Hotel McCoy: Tucson’s First Art Hotel

This post is in collaboration with Hotel McCoy, but all thoughts and opinions about my stay are my own.

Nestled among five mountain ranges and the Sonoran Desert, Tucson, Arizona is a city brimming with amazing food, art and culture. Most people probably don’t venture so far south in the Grand Canyon State, but if you haven’t experienced this hidden gem of a city, you need to put it on your travel list immediately.

I spent three nights here at the end of May, reaching out to Hotel McCoy, the city’s first art hotel, to see if they wanted to collaborate while I made myself at home in the desert for a few days. Lucky for me, they said yes and I couldn’t have asked for a better home base for my explorations!

Hotel McCoy opened in fall of 2018, and is a fully restored mid-century modern hotel. Local artists have lent their talent to the aesthetics, creating murals all over the property. They’re also eco-friendly; all LED lights, low flow water fixtures, and green cleaning products.

Check-in is very convenient – you just drive in and they meet you at your car with your room key and you head on down to your room, with parking right in front.

My room was stunning! Not only did it have a beautiful mural painted over the comfy, king sized bed, but there was also a desk I could use and a kitchenette with a microwave, hot plate and mini fridge. Perfect for reheating the complimentary breakfast I couldn’t finish all in one sitting.

There are also a variety of Tucson inspired food choices you can order via room service. I didn’t get anything except for the oatmeal for breakfast, so I can’t tell you how that compares to what I ate around the city, but that is an option if you are staying in for lunch or dinner.

You also get a token to try one of the locally brewed beers or wine that’s on tap in the hotel bar. And actually, the entire property has a liquor license, so you’re free to take your drink with you and enjoy it by the salt water pool or lounging at one of the tables on the patio in front of your room.

Another unique amenity to Hotel McCoy is the on-site bookstore! Barrio Books, whose mission is “promoting, educating, and curating cultural representation for all ages through literature by latinx and POC authors” is just behind the red door after you enter the property. You’ll find gifts along with new and used books. Such a unique concept for a hotel to have an on-site bookstore and a big selling point for a traveling librarian.

I also found the location of the hotel to be pretty convenient to everything I wanted to do while I was in the city. Downtown was a few minutes away, Saguaro National Park East around 30 minutes and the western part of the park only a 15 – 20 minute drive. If you wanted to day trip elsewhere, Tombstone is about an hour, Phoenix less than two or you can be in Nogales, Mexico in about an hour as well.

Since I visited at the end of May, the summer temperatures were starting to set in, so I found that by mid-afternoon, I was ready for a break from the heat. The pool, which is heated at night and in the winter, became my afternoon hang out until evening time and there are outdoor games in the pool area as well, so if you have several days in the city, there are plenty of on site things to do for a down day.

And don’t forget to spend some time checking out the 50+ murals by local artists! I especially loved the quotes next to many of the rooms and the giant mural as you enter the hotel out front. Thanks again to the staff at Hotel McCoy for having me! I hope to be back to visit you all again someday.