Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport: where to stay, areas and…

Sky Harbor is an urban airport: downtown Phoenix is 8 km away and a free Sky Train stretch plus the Light Rail is all it takes to get there in about a quarter of an hour. Sleeping next to the airport is therefore mostly for those with a flight at impossible hours or a long connection, and the hotels in the area have a free shuttle. For everyone else, it makes sense to choose based on what you are coming to do: downtown for stadiums and museums, Tempe for the university and nightlife on the light rail line, Scottsdale for resorts and golf. In summer, the heat weighs on your choices more than distances do.

Airport area

The two Hilton Garden Inn hotels offer a free airport shuttle; by taxi or Uber the distance is a matter of a few minutes.

Best for: Dawn flights, long connections or late arrivals, when you want a bed a few minutes from the runways.

Pros

Free shuttle: no rental car or taxi needed just for the transfer
Short, predictable times for flights leaving at dawn

Cons

An area of roads and warehouses: after arriving you dine at the hotel or by car
For the attractions you need a taxi or the Light Rail after the shuttle

Recommended hotels in this area

Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Airport North: Free airport shuttle, on-site restaurant and outdoor pool: a convenient solution for a night between two flights.
Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Airport: Free shuttle to Sky Harbor, outdoor pool and restaurant; it sits next to the I-10, between the airport and Tempe.

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Downtown Phoenix

City centre · Free Sky Train to 44th Street station, then the Light Rail towards downtown: about 15 minutes in all.

Best for: Those who want games, concerts and museums without a car, with the Light Rail a few steps away.

Pros

Chase Field and Footprint Center are close and reachable on foot
Museums along Central Avenue are accessible by Light Rail

Cons

Streets almost empty in the evening on days without events
The summer heat makes even a short walk hard

Recommended hotels in this area

Kimpton Hotel Palomar Phoenix: Inside CityScape, near Footprint Center and Chase Field; it has a pool on the third-floor terrace and is 3.5 miles from the airport.

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Tempe and Mill Avenue

Nearby town · Free Sky Train to 44th Street, then the Light Rail east to the Mill Avenue area; the ASU campus is along the same line.

Best for: Those looking for bars and restaurants with a university atmosphere, linked to downtown by the Light Rail.

Pros

Mill Avenue is full of bars and restaurants well into the night
A single Light Rail line links Tempe, the airport and downtown

Cons

On university event evenings the area can be noisy
For Scottsdale you still need a car: the Light Rail doesn't go there

Recommended hotels in this area

Tempe Mission Palms: A few minutes' walk from the Mill Avenue and 3rd Street Light Rail station; rooftop pool and staff available 24 hours a day.

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Scottsdale Old Town

Neighbourhood · There is no direct line: Uber, Lyft, taxi or Waymo, about 25-35 minutes depending on traffic.

Best for: Resorts, golf and restaurants: for those coming to Phoenix for Scottsdale more than for the city.

Pros

Old Town's restaurants, galleries and bars within walking distance of the hotel
A holiday atmosphere, with pools and spas

Cons

With no rail line, the transfer depends on a car or taxi
High winter season with decidedly higher prices

Recommended hotels in this area

Hotel Valley Ho: Modern 1956 architecture on the edge of Old Town; the website states no daily resort fee, with restaurants and bars a few steps away.

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