El Portal Sedona Hotel

My husband booked us an overnight stay for my mother's day present and it did not disappoint! The room was fabulous - felt like a cabin, with a working fireplace in the room! Amenities were fantastic and the location right in the heart of Sedona cannot be beat. Right within walking distance to so may fantastic sights/activities. Relaxed in the pool/hot tub, cooked s'mores (courtesy of El Portal) over an open fire pit in the evening, underneath the starts in our fluffy, El Portal robes. We are travel advisors and will definitely be recommending this one to our clients!! Will be back again!

What an incredible find! I was adding a few days to my trip just to decompress from a busy week, when I came across this gem! Steve, Sylvia and the other staff were so welcoming. They made my stay so comfortable. And the facilites are like no other! A quiet peaceful retreat but still close to all the dining, enter and shopping. If I could rate it higher than 5 stars, I would. Can’t wait to return.

El Portal exceeded our expectations. The grounds and rooms are absolutely beautiful. The owner and staff were so kind and helpful and were so kind to our kids. The location was perfect - walking distance to the cutest shops and restaurants.

El Portal is great. This is a fantastic hotel with a circa 1902 motif that, of course, includes modern conveniences. The hotel staff is the best and is eager to help with questions concerning restaurants, excursions, and local history. Check-in is easy and there is dedicated parking for hotel guests. The firepit seemed to be always lit and there are complementary s'mores kits available that we'll have to try during our next visit. There is a quiet laid-back atmosphere which allows for naps to be taken or for some work matters to be attended to. Breakfast is a very short walk away in Tlaquepaque village. A walking path under the street will get you to north Tlaquepaque village for more shops and eating places. For us, the energy and the atmosphere that makes Sedona a special place is also present in El Portal.

Is it worth the hype and price? We found El Portal to be a mixed bag. Yes, it has character and a great location, but we felt that (at least our room) needs a good face-lift. Here are the pros: Cannot beat the location with convenient parking. It has a great courtyard with a nice fire burning during the day and evening. The "common room" was comfy, with great snacks, cookies, yogurts, etc., available all day. Large guest room and walk-in shower. Cons: When you pay a premium for luxury, you don't expect to find cob webs in the ceiling beams. The chairs were antique, but the cushions were worn out and needed new padding. There were places where the adobe was chipped/repaired/dirty that needed repainting and cleaning. Someone had used expansion foam to repair a leak in the roof but didn't bother to remove the foam that oosed onto the interior beams. The upper window had not been cleaned in years. Any one of these is not a major issue, but taken together, it impacts the feeling you get when a property claims and charges for a luxury experience and misses the mark.