Hermosa Inn gets high honors

The weather is finally snapping–arguably overnight–in the central Arizona area, bringing with it cooler days and dare we say chilly nights (chilly for central Arizona standards). This has people out in full force, wearing a thin second layer and zipping around on those electric scooters that are still street legal somehow.

It’s also bringing with it scores of people looking for a little rest and relaxation in the desert. Since the resort season has started a little early it makes perfect sense that one of the Phoenix area’s most well-known resorts was just tagged with a high honor.

In Conde Nast Traveler’s Best Hotels in the U.S. list, released earlier this month, the Hermosa Inn landed on the esteemed roster as the top hotel in the Southwest and one of the best in the country overall. Nearly 500,000 readers lent their opinions as to who should be on the list, which features the top 10 places to catch some R’n’R in the United States.

Jutted somewhere between the famed Viceroy in Chicago and the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills, the Hermosa Inn was given high praise for its expansive wine collection, world-class plates, its history going back to the 1930s, and its overall desert cool-chic ambiance.

“This award speaks to the commitment that our owners have made by reinvesting in the Hermosa as well as the exceptional guest service provided by our team members,” says Melanie Volkers, Director of Sales and Marketing at Hermosa Inn. “The fact that it was voted on by Condé Nast Traveler readers tells us that our guests leave here happy and ready for a return visit.”

This is a shift away from the usual idea behind what constitutes a Southwestern winner on a list like this. Typically resorts in Sedona get love, and rightfully so, but the focus is now pointing to the Phoenix and Tucson areas as places to relax in style and be close to fine dining, shopping, entertainment, and still be surrounded by peace and quiet.

Hermosa Inn’s Lon’s restaurant, a AAA Four Diamond eatery, got a mention as one of the reasons Conde Nast Traveler picked it, given its popularity among locals and travelers alike. The hotel went through a complete renovation in 2015 after it was purchased by Allred Capital LLLP, totaling around $5.5 million in top-to-bottom refurnishings, including the addition of 10 deluxe casitas and a redo of 12 ranch casitas.

“Now, with the addition of 10 new deluxe casitas last year, more people can enjoy these casitas every night.  The expansion of LON’s Last Drop both inside and outside helped transform the bar into a lively spot to enjoy,” says Volkers.

The Inn landed on the top 10 list last year and hit the best in the Southwest for the second year in a row. The expanded Southwest and West lists also included Arizona locations such as Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, Phoenix’s Kimpton Hotel Palomar, L’Auberge de Sedona, and Tempe Mission Palms.

“Sometimes, you don’t have to go far to enjoy a great vacation,” adds Volkers, speaking to the Phoenix area’s R’n’R opportunities in our own backyard.