With its ruby red bricks and courtyard, a lobby with a perfectly preserved shining tile floor, and a carefully staff-operated elevator, the Hassayampa Inn in Prescott, Ariz. is an elegant, old-fashioned gem.
Lovingly cared for, the lobby features a beautiful mural painted over a burnished fireplace, comfortable reading chairs and warmly lit lamps, and best of all, a convivial atmosphere that makes guests feel welcome and then less like guests and more like welcome visitors.
Located in the historic downtown area of Prescott, Arizona, a short stroll from the galleries, dining, and historic saloons of Whiskey Row, the Hassayampa maintains a lustrous dignity, formal without being fussy.
The hotel’s history glows as much as the hotel iteself. This is not a new, slap-dash construction chain motel, but a stately travel oasis for 95 years, exuding its history with grace. Designed in the 1920s by El Paso architect Henry Trost, Prescott townspeople bought shares in the project at $1 each, making the location a gathering spot for the community as well as for visitors even before it was completed in 1927.
Today, the building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. A member of the Historic Hotels of America, the hotel was a 2022 finalist in The Historic Hotels of America Awards of Excellence, a standout among over 300 entries for the award. The hotel was a finalist for Best Small Historic Inn/Hotel (Under 75 Guestrooms) as well as for best historic restaurant, hotelier of the year and ambassador of the year. The accolades are deserved.
The Apache name Hassayampa translates more or less as “the river loses itself,” just as the Hassayampa River north of Prescott does, sinking below the ground on its journey toward the sea. But the river’s namesake hotel is in no danger of being lost. With excellent service from the cheerful staff taking turns as elevator operators to the waitstaff at the hotel’s stained-glass-adorned Peacock Room restaurant, the Hassayampa seems destined to appeal to generations of travelers.
Just as it once drew luminaries such as Georgia O’Keefe and Will Rogers, it certainly drew us. The rooms are charming and offer modern comforts – a terrific mattress, flat screen TV, and good Internet, too. Cozy and well appointed, offering features such as a soft carpet with Native American patterning, burnished wood furnishings, deep maroon duvet and arm chairs, the rooms are also quiet – we did not hear our neighbors once.
The architecture throughout the hotel is a delight, ranging from Spanish Colonial Revival to Italianate features. Ceilings are handpainted; glass is etched, mosaics line tables, embossed copper panels are polished to a sheen. The courtyard offers outdoor dining in warm weather, and there is live music on weekends.
We traveled in February, and although there was a chill in the air outside, the hotel has a way of making one feel warm and cossetted. A romance package for Valentine’s Day includes breakfast along with touches like chocolate covered strawberries and champagne or sparkling cider add to the ambiance, making February a particularly great time to visit. Sunny days and crisp nights are the typical weather forecast – and were what we experienced as well, with a few patches of snow still frosting the ground.
We loved walking from the hotel into the heart of Prescott’s historic downtown, exploring Courthouse Square and stopping in for a drink at The Palace Bar, which like the Hassayampa itself, is packed full of history. Wyatt Earp and his brothers as well as Doc Holliday once imbibed there. The Sharlot Hall Museum offered interesting insight into the area’s history; Watson Lake provided easy, attractive hiking on trails that weave among large granite boulders.
There are some excellent lunch spots in Prescott, such as The Local, where we enjoyed a terrific Beyond burger, and the restaurant’s signature grilled cheese, crafted from Havarti and pimento cheeses.
It’s a sandwich worth stopping for. The Greek salad with Israeli couscous and feta is another standout. But the best part: fresh limeade. The Local is a convivial spot with tables inside and out, and fast, friendly service.
But don’t miss dinner at the Hassyampa. The art deco-style setting is perfect, the understated elegance and warmth that permeate the hotel itself are just as prevalent here, drawing visitors and locals alike with a changing array of beautifully plated entrees. Dishes such as scallops, rainbow trout and a roasted chili poblano – filled with leaks, corn, spaghetti and squash, vie for attention with classically prepared steaks. The restaurant also serves a heady brunch with delightfully decadent treats such as lemon souffle pancakes. And, one Sunday a month, there’s an afternoon tea, which we need to return to experience.
Although there are many reasons to call the Hassayampa Inn a jewel – it’s history, the friendly staff, the beautifully preserved historic features – it’s all these facets that will make you want to visit this gem in a perfect setting – a thriving small town with plenty of history of its own nestled in the Bradshaw Mountains, the distinctive Thumb Butte, luring us out and up through the pines on its trails.
With a setting like that for a treasured historic hotel, why wait? We loved our February visit, and I highly recommend booking a stay during the post-holiday season, or come in the spring for the Smoki Museum’s indigenous art festival, attend a free June bluegrass festival, or enjoy the thrills of the world’s oldest rodeo in July. Just save a room for us!
- Genie Davis; photos – Genie Davis