Historic hotels in Phoenix where famous people have stayed: Video
From ghosts to architecture to stunning scenery, these are the top historic hotels in Phoenix, Scottsdale and across the Valley of the Sun.
Since Theodore Roosevelt set foot in the historic Grand Canyon hotel El Tovar in 1909, many hotels and resorts in Arizona have hosted presidents and vice presidents of the past, present and future.
Phoenix has hosted presidents at its hotels and resorts since Herbert Hoover came to the Arizona Biltmore in 1932, and for decades it was the hotel of choice for presidents visiting the Valley of the Sun.
From desert luxury to downtown hospitality, presidents and candidates have stayed at many Arizona hotels over the years. Here’s a look back at where they stayed and what their experiences were like.
Arizona Biltmore
The iconic Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired hotel has hosted U.S. presidents ever since Herbert Hoover dropped by in April 1932, three years after the Biltmore opened. Every president from Hoover to George W. Bush had stayed at the Biltmore.
The Biltmore also hosted Ronald and Nancy Reagan for their honeymoon in 1952, long before he was elected president.
Besides the hotel’s elegant surroundings and central location, the layout allows security to block off the entire presidential wing for privacy and safety, according to the Biltmore.
Past presidential guests were known for hitting the links, particularly Bill Clinton who, in November 1996, shanked a ball into the backyard of a home on the 17th hole of the Adobe course. The home belonged to Dodie Londen, who was the state GOP chairwoman, The Arizona Republic reported at the time.
Clinton briefly stopped the presidential golf-cart-cade to make sure everything was OK, and while his demeanor was extremely friendly, Londen said she’d still be voting for his Republican opponent Robert Dole.
No U.S. president since George W. Bush has stayed at the Arizona Biltmore. But that doesn’t mean it hasn’t played a supporting role in presidential campaigns.
The late Arizona Sen. John McCain conceded the 2008 presidential race to Barack Obama with a speech at the Biltmore. Recently, Donald Trump’s 2024 running mate JD Vance appeared at a campaign event at the resort with conservative personality Charlie Kirk and Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake.
Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia
One of the few things Barack Obama and Donald Trump have in common is that they preferred the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia to the Biltmore when they came to Phoenix.
Obama stayed at the Paradise Valley hotel, then known as the InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa, during an overnight trip to Phoenix in 2009.
When Trump visited Phoenix in August 2017, he too stayed at the opulent Montelucia, where the 2,800-square-foot presidential suites go for as much as $5,000 a night.
Trump typically stays at one of his branded resorts, but a $167 million Trump hotel project initially proposed for the Camelback corridor in the early 2000s was never built.
In 2012, Forbes Travel Guide named the Biltmore and the Montelucia among the 11 most presidential hotels in America.
Hilton Resort at the Peak
Obama stayed at Hilton Resort at the Peak during a 2015 overnight visit to Phoenix.
The property was then known as the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort. Its name was changed after the mountain it was named for was renamed Piestewa Peak, as its previous name contained a word offensive to Native Americans.
Renaissance Phoenix Downtown
President Joe Biden stayed at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown when he visited in September 2023 for a private fundraiser and a public tribute to the late Sen. John McCain that included announcing the McCain National Library at Arizona State University.
The Renaissance Phoenix Downtown, known for its distinctive exterior features and the speakeasy Melinda’s Alley, has 521 guest rooms including 83 suites. Its largest suite is smaller compared to other hotels that hosted presidents — the Renaissance’s executive king suite, which goes for around $560 per night during the high season, is just under 800 square feet.
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
President Joe Biden stayed in Phoenix in March 2024 on a two-day visit that marked his third visit to Arizona in seven months. Biden was running for re-election at the time, but he dropped out of the race four months later following a disastrous debate performance.
Biden’s schedule showed he stayed at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, located 1 mile from the TPC Scottsdale golf course where the WM Phoenix Open is played and about 3 miles from the Scottsdale Airport.
The luxury resort’s 2,625-square-foot presidential suite boasts views of the Princess Pool, golf course and the McDowell Mountains, and includes hardwood flooring, a four-poster bed, a standalone soaker tub, a 2,100-square-foot parlor with a large wet bar and a conference and dining area with seating for six.
Sheraton Phoenix Downtown
Vice President Kamala Harris stayed in the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown during her first visit to Arizona as a candidate for president.
Harris and her vice presidential nominee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, skipped the Biltmore in favor of the convention hotel that has the most rooms of any Arizona hotel with a total of 1,003.
The Sheraton has business amenities to cater to corporate travelers and locals who work remotely, such as private workspaces designed to accommodate small meetings. Visitors can sample Sonoran-style cuisine made using local and Indigenous ingredients at Carcara restaurant or imbibe with a downtown view at the fourth-floor Breeze Bar & Grill.
The hotel’s rooms include a 1,500-square-foot Governor Suite that includes one king bed, a sofa bed, a separate dining room and a separate living room.
Grand Canyon hotels
The Biltmore was not Arizona’s first hotel to host a sitting president. In 1909, Teddy Roosevelt stayed at El Tovar on the South Rim, returning in 1913 after Arizona had achieved statehood.
Other presidents who stayed at El Tovar include Hoover, Calvin Coolidge, Dwight Eisenhower, George H.W. Bush and Clinton.
When Joe Biden visited the Grand Canyon in August 2023 to designate a new national monument nearby, he skipped El Tovar’s presidential suite and its balcony overlooking the canyon — a favorite of at least six presidents, as well as Oprah Winfrey and Paul McCartney — in favor of a hotel in nearby Tusayan.
He stayed at the Squire Resort at the Grand Canyon in Tusayan, about 7 miles from the South Rim. The 322-room resort with a desert-inspired design has four dining options, indoor and outdoor pools and a six-lane bowling alley.
Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @salerno_phx.
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Publish date : 2024-10-23 01:16:00
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