L'Auberge De Sedona ★★★★★

The Sound of Oak Creek, Just Below Uptown

Uptown Sedona ends at a lane that drops away from the shops and follows the canyon floor down to the water. L'Auberge de Sedona is down there, arranged along Oak Creek under the sycamores, and the first thing to register is the sound: the creek runs past the cottage terraces and does not stop. The property divides into distinct quarters. The Cottages sit closest to the water, the Cliffs occupy the rise above with the long views, the Lodge holds the larger rooms and the meeting space, and the Creekhouse is a five bedroom residence let whole. Fifty three keys in all, spread across a site that never reads as a single building.

Why It Works

We kept this one for where it sits, which no amount of money buys twice. Sedona's celebrated hotels mostly look at the rock; this one is inside the canyon with the creek at the doorstep, and the difference is felt at night rather than seen in photographs. The rest follows from that decision. Cress on Oak Creek sets its tables on the bank, L'Apothecary Spa builds its treatments around water, and the resort's own programme leans on the creek and the trails instead of a list of facilities. It is also a short walk from Uptown, so a guest is never stranded on the property.

Why This Location

The lane is the point. You are at the bottom of the canyon, screened by trees, with Uptown's galleries, cafés and trolley stop a walk uphill and the whole of Oak Creek Canyon opening to the north. Slide Rock and the switchbacks toward Flagstaff follow the same road. Cross town to West Sedona for the grocery run or the Airport Mesa overlook, and the western trailheads are a short drive. Parking in Uptown is the town's great irritation in high season, and staying inside the walking radius removes it. The creek also means shade and cooler evenings, which matters more than it sounds.

Fast Facts

• Price: Luxury

• Vibe: Creekside, wooded, quietly grand, romantic

• Rooms: 53 keys across the Cottages by the water, the Cliffs above with the views, the Lodge, and the five bedroom Creekhouse

• Best For: Couples, special occasions, travellers who want to walk into Uptown, dog owners

• Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The cottage terraces set within earshot of the creek

• Dining: Cress on Oak Creek on the bank, Cress Bar, the Duck Pond Cliffside Pool and Bar, and 89Agave Cantina in Uptown

• Amenities: L'Apothecary Spa with water therapies, cliffside pool, fitness facilities, direct creek access, guided hikes and wellness sessions, dogs accepted

• Attractions: Uptown Sedona galleries, Oak Creek Canyon, Slide Rock State Park, Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village, Airport Mesa overlook

Cottages by the Water, or the View from the Cliffs

The choice between the two halves of the property decides the stay. The Cottages are the reason people come back: individual, set among the trees, terraces angled toward the water, quiet in the way only a canyon floor is quiet. The Cliffs sit higher, have been reworked in a cleaner contemporary register, and trade the creek for the long view and the pool. The Lodge rooms are the practical option and sit closest to the public rooms. Groups taking the Creekhouse get five bedrooms and their own front door. If it is a first visit and the occasion is worth it, take a cottage.

Cress on Oak Creek, and Eating by the Water

Cress is the resort's dining room and one of the reasons the address carries weight beyond its own guests: the terrace sits on the bank, and dinner there is what locals book for anniversaries. The kitchen works seasonally and the room holds its standards without stiffness. Cress Bar is the lighter option, the Duck Pond Cliffside Pool and Bar handles the daytime up top, and 89Agave Cantina in Uptown is the same house's casual Mexican room, a walk away. Breakfast on the creek is the meal to plan for: the light on the water comes early.