Arizona Inn Respite: Tucson

The Arizona Inn provides the same welcoming retreat that travelers to Tucson have enjoyed since the 1930s. Below: Arizona Inn Succulents

Although the historic 14-acre property now features all mod cons – contemporary amenities that seem so necessary, I wonder how I functioned without wi-fi – the hotel accommodations and landscaped gardens have retained a genteel quietude and gracious ambiance guests associate with the notable surroundings.

Arizona Inn Late Winter © Alice Joyce

Arizona Inn Vignette © Alice Joyce

Arizona Inn Main Courtyard © Alice Joyce

From JFK to Salvador Dali, Frank Lloyd Wright to Ansel Adams, this desert resort has long hosted illustrious guests drawn to Arizona’s glorious blue skies and an aspect of privacy .

Arizona Inn wall mural © Alice Joyce

Understated and elegant: Paintings and prints, antiques, crafts and artisan furnishings distinguish all public areas; the restaurant, bar, and inviting library with its wood-burning fireplace.

A favorite place for movie stars to unwind in the hotel’s early years, the Inn has developed a unique DVD collection featuring a trove of films starring guests who stayed here prior to 1960: Film Noir to Comedies with Cary Grant and Clark Gable, Theresa Wright and Katherine Hepburn, to name a few. I gladly dipped into the movie library when a windy weather system came through to squash my plans for a game of croquet on the main lawn. Perfect entertainment and fun to watch Hitchcock’s 1943 film, ‘Shadow of a Doubt.’

Arizona Inn Central Fountain © Alice Joyce

A great friend of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, the Inn’s founder Isabella Greenway is celebrated for her full and prolific life, including the legacy of the Inn. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the family-owned Arizona Inn regularly receives such accolades as the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List and Travel and Leisure’s Top 500 Hotels in the World.   Below: Arizona Inn Pool ~ Not difficult to imagine mid-century film stars lounging around the pool.

Arizona Inn Bar © Alice Joyce

Comfy and inviting whether indoors or on the patio, the bar offers its own menu from late morning through the evening hours. I love the option of a meal whenever I’m inclined, often between lunch and dinner hours.

Arizona Inn Sculpture © Alice Joyce

Talking with one of the head gardeners, I learned that some of the oldest plants in the Cactus Garden had succumbed from an abnormally cold recent winter. Strolling around, I found the roses beginning to bloom, with plentiful annuals adding color to the gardens. Mature trees add to the tranquil atmosphere of this iconic southwest destination hotel.

Afternoon Tea © Alice Joyce

Complimentary afternoon tea in the library – complete with clotted cream, finger sandwiches, and delectable pastries. Quite possibly I’m an Anglophile at heart, because this tradition won me over completely.