Where to Stay in Flagstaff in 2024 | Best Areas & Hotels

The question of where to stay in Flagstaff is not hard to answer. The city is very small and almost geometrically divided between the center, the east, and the south.

There’s no huge difference between the three parts of the city since they’re all close to each other, and you can go from one part of Flagstaff to the other parts in no time.

That being said, there are some differences in terms of accommodation that you should properly look into. And we’ll show you each of them in detail below.

The 3 Best Places to Stay in Flagstaff

However you look at it, Flagstaff is divided into three parts: Downtown, East and South. All of them are close to each other, and you can visit the whole city regardless of which area you choose as your visiting residence.

That being said, there are some important differences that you have to take into account before you choose which part suits you the most.

1. Flagstaff Downtown: The best place to stay in Flagstaff — it boasts a magnificent historical district, as well as a bunch of museums, restaurants, and shops.
2. East Flagstaff: A calmer and more laid-back part of the city, full of parks and hiking options, and the best place in the city for a family-friendly vacation.
3. South Flagstaff (University Heights): Close to the famous North Arizona University and full of students, this is the best part of Flagstaff for budget travelers.

The Best Areas & Hotels in Flagstaff

Being close to the Grand Canyon and having the reputation of a classical western American town guarantees a constant influx of tourists to Flagstaff.

Taking that into account as the main premises for the city, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this small town is full of accommodation of every kind and type. The situation with the hotels and the motels is pretty constant in Flagstaff, no matter the area.

In each of the three parts, there are a couple of two-star cheap accommodations, a bunch of decent three-star options, and some four and even five-star luxurious options.

Wherever you stay in Flagstaff, you’ll encounter the same situation. However, South Flagstaff is where the students are, and that always means a lot of cheap budget options.

Let’s start Downtown.

1. Flagstaff Downtown

For those who want to be in the heart of things, in a place full of shops, restaurants, and museums, and to stroll amidst beautiful historic buildings, we wholeheartedly recommend the center of the city.

Flagstaff’s Downtown is vibrating with life and history and has that particular charm of a small American town. Also, bikes are the preferred means of transportation here, which means that the center is perfect for strolling.

Thanks to the global makeover and the thorough preservationist policies of the city, the historic downtown of Flagstaff is almost completely preserved. It offers a wide range of buildings that are perfect “bait” for tourists, and rightfully so.

Here’s a short list:

• Visitor center/Train Station: built in 1926, here you can get all the information you need about the city
• Weatherford Hotel: built on January first, 1900, Theodor Roosvelt and the novelist Zane Gray were famous visitors
• The Orpheum Theater: built in 1911, it still holds performance and movie screenings
• Babbitt Ranches: built at the end of the 19th century, it was Flagstaff’s first two-story building
• Monte Vista Hotel: a monument to the prosperity of the city, it has a reputation for being haunted

Aside from the strolling and the beautiful buildings, Flagstaff offers other interesting activities, such as exploring the history of both the city and the region in the Pioneer Museum (early American history) and the Museum of Northern Arizona (archeology and art).

If, on the other hand, you’re more into stars and space, the Lowell Observatory offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Flagstaff is full of different kinds of accommodation.

If you’re looking for a budget option, there are a bunch of two-star hotels and motels, a lot of three-star hotels at modest prices, and some very beautiful and luxurious holiday homes and hotels for those who indulge in the finer things in life.

Flagstaff Downtown Budget Hotels

• Rodeway Inn Flagstaff-Downtown is a decent two-star hotel located in the utmost center of the city. Its main strengths are its great location and cheap price, but it also offers a flat-screen TV in every room, a microwave, and a mini-refrigerator. In addition, the place is completely pet-friendly.
• Highland Country Inn Flagstaff is another good-enough and very cheap two-star motel located just to the south of Flagstaff Downtown. Again, we are talking about a low-price-good-location option that also offers free parking and free Wi-Fi for every guest, but not much more.

Flagstaff Downtown Mid-Range Hotels

• The Purple House Apt in Downtown Flagstaff is listed as a three-star holiday home in the utmost heart of the city. It offers two bedrooms, a living room, a fully equipped kitchen, and satellite flat-screen TV. Free parking and free Wi-Fi are also available, as well as facilities for disabled guests.
• The Greenlaw Home is also an entire three-star holiday home located in the center of Flagstaff — providing both the comfort of a more isolated place and proximity to all the main attractions of the city. It offers four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, flat-screen TV, free air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and parking.

Flagstaff Downtown Luxury Hotels

• Residence Inn by Marriott Flagstaff is a luxurious three-star hotel, part of the famous Marriott chain of hotels, is located in the heart of Flagstaff. It offers an indoor pool, a fitness area, and rooms furnished with flat-screen satellite TVs, sitting areas, and fully equipped kitchens. There’s also free Wi-Fi and free parking available for every guest.
• Flagstaff Flora and Fauna Complex , Spa and Views is a very luxurious and expensive four-star holiday home in the center of Flagstaff. It offers no less than 10 bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen, as well as free parking, free Wi-Fi throughout the premises, and a 24-hour desk at your service.

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2. East Flagstaff

When you start walking or driving to the east from Flagstaff’s Downtown, you’ll reach — quite unsurprisingly — a neighborhood called East Flagstaff or Eastside.

After the relative hustle and bustle of the center (we say relative since Flagstaff is not a metropolis), the eastern parts are more relaxed and laid-back. In place of historical buildings and museums here you’ll find a bunch of parks.

Generally speaking, we recommend this part of town for people with families or those who prefer quieter surroundings. The parks are the biggest attraction in East Flagstaff, and we recommend that you visit at least three of them.

The first and the closest one is Bushmaster Park, which offers a large recreation space where you can do sports or just relax. A little further down south is Foxglenn Park, which is more of a community-gathering place with a lot of local art.

Finally, north-west of Bushmaster Park lies Buffalo Park, which is the more wild and urban in comparison with the previous two. Here you can picnic, hike, or just enjoy the scenic mountain views.

Speaking of mountains, the happiest people in East Flagstaff are probably the hikers since this part of town offers innumerable options where they can test their endurance and strength.

Again, we recommend the most popular options: Campbell Mesa Loop Trails (which also allows dogs), Fatman’s Loop Trail (offering scenic views and volcanic rocks), Sandy Seep Trailhead (located further east), AZT Walnut Canyon Trailhead (located further south), and Fisher Point (even southern).

We have already said that this area is family-friendly, but what do the kids do? If you’re visiting Flagstaff during the winter months, take the North Pole Experience for a one-of-a-kind Christmas adventure.

Lastly, the accommodation options are great.

East Flagstaff has everything: cheap two-star motels and hotels, great mid-range options, and a bunch of luxurious and quite expensive four-star hotels and holiday homes. On top of that, the restaurants are quite good too, with a lot of Travelers’ Choice selections.

East Flagstaff Budget Hotels

• Mountain View Inn is a decent two-star accommodation located right in the heart of the east side of Flagstaff. The motel offers free Wi-Fi and free air conditioning in every room, rooms furnished with flat-screen TVs, desks, and private bathrooms. Facilities for disabled guests are also installed throughout the premises.
• Americas Best Value Inn and Suites Flagstaff is one more decent but cheap two-star accommodation. It offers — first of all — a great location, right on Route 66 with easy access both to the Downtown of Flagstaff and to the Grand Canyon Railway. All rooms are equipped with free Wi-Fi, TVs with cable and film channels, and a tasty breakfast is served every morning.

East Flagstaff Mid-Range Hotels

• Cozy Flagstaff Home in Cool Pines – Country Club is a three-star holiday home that offers two bedrooms, two bathrooms (both of them equipped with showers), a sitting room, and a fully equipped kitchen. Wi-Fi is free on the premises, and free parking is also provided.
• Super 8 by Wyndham Flagstaff I-40 Ex 198 Lucky Lane is a great and relatively cheap (considering the offer) three-star motel. It has a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, an on-site restaurant, free Wi-Fi, facilities for disabled people, and a light breakfast every morning.

East Flagstaff Luxury Hotels

• Little America Hotel Flagstaff is a very luxurious four-star hotel located right next to the Purple Heart Trail, surrounded by 500 acres of Ponderosa Pine forest. It has a great seasonal outdoor swimming pool, a restaurant, and a bar on the premises. There’s an airport shuttle available, free parking, and free Wi-Fi.
• Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort is another very expensive and upscale resort, but this time, it is located on the utmost eastside borders of Flagstaff. Thirty minutes away from the airport, it offers three swimming pools on the premises, a restaurant, a bar, and a fitness center. Obviously, the central activity in the resort is the casino.

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3. South Flagstaff (University Heights)

Just south of Flagstaff’s Downtown and very close to iconic Route 66 lies the area called South Flagstaff. In some guides and travelers, you’ll find the name “University Heights” since the neighborhood is very close to Northern Arizona University.

A tree-laden and student-filled area (because of the university) is probably the obvious choice if you prefer to stay in Flagstaff on a budget. Again, a park is one of the biggest attractions in this neighborhood.

We are talking about Riordan Mansion State Historic Park, which is both a conventional park and a monument. The huge arts and crafts house, which was built in 1904, is the main attraction, though, boasting a museum and guided tours.

To put it shortly, it offers a nice glimpse into the past, which is connected to the historic Downtown. The Arboretum at Flagstaff is also located in this part of the town, and it’s another great place for lovers of nature.

It’s basically an interconnected matrix of gardens and landscapes, full of a variety of different plants collected from all around the world.

The interesting part is that the Arboretum is always changing: depending on the season you are visiting, you’ll see different types of plants. Finally, there’s the Fort Tuthill Military Museum, a treat for lovers of history and culture.

A 2023 Travelers’ Choice Selection, it offers a nice glimpse into the military past of this part of America. Photographs, artifacts, items — they have it all. The museum is very cheap (entry costs only 5$), and there’s no fee for children.

Just remember one thing: it only works over the weekend and in the summer, so make sure you call upfront to check if it’s the right time for your visit. The accommodation situation in South Flagstaff is simply great.

There’s a bunch of options for every kind of hotel or motel, and most of them (even the luxurious ones) are cheaper than in the rest of the city. As we mentioned earlier, it’s the obvious choice if you’re planning a budget trip.

South Flagstaff (University Heights) Budget Hotels

• Super 8 by Wyndham NAU/Downtown Conference Center is a cheap two-star hotel located just ten minutes from Northern Arizona University. It offers an indoor swimming pool, free Wi-Fi, free parking, and rooms with satellite TV and private bathrooms.
• The L Motel Downtown/NAU Conference Center is another cheap two-star hotel, this time located near the historic Route 66. It offers free parking, free Wi-Fi, and a 24-hour front desk. The rooms have satellite TV, a private bathroom, and a desk. The rooms also have facilities for disabled people, which is always a nice touch.

South Flagstaff (University Heights) Mid-Range Hotels

• Drury Inn & Suites Flagstaff is a decent pet-friendly three-star hotel with an outdoor swimming pool. The hotel also offers a free fitness center and business center, a hot tub, free parking, and free Wi-Fi. The rooms are equipped with air conditioning, cable TV, a microwave, and a small refrigerator.
• DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Flagstaff is a three-star hotel, part of the famous Hilton chain. It offers an outdoor swimming pool, a restaurant, and a bar on the completely pet-friendly premises. There’s also a tasty breakfast every morning, and an airport shuttle is available too.

South Flagstaff (University Heights) Luxury Hotels

• CASTLE ROCK is an expensive and upscale five-star accommodation located in an area popular for hiking and skiing. The large, brand-new, family-friendly rooms are equipped with all the amenities, and there’s also free Wi-Fi throughout the premises, as well as free parking for every guest.
• Drury Inn & Suites Flagstaff is a luxurious four-star hotel located just ten minutes away from Flagstaff Pulliam Airport. It offers an outdoor swimming pool and a fitness center on the premises. Free Wi-Fi and free parking are available too, and there’s also facilities for disabled people.

See All Hotels in Flagstaff

So, Where Should You Stay in Flagstaff?

As we said in the beginning, the question about where to stay in Flagstaff is not a difficult one. The city is quite small, and its parts are very close to each other. That being said, let’s do a quick recap of the differences between the areas that we managed to establish.

🏛️ Home to the Most Museums	Flagstaff Downtown
🥾 Best Area for Hiking	East Flagstaff
💲 Most Budget-Friendly Area	South Flagstaff (University Heights)

So, with so much to see and do, and no bad place to stay, what are you waiting for — book your trip to Flagstaff and see all the city has to offer today!