Where to Stay in Scottsdale, AZ: Best Areas Guide (2026)
By Gilson Tonin, MBA · Founder of travelpluscost
June 25, 2026 · 13 min read
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Photo: Mountain Shadows Resort, Scottsdale
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Top-rated stays in Scottsdale
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Courtyard by Marriott Scottsdale Salt River
Scottsdale, Arizona
ParkingEV charging
Residence Inn by Marriott Scottsdale Salt River
Scottsdale, Arizona
Free WiFiParking
Mountain Shadows Resort Scottsdale
Scottsdale, Arizona
BarParking
The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician, Luxury Collection
Scottsdale, Arizona
BreakfastGym
Bespoke Inn Scottsdale
Scottsdale, Arizona
GymFree WiFi
Hilton North Scottsdale At Cavasson
Scottsdale, Arizona
ParkingAirport shuttle
The short answer
Scottsdale splits between walkable Old Town and the spread out resorts. Old Town is the lively, walkable heart, best for first timers, nightlife and no car. Paradise Valley and Camelback hold the iconic spa resorts. North Scottsdale is golf, desert views and quiet luxury. And the Salt River and airport side run cheapest, a short drive out.
- Old Town Scottsdale, walkable bars, galleries and shopping. The first timer pick.
- Paradise Valley / Camelback, the iconic desert resort and spa splurge.
- North Scottsdale, golf, hiking and quiet luxury. You will want a car.
- Salt River / SkySong / airport, the cheapest beds, a short drive out.
- For a first trip, stay in Old Town. It is the only part you can walk.
Where to stay in Scottsdale comes down to Old Town if you want to walk to the bars, galleries and restaurants, or a desert resort if you came for the golf, the spa and the Camelback Mountain views. With 330-plus days of sunshine in the Sonoran Desert, "the West's Most Western Town" is really two trips, a walkable downtown and a spread out world of resorts, and where you sleep decides which one you get.
Below are the real, bookable hotels in each area, then the honest neighborhood guide to where to stay in Scottsdale, Arizona, as of 2026.
Scottsdale runs north from the compact, walkable Old Town up through the resort corridor and Paradise Valley to the golf country and desert preserves of North Scottsdale, so picking a base is mostly about whether you want to walk to dinner or drive to a tee time.
Best Areas to Stay in Scottsdale, at a Glance
Four areas, one deciding factor, the walkable energy of Old Town, or the space, golf and quiet of the resorts. Choose the area by your trip, then the hotel, here is the whole Sonoran playground on one screen.
| Area | The feel | Best for | The rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Town Scottsdale | Walkable bars, galleries, shopping | First-timers, nightlife, no car | Mid to high |
| Paradise Valley / Camelback | Iconic resorts, spas, mountain views | Splurge, romance, spa trips | Resort high |
| North Scottsdale | Desert, golf, quiet luxury | Golfers, hikers, calm | High |
| Salt River / SkySong / airport | Newer chains, easy access, value | Budgets, families, the casino | Low to mid |
See every Scottsdale hotel and its live nightly price
Old Town Scottsdale: the Walkable Heart
Old Town Scottsdale is where to stay in Scottsdale for a first trip, the walkable heart of the city, where the bars, galleries, restaurants and shops pack into a few sunny, strollable blocks. It is the rare corner of the desert sprawl where you can leave the car, the Entertainment District's rooftop bars and clubs, the Arts District's galleries and Thursday ArtWalk, Fashion Square's luxury mall and 5th Avenue's boutiques are all on foot, with a free trolley for the rest.
It is the liveliest, most convenient base, which is why first timers and groups land here, and why rooms book up fastest. The mid century Hotel Valley Ho is the iconic Old Town stay, the Canopy by Hilton drops you right in the Entertainment District, the boutique Bespoke Inn adds a quiet, upscale alternative, and the Courtyard covers the dependable midrange.
Old Town Scottsdale Hotels: from Hotel Valley Ho to the Canopy
Old Town Scottsdale's hotels range from the mid century modern Hotel Valley Ho to dependable modern chains, and the rooms here are smaller and more walkable than the resort rooms up north, ideal if you plan to be out exploring. These old town hotels put more travelers within walking distance of the bars and restaurants than anywhere else in the city. Pick the one whose style and price fit, and you are a short walk from the bars, galleries and restaurants.
Guests loved: Clean rooms · Friendly staff
Guests loved: Friendly staff · Great location
Guests loved: Beautiful location · Comfortable rooms
Guests loved: Excellent location · Friendly staff
Paradise Valley and Camelback: the Resort Splurge
Paradise Valley and the Camelback Mountain corridor are where to stay in Scottsdale for the iconic desert resort splurge, the spas, the infinity pools and the mountain views that put Scottsdale on the map. This affluent stretch between Scottsdale and Phoenix is home to the marquee resorts, a short drive from Old Town but a world away in calm.
Our cover photo is Mountain Shadows, set right under Camelback. Nearby, the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain is the celebrated spa and views retreat, the Omni Montelucia brings Andalusian style grandeur, and the Andaz Scottsdale spreads low desert bungalows around a palm shaded pool.
Guests loved: Beautiful location · Excellent service
Guests loved: Courteous and professional service · Great amenities and location
Guests loved: Great location · Excellent food
North Scottsdale: Golf, Desert and Quiet Luxury
North Scottsdale is where to stay in Scottsdale for golf, desert views and a quieter brand of luxury. Up here the sprawl gives way to saguaro studded foothills, championship courses like Troon North and TPC Scottsdale, and the trailheads of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, the base for golfers, hikers and anyone who wants the desert at the door instead of the bar.
The Four Seasons at Troon North is the marquee desert retreat among the boulders, the Westin Kierland pairs a big resort with its own golf and a lazy river, and the Hilton at Cavasson covers the newer, more affordable end of the north side resorts.
Guests loved: Great service · Beautiful location
Guests loved: Comfortable beds · Great staff
Guests loved: Great location · Attentive staff
Value: Salt River, SkySong and the Airport Side
For the lowest rates, the newer chain hotels along the Salt River and the SkySong/airport side are where to stay in Scottsdale on a budget. These districts on the southern and eastern edges sit near the 101 freeway, Talking Stick and Phoenix Sky Harbor, a short drive from Old Town, with easy parking and friendlier prices.
The Courtyard and Residence Inn out by the Salt River and Talking Stick post some of the highest guest scores in the whole pool, and the Element at SkySong pairs suites with quick freeway access, practical bases for families, longer stays or a budget trip.
Guests loved: Very clean hotel · Friendly staff
Guests loved: Excellent service from staff · Beautiful and clean property
Guests loved: Great location · Clean and comfortable rooms
Things to Do in Scottsdale
Scottsdale is built for two things, the outdoors and the good life, and Old Town Scottsdale is where the good life starts. It packs the nightlife, the Thursday ArtWalk, the Western heritage and many of the city's best dining and rooftop bars. Scottsdale Fashion Square and 5th Avenue's boutique shops anchor the shopping. The Arts District's art galleries and the city's Native American heritage, from the historic Western town to the nearby Salt River Pima-Maricopa community and the Heard Museum in Phoenix, give first time visitors and culture lovers plenty of attractions beyond the pool, with the Arts District and its galleries at the center. It is the easy first night base.
The rest is outdoor desert play. Golfers have Troon North, TPC Scottsdale and dozens of courses. Hikers have Camelback Mountain, Pinnacle Peak and the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. And Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West, his modern desert house and studio, and the famous spas round out the calmer days. In late winter, the WM Phoenix Open and Cactus League spring training pack the town.
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Scottsdale Dining and Nightlife
Scottsdale's dining and nightlife are concentrated in Old Town Scottsdale, which is another reason to base there. The Entertainment District is the after dark heart, rooftop bars, clubs and late night patios that give Old Town its party town vibe, while the wider downtown along 5th Avenue and the resorts offer everything from a celebrated chef driven restaurant to casual desert patio dining, and most resorts run a signature restaurant of their own. Thursday's ArtWalk pairs the Arts District's art galleries with a stroll, and the big resorts add their own destination dining for nights you would rather not drive. Whatever your style, the best dining is an easy walk or a short ride from an Old Town base.
Choosing Your Scottsdale Hotel
Once you have picked an area, a few things separate the Scottsdale hotels worth booking. The resorts trade on space and style, expect spacious rooms, an outdoor pool (often several), a spa, on site dining and resort amenities, with resort fees and paid parking layered on top, so check the all in number. Old Town hotels are smaller and more walkable. A boutique or a well kept midrange room there can beat a far flung resort if you plan to be out exploring.
Other things to weigh, how close the hotel is to what you came for, golf, the bars, the trailheads, whether breakfast or parking is included, and how the guest scores read. Many of the resorts are strikingly modern, and each offers a different mix of rooms, pools and dining. The hotels here are all real, well reviewed Scottsdale properties, so book the area first, then the room whose style and price fit your trip, there is a room and a rate for most travelers, whatever their style.
Day Trips from Scottsdale
Scottsdale is the gateway to Arizona, and a few of the state's best trips are an easy drive. Sedona's red rocks are about two hours north and the Grand Canyon roughly three and a half, classic day trips or overnights. Closer in, the Heard Museum and downtown Phoenix are 20 minutes southwest, and the mountain town of Flagstaff and the saguaro country around Tucson round out a longer Arizona road trip. Many visitors base in Scottsdale for the comfort and travel out from there, which is one more reason a central, well connected hotel earns its keep.
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Is Scottsdale Walkable? Getting Around
Old Town is genuinely walkable, but the rest of Scottsdale is not. Within Old Town the bars, galleries, restaurants and Fashion Square are all on foot, and a free trolley loops the area, so a downtown base means you can park the car for a night out. Everywhere else, the resorts, the golf courses, the trailheads, the airport, is a drive across a spread out desert city.
So the rule is simple, if you want to walk, base in Old Town Scottsdale. If you came for golf, spa or quiet, take a resort and plan to drive. Scottsdale is known for its sprawl as much as its sunshine. Phoenix Sky Harbor is only 15 to 20 minutes from Old Town, which makes a rental car easy to grab on arrival.
- 1Fly into PHXPhoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) is about 12 miles and 15 to 20 minutes from Old Town Scottsdale, the closest major airport.
- 2Rent a car for most areasOld Town is walkable, but North Scottsdale, the golf resorts and the trailheads are spread out, you will want a car everywhere but Old Town.
- 3Beat the summer heatScottsdale sees 100°F plus summers. Fall through spring is prime, and resorts drop their rates in the summer.
The Best Time to Visit Scottsdale
Fall through spring is the best time to visit Scottsdale, warm, sunny days and cool nights, exactly what the desert is famous for. November to April is prime, peaking around the spring training and WM Phoenix Open crowds of February and March, when rates and demand run highest. Book well ahead for those weeks.
Summer is the flip side, temperatures top 100°F for weeks, but the resorts cut their rates hard, so a summer pool trip is the best value of the year if you can take the heat. Whatever month you are visiting, the sunshine is close to a sure thing, one reason culture and golf lovers keep coming back.
Scottsdale for Groups, Couples and Bachelorette Trips
Scottsdale is one of the country's go to spots for bachelorette parties, group getaways and couples' escapes, and the area you pick should match the trip. For a bachelorette or a group weekend, base in an Old Town hotel, you will walk to the bars, brunch spots and Scottsdale Fashion Square, and many hotels offer suites or blocks of rooms and a private, lively pool scene made for groups and the local nightlife. Couples tend to prefer a Paradise Valley or Camelback resort, where the spa, the service and the mountain views set a quieter mood. Golfers should think North Scottsdale, close to the links. Whatever the occasion, use the area guide above to match the vibe to your group, then book the rooms early, the popular weekends sell out.
How Many Days in Scottsdale
Three to four days is the sweet spot. A long weekend covers Old Town's bars and restaurants, a round of golf or a Camelback hike, a spa afternoon and a pool day, with time for a Sedona day trip if you add a fourth. Travelers who come for the golf or the spa often stay a week and barely leave the resort. Because the areas are spread out, think about what you came for before you book, a central Old Town room for walkers, a resort for loungers, and use the distances above to plan your travel and your days.
What a Night in Scottsdale Actually Costs
Scottsdale runs from budget chains to some of the priciest resorts in the Southwest, and the gap is mostly geography and season. Old Town sits mid to high, the Paradise Valley and North Scottsdale resorts sit at the top, especially in peak season, and the Salt River and airport side chains run cheapest.
Winter and spring, spring training and the WM Phoenix Open push rates highest. The summer heat brings them down to their best value of the year. Prices move daily, so the only honest number is the live one, search your exact dates rather than trusting a stamped figure from a blog. Watch for resort fees, too, which the big resorts add on top.
- 1The hotel's rateWhat the hotel charges us for the room.
- 2One small flat feeThe same fee for everyone, never set from your data.
- 3The price you seeAll in and shown up front. No surprises at the last screen.
Here is our part of the bill, in plain English, you pay what the hotel charges us, plus one small flat fee, the same fee for everyone, never set from your device or your search history. The price you see is all in and shown up front, with nothing waiting to pounce on the last screen.
Which Scottsdale Area Should You Choose?
For a first trip, choose Old Town Scottsdale and do not overthink it. The walkable bars, galleries, restaurants and shopping are the heart of what makes Scottsdale fun, and you can do most of it without a car. Pick Paradise Valley or Camelback for a spa and pool splurge with mountain views, North Scottsdale for golf and desert calm, and the Salt River or airport side when the nightly rate matters most.
Once you have matched an area to your trip, here are real, well reviewed Scottsdale hotels across the price range, guest scores as of 2026, no stamped prices, because the rates move daily.
| Hotel | Area | Guest score | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Courtyard Salt River | Salt River | 10.0 | Value, high scores |
| Mountain Shadows | Paradise Valley | 9.6 | Camelback views |
| Sanctuary | Camelback Mountain | 9.4 | Spa, romance |
| Bespoke Inn | Old Town | 9.4 | Boutique, walkable |
| Hotel Valley Ho | Old Town | 9.4 | Iconic mid-century |
| Four Seasons Troon North | North Scottsdale | 9.3 | Desert luxury, golf |
| Westin Kierland | North Scottsdale | 9.2 | Resort, golf, families |
| Canopy by Hilton | Old Town | 9.2 | Heart of the action |
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Search Scottsdale hotelsFrequently asked questions
- What is the best area to stay in Scottsdale for first timers?
- Old Town Scottsdale. It is the walkable heart of the city, the bars, galleries, restaurants, rooftop patios and Fashion Square shopping are all within a few blocks, with a free trolley for the rest, so you can leave the car. It costs more than the airport side chains and books up fastest, but for a first trip it puts you in the middle of everything.
- Is Scottsdale walkable?
- Only Old Town. Within Old Town the bars, restaurants, galleries and the mall are all on foot, with a free trolley looping the area. Everywhere else, the resorts, the golf courses, the trailheads and the airport, is a drive across a spread out desert city, so unless you are basing in Old Town for a walkable trip, plan on a rental car.
- Old Town or North Scottsdale, which is better?
- It depends on your trip. Old Town is walkable, lively and central, the best base for first timers, nightlife and anyone without a car. North Scottsdale trades sidewalks for desert views, championship golf at Troon North and TPC, hiking trails and a quieter brand of resort luxury, better for golfers, hikers and travelers who want calm. You will need a car up north.
- When is the best time to visit Scottsdale?
- November through April, warm, sunny days and cool nights, the desert at its best. It peaks in February and March around spring training baseball and the WM Phoenix Open, when rates and crowds run highest, so book ahead. Summer tops 100°F for weeks, but the resorts cut their rates hard, making a summer pool trip the best value of the year if you can take the heat.
- How far is Scottsdale from the Phoenix airport?
- Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) is about 12 miles and a 15-to-20-minute drive from Old Town Scottsdale, the closest major airport and an easy place to grab a rental car. North Scottsdale and the far resorts are 30 to 45 minutes out, so factor the drive in when you pick a base.
- Can you do a day trip to Sedona from Scottsdale?
- Yes, Sedona's red rocks are about two hours north, an easy and popular day trip or overnight, and the Grand Canyon is roughly three and a half hours. Scottsdale makes a comfortable base for exploring the rest of Arizona. If you would rather stay up there, here is our guide to where to stay in Sedona.
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