Where to Stay on a Southwest U.S. Road Trip
We spent eight days traveling from the San Francisco Bay Area to Scottsdale, Arizona. During that trip, we stayed in a different city each night and visited seven National Parks. While we didn’t go full luxury or strict budget, we were definitely closer to the budget side.
It took some time researching each place and scouring through reviews, so I hope this makes your life a bit easier if you’ve been doing the same thing!
This post contains affiliate links that earn me a commission. For more information, read my disclaimer.
Death Valley - Panamint Springs
Panamint Springs has a few different options for stays: cabins, tents, or the motel. We chose to stay in one of the cabins because it had a bathroom, shower, AC, and was super cute!
The cabins are built in rows, so you will share 1-2 walls with people, but they are very quiet and cozy. Our cabin was at the end of a row, so we only shared one wall with neighbors. There are parking spots in front of each cabin so you can easily load/unload your stuff.
Panamint Springs has a gas station (you check in there for the cabins & tents!) and a surprisingly great restaurant. We had a really good dinner here sitting outside in the evening.
Overall it was a great place to stay for a night and we could have comfortably stayed a few more.
Las Vegas - Virgin Curio Collection by Hilton
VIP Lounge in lobby
This was, by far, the nicest place we stayed. The room we stayed in was a big suite with large windows, incredible interior design, and the most luxurious bathroom. It’s on the old strip, so plan to walk about a mile to get to the main strip.
We only stayed one night here and even though I don’t like Las Vegas itself, I would have loved to have a couple more days at the hotel. Prices are 4-5x higher on weekends, so stay on a weekday if you can!
Zion - Bumbleberry Inn
View from the room
We got lucky with incredible views at many of the places we stayed. This place was one of the best! The room itself is a bit outdated, but for one night it’s great. The views from the sliding glass door are beyond amazing!
The Inn is walking distance to the cutest downtown! We strolled around in the evening and stocked up at the local grocery store, which had a massive selection for a local grocery store.
We also got free breakfast vouchers for the restaurant across the street and it was nice to grab a delicious hot meal before heading to the Zion National Park entrance (less than a mile down the road).
Capitol Reef - Rim Rock Inn
The Rim Rock Inn is a unique, albeit slightly outdated, motel/inn. The location is just a mile from the entrance to Capitol Reef National Park and has a gas station just down the road, making it the perfect spot to stay when visiting the park on a road trip.
The views were incredible and the bed was comfy. We slept great, especially after a delicious dinner at the on-site restaurant.
Moab - Luxury Glamping
I do not enjoy camping, and having a bed, shower, toilet, and comforts was important to me. After a day of driving hundreds of miles, a tent is not my ideal situation.
Despite my hesitation, this was our favorite place on the whole trip!
It truly was a luxurious stay with real queen size mattresses, a heated tent, a hot shower, sink with running water, and a full real toilet that flushes. I loved this spot so much I wrote a whole blog post all about our Luxury Glamping Experience in Moab.
Monument Valley - Goulding’s Lodge Villa
If you plan to visit Monument Valley, Goulding’s Lodge is the optimal location! They have a variety of different types of stays and we chose what they call a “villa.”
They have a regular motel (all with amazing views), and then across the street they have individual tiny homes with a bedroom, kitchen, and studio-style living room. It was really nice to have a large fridge to transfer all our cooler food into for the night.
Within the property they also have a laundromat, grocery store, and gas station, making it an easy and convenient stay for people on long road trips like us!
Grand Canyon/Williams - Days Inn by Wyndham
Whew, where do I start? We got a suite here just for fun because it was so cheap. Maybe I’ve also been looking at too many posts from Pretty Cool Hotel Tour, but I couldn’t pass up an in-room Jacuzzi, no matter how gross it seemed.
The service was abysmal and the people in this area were just really odd and unfriendly. The hotel is about 45 min from the Grand Canyon, so not exactly close. We had spent the day in the Grand Canyon and stayed here on our way to Scottsdale.
The room was cool and tacky as ever, but wouldn’t recommend it just for the weird people and bad service. But you’re free to check it out for yourself!
Scottsdale - Tru by Hilton
Our final destination on the trip was Scottsdale, AZ for my friend’s wedding! We stayed at the Tru by Hilton, which was upscale, clean, and included free breakfast in the morning.
We had a couple nights here and loved the hotel! The rooms were pretty teeny tiny, but the interior design and incredible bathroom made up for what it lacked in space.
(Images via hilton.com)
