Since I researched my Arizona trip from these newsgroups, I thought I would give my 2 cents on hotels and restaurants now that I have returned. Hotels: Phoenician (Scottsdale): top notch. Friendliest service ever. Great place to veg. Sky Ranch Lodge (Sedona): good value and location. I'd go there again. Bright Angel Lodge (Grand Canyon): aside from being the center of tourist activity, this place is very conveniently located. I liked my sparse little room with private bath. However, it had a tub but no shower. Common shower was down the hall. Remember, no TV either! San Marcos Hotel (Phoenix): charming hotel lobby but the rooms are seedy and small. Little pigeon community living outside my window. Parking inconveniently located two blocks away. I probably wouldn't stay there again. Restaurants: Havana Cafe (Phoenix): great shrimp pancake appetizer. However, my dinner of fried/stewed pork chunks was disappointing and dry. Nolas (Phoenix): terrific. Good margaritas and enchiladas. Cork and Cleaver (Phoenix): great margaritas. Good salad bar. Good filet mignon. Heartline Cafe (Sedona): good crabcake appetizer. Duck dinner was interesting but the duck tasted tired. Trout was good. Kind of expensive for what you got. Airport Restaurant (Sedona): we had breakfast here. Terrific strawberry waffles. Good breakfast overall. Kind of out of the way if you are not staying at the Sky Ranch Lodge. El Tovar (Grand Canyon): the best dinner of the trip. Everything was cooked to perfection. However, breakfast was not as good. My waffle was loaded with sugar and cinnamon. Ugh. Sausages, however, are delicious. Bright Angel Restaurant (GC): mediocre breakfast but a lot cheaper than the El Tovar. Arizona Steak House (GC): great dinner here.
Phoenix, AZ