can accommodate four people and there is an outdoor pool, spa center and playground.

MID-RANGE: The Tavern Hotel. This boutique hotel gets great reviews on Booking.com. Prior guests rave about the breakfast and the comfortable beds. Some rooms can accommodate up to four people.

The Tavern Hotel

BUDGET: Little Daisy Motel. Rooms are basic but this property ticks all of the boxes for comfort, cleanliness, free WiFi, and location. The family room can accommodate up to seven people.

Our Recommendations

Even with a narrowed down list of where to stay in Sedona, it can still be a lot to choose from. Here are our recommendations based on travel style.

If you are a budget traveler, our top picks are the Sedona Uptown Suites (in Uptown Sedona), the Sedona Village Lodge (in the Village of Oak Creek), and the Little Daisy Motel (in Cottonwood).

If you are a mid-range traveler, our top picks are the Arabella Hotel (Uptown Sedona), the Courtyard by Marriott (West Sedona), and Element Sedona (Village of Oak Creek).

If you are a luxury traveler, I recommend A Sunset Chateau (in West Sedona) or L’Auberge De Sedona (Uptown Sedona).

If you want to stay in a small, boutique-style hotel, the Lantern Light Inn (West Sedona), A Sunset Chateau (West Sedona), Whispering Creek Bed and Breakfast (Uptown Sedona), and the Tavern Hotel (Cottonwood) are all great options.

For families, I recommend the Arabella Hotel (Uptown Sedona), Sedona Summit by Diamond Resorts (West Sedona), and the Highlands Resort at Verde Ridge (Cottonwood).

If you have any questions about where to stay in Sedona, let us know in the comment section below.

More Information for Your Trip to Sedona

SEDONA: Get links to all of our articles in our Sedona Travel Guide. To help you plan your visit, we also have guides to the best things to do in Sedona, the best hikes in Sedona, and how to plan the perfect Sedona itinerary.

HIKES IN SEDONA: Some of the top trails in Sedona include Devils Bridge, Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte, Cathedral Rock, and the Brins Mesa – Soldier Pass Loop. For more ideas, read our guide to the Best Hikes in Sedona.

SEDONA ITINERARY: To help you plan your time, check out our One Day in Sedona Itinerary and Sedona Itinerary Ideas for 1 to 6 days. 

ARIZONA ITINERARY: If you have 10 days in Arizona, learn how to visit the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, and Saguaro and Petrified Forest National Parks in one amazing road trip.

GRAND CANYON: Check out our guides to the Best Things to Do on the South Rim, how to spend one perfect day in the Grand Canyon, and which South Rim viewpoints are the best ones to visit. For amazing views of the Grand Canyon, check out our guide to the Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours.

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