Historic Southwestern Lodge on Five Landscaped Acres

The historic Lodge on the Desert has been through many incarnations since it was built in 1931. Starting out as a family home, the Lodge expanded as a small inn and was then later used as a World War II military base. Back when soldiers called the lodge home, it had no air conditioning or refrigeration to offer escape from the Tucson heat—cooling stucco walls and an outdoor swimming pool were the only respite. Today, the 5-acre property in midtown Tucson has been redesigned to hold 103 guest rooms⎯complete with air conditioning⎯but has remained true to its Southwestern roots. Paths wander through lush gardens with palms and native cacti, and Southwestern artwork can be found all over the grounds, lobby, and common areas.

Native Tucsonan and award-winning executive chef Ryan Clark is at the helm of the Lodge’s in-house restaurant, crafting New American dishes such as steamed red corn tamales and pork chops with Lodge-grown peppadews from locally sourced ingredients. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the restaurant’s intimate space, and you can take a prickly-pear mojito out onto the secluded outdoor patio to sip as the sun sets.

The Lodge also has a brand-new outdoor pool with a tricking fountain to lounge beside during the day; grab a book to read or recite loudly to a stranger from the intimate and well-stocked library near the lobby. Traditional rooms boast exposed beams over adobe walls and views of the mountains or the lodge gardens below.

Tucson, Arizona: Southwestern History and Culture Amid the Cacti

Tucson—or the Old Pueblo—is a bastion of southwestern history and rich culture surrounded by mountains and desert. It's existed as an outpost for years, and as such it's absorbed elements from European, Native American, Mexican, and Asian cultures. Today, this unique blend is especially evident in the downtown restaurant scene, where you can get authentic chilies rellenos, delicately prepared sushi, and upscale bistro fare with fine wines from nearby vintners.

Those willing to make the short trip outside of downtown can better soak up the area's gorgeous natural landscape at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, a combined botanical garden and zoo located about 18 miles west of the hotel. There, mountain lions, gila monsters, and more than 1,200 kinds of plants spread across 21 acres of desert scenery.

Mission San Xavier del Bac, the "White Dove of the Desert," is one of the oldest intact European structures in Arizona. The sprawling white adobe church, located about 10 miles south of downtown, was built in the 1700s. It's a striking example of the area's Spanish colonial architecture, with interiors lined with frescoes and fine sculpture.

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