Where to Stay in Phoenix (2026)

Top tips for Phoenix

Image by Amber Stevens from Pixabay

The Quick Answer

• The best neighbourhoods for sightseeing: Downtown Phoenix
• The best bases for outdoor adventures: Arcadia & Biltmore, Scottsdale, Camelback East, Paradise Valley
• The best neighbourhoods for resort-life: Paradise Valley, Camelback East, Scottsdale

Table of Contents

Fast-growing and outdoorsy, Phoenix is a vibrant place to visit: sunny by day, lively of an evening (if you want it to be), and big enough to have a neighbourhood and accommodation to match every traveller. Hikers, bikers, paddlers, white water lovers and golfers will already know why they’re coming, this city’s setting is spectacular, but families might not know quite what Phoenix has in store for them: a LEGO LAND Discovery Centre, a zoo AND aquarium, waterparks and a Children’s Museum. Not forgetting the beautiful public spaces and gardens, including the Desert Botanical Garden and the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix.  

A Guide to the Neighbourhoods of Phoenix

Map via Googlemaps

Phoenix has a lot to offer in the way of art and culture too; there are some excellent museums (no one should miss the Arizona Science Centre or the Phoenix Art Museum). Downtown Phoenix is great for sightseeing, galleries, theatre and feeling in the thick of things! Scottsdale is the district for shopping and nightlife; Camelback East is where many of the luxury resorts can be found, and Paradise Valley has the golf resorts.

Downtown

Thank You (25 Millions ) views via Flickr

Being right in the heart of everything Phoenix, the Downtown neighbourhood is the perfect place to stay if you’re here to see the sights and the bright lights. This is where many of the city’s main attractions are including Chase Tower (the tallest tower in Arizona), the Capitol (now a museum), the Phoenix Art Museum, the Arizona Science Centre, the Heard Museum, Heritage Square, and numerous theatres, galleries, and gardens. Plus, there's Chase Field, impressive home to the Diamondbacks, and proud owner of both a roof that entirely closes over the stadium and real grass underneath. Downtown Phoenix has both ‘high street’ shopping and indie shopping, which can be found around the Roosevelt Arts District, where you'll also find great street murals, restaurants, bars and arts venues. The Downtown Phoenix area is also known for its many breweries and bars, which range from grungy dives to swanky cocktail lounges. You can walk or hop on public transport anywhere from here; the light rail system is very easy to use.

Arcadia & Biltmore

Warren LeMay via Flickr

To the east of Downtown Phoenix, Biltmore is a wealthy, stylish, culturally rich neighbourhood. From the Biltmore Fashion Park to the numerous upmarket places to eat and drink, and the historic Arizona Biltmore Hotel, inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, this is a neighbourhood in which to savour the good things in life, and appreciate the sunshine and desert views.  It is also very convenient for hiking around Camelback Mountain or the Salt River. Accommodation in Biltmore is similarly luxurious; if you fancy staying in a grand hotel on a tree-lined street, then this is the district for you. Arcadia is a right next door, even closer to great hiking routes, and with a similarly relaxed, luxurious feel. This is a really great neighbourhood to stay in for morning hikes on the Echo Canyon Trail, or the Arizona Canal Trail, followed by relaxed meals that run into cocktails.  Expect art and architecture, and great local food experiences, all against the unique backdrop of the Arizona desert.

Scottsdale

ParsonsVillas from Pixabay

Scottsdale is a desert-bordering neighbourhood known for its hiking trails, incredibly beautiful golf courses and desert-view resorts. If you like the idea of a spa with a desert view, or a post-hike four-course, fine-dining experience, then Scottsdale is the perfect Phoenix neighbourhood. It has fine shopping too — visit Scottsdale Fashion Square — and lots of opportunities to sample the region’s excellent wines and locally brewed beers. Scottsdale’s more formal attractions include Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. If you’re looking for more of the old west, you will find it at Old Town Scottsdale. Other, more surprising, attractions are the OdySea Aquarium, the indoor skydiving centre and the Medieval Times Dinner and Jousting Tournament. 

Camelback East

Flickr user Daniel Oberhaus

Camelback East neighbours Scottsdale, and is another desert-side destination, named for Camelback Mountain, which is a surprisingly central, camel-shaped mountain which offers an incredible urban hiking experience. The neighbourhood benefits from the incredible mountain view, which you can comfortably appreciate from your seat in a cafe, restaurant or bar, or pretty much anywhere here! Papago Park, one of the best known parks in Phoenix, adds to the neighbourhood’s ‘natural’ assets, as does the Desert Botanical Garden, which is home to an array of desert plants that includes thousands of different species. Camelback East is also home to the Phoenix Zoo, the Musical Instrument Museum, and a number of residences designed by architect, Frank Lloyd Wright including Taliesin West, which is now a World Heritage Site.  

Paradise Valley

By Flickr user Reza Etemad

Paradise Valley does what it says on the tin, attracting plenty of fans of its beauty to live in the neighbourhood, including plenty of celebrities. It has a quiet, rural feel, and locals want to keep it that way!  Some parts of the neighbourhood don’t have street lights or pavements to walk on, because locals think that lends it a more ‘country’ feel, though you do find them in the shopping and entertainment precincts. Paradise Valley neighbours Camelback East and Scottsdale, and is close to all the other neighbourhoods listed, but it shares the most in common with these high-end desert neighbourhoods: Paradise Valley has some of the best golf courses in Arizona, and some of the best resorts too.