Sedona areas/hotels to stay in for one week; active family with toddler and baby
I am trying to decide on what part of town to stay in (along with ideal hotels that meet our needs) for our week-long trip to Sedona in Spring 2027.
We are a family of four (two adults and a will-be three-year-old and eight- to nine-month-old baby). We plan to do a lot of the family-friendly hiking trails in the morning (and during an evening or two) and spend the afternoons and evenings at the hotel pool, napping, exploring Tlaquepaque/Uptown, and enjoying good dining. We'll also take a day to visit the Grand Canyon and potentially Montezuma.
While we don't want to overspend on lodging, we are willing to stay at a moderately-priced hotel/resort and understand that Sedona is a pricey place, especially during the nicer weather months. While we don't need extravagance, I would appreciate a nice pool, bar, breakfast (free or restaurant), updated rooms, and well-maintained grounds. A balcony/patio with a view is an absolute must.
We will have a rental car available to us, so transportation is not an issue (although I would love to utilize the public transportation if it is available to us, and I know some resorts offer shuttles); however, I do value being close to trailheads, restaurants, and shops.
I've done a lot of investigating, and I'm still not sure what area would be ideal for our situation. Uptown, Oak Creek, Tlaquepaque, or near the airport? I've heard the congestion on the road in/out of the airport area can be pretty bad. I've also heard Uptown is the priciest.
I have tentatively narrowed down our hotel options to Sky Ranch Lodge, Arabella, Amara, Hilton at Bell Rock, and Matterhorn, but I have some concerns and reservations about each of these. I am open to looking into other options based on recommendations.