Lily’s Weekend Sedona Getaway: The Hotel

Greetings, MGF Faithful! Lenny and I just made it back from a little trek up north to the scenic town of Sedona, AZ. Established by entrepreneur, T.C. Schnebly in 1902, and named after his wife, the town is nestled in the middle of the Arizona high country’s famous Red Rock area.

It’s hard to believe I waited almost TEN YEARS to finally get up to there!

Since it’s only a 2-hour drive “up the hill,” Sedona is the perfect getaway from the oppressive heat (118-degrees this past Friday as Lenny and I pulled out of the gas station) for a weekend of relaxation. It was a weekend of art galleries, window shopping, wildlife adventure, and good eating.

Of course I had my trusty digital camera at the ready! So sit back and enjoy a little MGF Travelogue on Sedona, Arizona



The first step of any trip (for any length of time) is finding the right hotel. Having never been up to Sedona, I had to hit the internet pretty hard and do some research on my own. I started off with the very helpful Sedona.net. It’s a great primer on where to stay, what to see, and where to eat. And thanks to Sedona.net, I was able to find one of Sedona’s newest hotels, The Sedona Rouge.

Located less than ten minutes from Uptown Sedona (the town’s main shopping locale) on the highway 89A, ”The Rouge” is a 77-room boutique hotel. It’s atypical of the other, more established hotels in town. Most hotels in the area are themed in the Southwest, Native American, and/or Great Outdoors motif. The Rouge prides itself on the having the look and feel of Spain and Morocco. When we walked up to reception and were greeted by the hotel’s inner courtyard, I knew we had chosen the right hotel for us.



Lenny and I took a package that was offered through the hotel website. For $489, the package included the cost of the room for two nights, a $50 credit to their onsite restaurant “Reds,” two tickets to visit a local wildlife preserve (more on that trip later), and (most importantly) applicable taxes and services. Sedona is a very in-demand kind of destination, so any packages make your stay more affordable and easy.



Our room WAS PERFECT. As an in room pamphlet joyfully touted, “The divine is in the details.” And the details were more than simply divine. Each room at The Rouge comes with 32” LCD flat screen television, petite refrigerator, and coffee maker. Guests lay their heads down on cushy king or queen Simmons Super Pillow Plush Top mattresses covered with mid-weight down comforter, a TON of pillows and a Lambswool throw. Our room had an extra stuffed chair with a leather ottoman and a chaise lounge that framed the doorway to our mini-balcony.



The details don’t stop there. While the room also provided the regular hotel amenities (iron, ironing board, work desk, wireless connection, and full out satellite cable), we also got what I call “bonus amenities.” Having worked in the hotel industry, I know that what separates a good hotel from a hotel you will pledge your life to is the number of bonus amenities that are offered for free. Everyone wants to feel special when they stay somewhere, and good hotels know that!

So, what does The Rogue offer that made both Lenny and I drool? First off, in the closet were two Kashwere robes. These robes are the most comfortable EVER. If the name rings a bell, Kashwere robes are coveted by celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and have been part of many a Hollywood award’s gift baskets. At $145 a pop, it’s a definitely bonus amenity.

And while they are standard features for any hotel, I have to say that the furniture, décor, and bathroom should be considered bonus amenities when staying at The Rouge.



I’m telling you right now – it is possible to fall in love with a shower. Elusive Orchid will back me up on this one, I promise. The above picture does not do the shower provided in all 77-rooms justice. It was HUGE. The website says that the shower is a “walk-in Centurion Rain Shower with dual shower heads.” I say the person who designed this shower stall needs a raise and must be showered with rose petals wherever they walk! Standing underneath this thing made you forget where you were for a few moments.



And the décor – oh goodness – the décor! Above is the wood, Syrian chest in our room. You see the white flecks in it? That’s inlaid mother of pearl, people! I could kick myself though, as I did not take a picture of the perfect little Moroccan style end table next to the chaise lounge. It was a bright red with a cute, hand-painted design.

I could go on and on and on (and I will about our dinner at “Reds” later on this week), but I already feel like I’m gushing! All I can say is that, if you want something sophisticated and unique for your stay in Sedona, please check out The Sedona Rouge.

In a town where hotels make their business on repeat guests, this one definitely stands out from all the rest!