Florence, Arizona Hotels

Florence, Arizona, is a sleepy desert community located halfway between Phoenix and Tucson along a road many locals call the "Back Way"---Arizona Highway 79. While entertainment and nightlife options are relatively few in the area, the town does boast some unique features including 152 buildings on the National Historic Registrar, most of them from the late 1800s, and the Florence Prison Outlet Store---a retail center run by the Arizona Department of Corrections that sells artwork and goods made by inmates housed in Arizona prisons.

Outdoor recreational activities include various access points to the Superstition Mountains (a popular wildness area featuring numerous saguaro cactus forests) and the Catalina Mountains, a southern Arizona mountain chain with topography ranging from 2,500 feet to more than 9,000 feet above sea level. Both are about one hour from Florence---the Superstitions to the north, the Catalinas to the south. The MS Bike Roundup, one of the largest road biking events in Arizona, is held annually in Florence, in part because of the miles of flat topography in the area.

Blue Mist Motel

The Blue Mist Motel sits directly across the street from the Florence Prison Outlet Store. Its 22 units each contain microwaves, refrigerators, coffee makers and hair dryers. High speed Internet is available to all guests, and there is an on-site pool. The Blue Mist also welcomes day sleepers. Nearby amenities include an adjacent restaurant that serves a variety of cuisine styles, including Mexican and American food. Nearby Main Street features several other dining options and a few bars. The hotel is about 10 minutes from the Casa Grande Ruins, one of the largest structures ever built by the Hohokam Indians. It dates to 1350 AD.

Blue Mist Motel
40 S. Pinal Pkwy.
Florence, AZ 85232
(520) 868-5875
bluemistmotel.com

Holiday Inn Express & Suites

The 90-unit Holiday Inn Express is a completely smoke-free facility. All rooms contain refrigerators, microwaves, coffee makers, high speed Internet, irons and hair dryers. Some rooms have whirlpools. There is an exercise room on site, an outdoor pool and coin laundry available. A business meeting room is also available. The Casa Grand Ruins are approximately five miles from the hotel. The Poston Butte Golf Club, a Troon golf community, is about nine miles away.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites
1200 Sunrise Plaza Dr.
Florence, AZ 85232
(520) 868-9900
ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hotel/phxfl

Inn at Rancho Sonora

This unique property, located about five miles from downtown Florence, boasts charming, individually decorated hotel rooms and desert casitas. It's known for its traditional adobe-style, Southwestern architecture and well-manicured gardens. Beyond the property boundaries, the untouched Sonoran Desert stretches for miles. The four hotel units, one suite and three cottages each come with refrigerators, coffee makers, hair dryers, DVD players and CD players. Some rooms have microwaves, but there are no phones. All rooms are nonsmoking, though a smoking courtyard is provided for guests. The cottages offer a more private, secluded experience than the hotel rooms and can accommodate three to seven guests. They also include special amenities like memory-foam mattresses and oversized tubs. There is also a separate on-site RV park.

Inn at Rancho Sonora
9198 N. Highway 79
Florence, AZ 85232
(800) 205-6817
ranchosonora.com/

Resources

Article Written By Ed Baker

Ed Baker has worked in the publishing industry since 1994. He is currently an editor and writer based in the Southwest. He previously served as an investigative politics reporter for the "East Valley Tribune" in Mesa, Arizona. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Arizona State University.

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