Planners looking to appeal to creative types have more reasons than ever to consider Phoenix, thanks to the burgeoning Roosevelt Row Arts District, a walkable arts area in the city’s downtown. Known for its eclectic murals, the once-blighted neighborhood has been on a serious upswing for the last two decades and is now home to a vibrant community of art galleries, studios, shops and restaurants. And also: a new Cambria hotel that's scheduled to open in late 2019, Choice Hotels International announced last week.
The Phoenix area's third Cambria hotel, the new property will have 127 guest rooms with spa-style bathrooms, onsite dining, a rooftop pool and bar, a fitness center and meeting space, the amount of which was not immediately announced.
"As one of the largest and fastest-growing cities in the country, anchored by rising tourism, a rich corporate presence and thriving arts scene, Phoenix is the perfect destination to welcome several Cambria hotels," said Janis Cannon, senior vice president, upscale brands, Choice Hotels. "Cambria hotels are designed to reflect the neighborhoods in which they are located and the Roosevelt Row location is no exception -- guests can expect it to capture the spirit of the community and inspire them to explore, engage and discover all Phoenix has to offer."
Four More Fresh Properties for Phoenix Meetings
Although many artists and creatives are discovering Phoenix for the first time, meeting planners have always been fans of the city, which continues to entice groups with new and improved meeting venues. Here are three that have arrived within the past few years, and one that's coming soon:
• FOUND:RE Phoenix: Although it's already two years old, the FOUND:RE Phoenix hotel remains one of the city's most exciting new additions. Located near Roosevelt Row, the hotel opened in October 2016 on the site of the former Lexington Hotel, which was shuttered for four years before FOUND:RE moved in. Named for the property's industrial feel, which is reminiscent of a foundry, the art-themed property features 105 guest rooms, a restaurant and lounge whose 20-foot-long communal table is ideal for groups, an outdoor pool and 2,500 square feet of meeting space that doubles as an art gallery, not to mention traces of whimsy throughout. In their rooms, for instance, guests will find phones programmed to call mystery speed-dial numbers that give them horoscopes or riddles. In the lobby, meanwhile, they'll find one-way mirrors in the unisex bathrooms that allow them to peer out into the hall from inside the stall -- but not vice-versa.
• The Residence Inn Phoenix Downtown/The Courtyard Phoenix Downtown: In May 2017, Marriott International opened a dual-branded hotel in downtown Phoenix. The 20-story property includes the 120-room Courtyard Phoenix Downtown and the 200-room Residence Inn Phoenix Downtown, which share amenities such as an indoor swimming pool and whirlpool spa, a fitness center and 5,733 square feet of meeting space for groups of up to 270 people.
• Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Phoenix Downtown: For small meetings, planners will want to check out the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Phoenix Downtown, which opened in May 2018 adjacent to Arizona State University's downtown campus. The 11-story property has 210 guest rooms, a bar and lounge, business and fitness centers, and a 460-square-foot meeting room for groups of up to 55 people.
• ARRIVE Phoenix: California-based ARRIVE Hotels & Restaurants will open its first Phoenix hotel, ARRIVE Phoenix, in 2019. An adaptive-reuse project, the property in Uptown Phoenix will occupy two midcentury-modern office buildings that have been combined and converted into a boutique hotel with 79 guest rooms, a restaurant, an outdoor pool, a rooftop cocktail bar, a popsicle shop, retail space and meeting space. Although the amount of onsite meeting space has not been announced, ARRIVE said the property will partner with its next-door neighbor, The Newton, a mixed-use development that boasts nearly 3,000 square feet of private event space for groups of up to 200 people.