Sleeper Hits: Arizona's Unusual Accommodations

There's nothing wrong with a traditional hotel or a charming bed and breakfast. But if you have the chance to bed down in an underground cavern outfitted with modern amenities, or atop an observatory underneath millions of stars, you'd take it, right?

For those whose tastes go beyond the ordinary, here are 8 Arizona accommodations to book now.*

Park in the dark

65 million years in the making, northern Arizona's Grand Canyon Caverns are subterranean lodgings courtesy of Mother Nature.

Just off historic Route 66, among the largest dry caverns in the country, you'll find the Cave Motel Room. Located 220 feet below the surface, the single "Cavern Suite" sleeps up to six and includes 50-foot natural limestone ceilings, two double beds, a living room, library and bathroom. Should your needs during this once-in-a-lifetime stay extend above ground, you'll find assistance from a 24-hour on-call personal attendant topside.
Reservations: gccaverns.com, (928) 422-3223; $900/night (avg.)

Celestial sleep

The dark expanses of southern Arizona are renowned for stargazing—and Kitt Peak National Observatory is one of the premier sites in the nation for studying the stars. Go behind-the-scenes with the Overnight Telescope Observing Program, which features private, personalized tours and nighttime viewing through research-grade telescopes. Your cozy, mountaintop dormitory normally hosts research astronomers from around the world. For one night, it can be (mostly) all yours.
Reservations: noao.edu/kpvc/Prog/oto.php, (520) 318-8000; $785 for up to two adults, room and board are extra. Requests must be submitted at least 30 days in advance, and nights are unavailable July thru August.

Vintage digs

The former copper mining town of Bisbee is known for its colorful Wild West history, but visitors can also relax in 1940s and 50s style at The Shady Dell. Step into an era of mid-century Americana with overnight stays in hipster-approved travel trailers, each restored and decorated in high-kitsch accouterments. Think pink flamingos, black-and-white TVs, checkerboard linoleum and leopard print bedding. Continue the nostalgia with a stroll into town, which is enjoying its new life as an enclave of artists and other free-spirits.
Reservations: theshadydell.com, (520) 432-3567; $65-$85/night, depending on the trailer; $95/night for the 38' Chris Craft Yacht

Radical architecture

Arcosanti, a self-described "urban laboratory in the Arizona high desert," celebrates the work of Italian architect Paolo Soleri (himself a student of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright). Visitors to this site 70 miles north of Phoenix come for guided tours, architecture exploration and the modestly priced, simply decorated guest rooms. Each boasts Soleri silt cast designs on the ceiling and sunrise views of Agua Fria National Monument, itself worth a visit. Book the Sky Suite for more space: a living room, kitchenette and two small bedrooms.
Reservations: arcosanti.org, (928) 632-7135; $35-$70/night (rates vary depending on single or double occupancy and rooms with shared vs. private bathrooms)

All aboard

You can bunk in two 1929 Santa Fe Railway cabooses, each of them suite-size, at Canyon Motel & Railroad RV Park in Williams. You'll enjoy a plush queen bed and perks such as Wi-Fi, a microwave and a refrigerator. Or opt for the classic 1950s Grand Canyon Railcar with three separate rooms. Continue your ride on the rails with a trip on the nearby Grand Canyon Railway to—you guessed it—the Grand Canyon. Caboose bonus (or not): Previous guests have claimed Caboose #2 is haunted, with some people spotting a ghostly conductor.
Reservations: thecanyonmotel.com, (800) 482-3955; call for rates

Route 66 kitsch

Not only can you sleep in a teepee on old Route 66 at the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, but each of the 15 pointed-roof lodgings is fronted by a beautifully restored classic car. Each teepee room is relatively spacious, complete with sloped walls, double beds and a private bathroom. Opened in 1950, the motel closed in 1974 when Route 66 was bypassed, but it reopened in 1988 thanks to members of the family who built it originally. Holbrook is a popular midway point for travelers on their way to Flagstaff or Monument Valley Tribal Park farther north.
Reservations: By phone only, (928) 524-3048; $79-$86/night

Hospital stay

In Jerome, the United Verde Hospital opened in 1927 and now operates as the Jerome Grand Hotel. The rooms are no longer institutional, and are, in fact, stately and elegant, with those on the valley side offering expansive and dramatic vistas. Like many older properties, rumors abound about the property's former "guests" and whether they still linger on as ghosts. Haunted or not, guests will find the menu at the hotel's Asylum Restaurant far nicer than any hospital food.
Reservations: jeromegrandhotel.net, (928) 634-8200; $165-$295/night for rooms, suites are higher

If You Go

* Rates listed are accurate at the time of publication but do not reflect potential changes due to seasonality or high occupancy. Please confirm all prices and fees with the property when booking.