West Sedona

Adobe Grand Villas

★★★★★

Adobe Grand Villas is Sedona's most celebrated small inn, and for a romantic stay it is hard to beat. It sits on Hozoni Drive in a quiet residential corner of West Sedona, well away from Oak Creek and the Uptown bustle, and it has just 16 villas, each individually designed and built by hand. They are large, ranging from about 850 to 2,000 square feet, and each has its own theme: Spanish mission, Wild West, Tuscany, New Orleans, a log cabin and a modern glass-and-metal gallery are among the styles, with carved wood, hand-laid stone and rich fabrics throughout. Every villa has at least two fireplaces, the largest has four, and every one has a two-person jetted tub; some have private balconies and red rock or pine views. The details are what guests remember: bread baked fresh in your villa on arrival, a stocked fridge and a coffee and tea bar, cookies every afternoon, and a chef-prepared breakfast cooked to order from a menu that changes daily, served from 7:30 to 10am in the dining room, delivered to your villa, or packed to go for an early hike. The grounds have gardens, a stone waterfall fountain, a heated pool, a hot tub and an on-site spa. The inn has held AAA Four Diamond status since 2004, and Tripadvisor named it the number one small hotel in the United States in 2023. The trade-offs are price, which sits at the top of the market, and the feel of a residential neighborhood rather than a red rock resort setting.

Why it works. Many Sedona luxury properties sell the view; Adobe Grand Villas sells the stay itself. The villas are so large and so well appointed that it is easy to spend an evening in, with a fire going and the tub filling, and the innkeepers, who tend to know guests by name, handle the planning: hiking suggestions, dinner reservations, spa bookings and tour recommendations. It feels like a private home with a concierge, and that is exactly what couples celebrating an anniversary or honeymoon tend to want.

Choosing a villa. Read the villa descriptions on the inn's site carefully, because they differ a lot. The largest, the Hacienda, suits those who want maximum space, while smaller villas are just as richly finished. If a red rock view matters, ask which villas have it; some face pines or gardens instead. Request breakfast in your villa at least once, and use the packed breakfast option on hiking days so you can be at the trailhead early.

Location and fit. West Sedona puts you close to the Devil's Bridge, Boynton Canyon and Fay Canyon trailheads, the Amitabha Stupa and many everyday restaurants, with Uptown about ten minutes' drive away. Couples are the core audience, and the inn is built around quiet; families with young children will be happier at a resort with more space to roam. For a splurge built on comfort, service and romance rather than a famous view, Adobe Grand Villas is one of the best small hotels in the country.