A Tucson Treasure

I learned about the Arizona Inn some fifteen years ago when my good friends Julie and Dave got married there.  That was the first time I stayed at this wonderful place but it certainly wasn't the last.

The Arizona Inn is located right in the heart of Tucson, in a residential neighborhood.  It's a perfect location to enjoy the peace and quiet of the well maintained grounds and to make every visitor feel like they are a guest in someone's home.

The Arizona Inn was the creation of Isabella Greenway, Arizona's first Congresswoman (in 1932) and a lifelong friend of Eleanor Roosevelt.  In the late 1920's, Mrs. Greenway started a philanthropic business called The Arizona Hut, a furniture making shop that was created to help disabled World War I veterans.  After the stock market crash of 1929, the business ran into some financial trouble so instead of laying off workers, she created the Arizona Inn in order to create enough demand for furniture to keep the shop going.  Mrs. Greenway's ancestors still own and operate the inn.

Today the inn still has a cabinet shop where master craftsmen restore the old "hut" furniture as well as create new custom pieces for the inn.

Inside the main building there is a fabulous restaurant and a cafe and bar as well as a beautifully furnished sitting room and a well stocked library where guests can relax.

It's such a cozy and warm environment that I can't help spending time in there just to soak up that "homey" atmosphere.

After learning of Isabella's achievements at a time when women in business and government was a rarity, I was inspired to learn more about this amazing woman.  After reading her biography I was simply in awe of her and the life she led.  (The biography is called "Isabella Greenway, an Enterprising Woman".)

Isabella's descendants are still the owners and operators of the Arizona Inn and they lovingly maintain the resort and have successfully kept it's southwestern atmosphere and hospitality.

Every time I've stayed at the inn, I get up early and stroll around the resort admiring the southwestern style of the buildings and their decor.

I like to find a quiet spot to sit and think about the amazing and incredibly strong woman who created this magnificent place and left such a substantial legacy.