Bell Rock Inn Hotel Review: Sedona, Arizona
If you're looking for a great and affordable place to stay when visiting Sedona, this is an excellent option.
When we decided to make a stop in Sedona, I researched a couple of dozen resorts and hotels in the area. It’s not always easy to choose a place to stay because our requirements differ from those of most travelers.
We look for places with kitchens because we try to cook every meal. We prefer places with a nice view since we spend plenty of time working in the room. Additionally, good reviews, laundry facilities, and pricing affect our decision-making process.
All these needs and more are why we chose Bell Rock Inn Resort.
What we like about Bell Rock Inn
Before I even write about the property, I want to highlight the staff. Dora, Pat, and Dani, who work the front desk, are rockstars! These ladies are SO FUN to visit with, but more importantly, they go above and beyond with customer service.
After the first night, I requested to move upstairs because I couldn’t stand the noise above me. They got us situated in an upstairs corner room with perfect views and peacefulness. Then, when we extended our stay twice, they ensured we didn’t have to move out of our room, even when the resort was booked. They’ve been super friendly and helpful ... and I’ve chatted with them SO MUCH I’d even consider them friends.
But wait, there’s more!
As with every review we’ve done of hotels we’ve stayed in, it’s essential to break things down so you know what to expect—the good and the bad. So here we go.
The Location:
Bell Rock Inn is in a great location, right off Highway 179 in the Village of Oak Creek. There are plenty of great restaurants within 1/2 mile (Famous Pizza next door kicks ass) and it’s very close to several trailheads. In fact, you can walk half a mile to the Bell Rock Loop Trail. I like that this resort is in a lovely area and not so close to the center of Sedona, which is insanely busy.
The View:
We have LOVED looking out the window every day for three weeks. Our upstairs corner room (#427) has large windows that provide plenty of light, people to watch, and stunning mountain views. You’ll have to go with a one or two-bedroom close to the street, but it’s well worth it.
The Property:
The overall property is clean. While it’s an older resort for this area, we thought it was in good shape and mostly comfortable. They offer an outdoor heated pool, a hot tub, a laundry center, and a courtyard with a grill. We have no complaints here.
The Room:
Our one-bedroom accommodation was spotless upon arrival and very spacious! In fact, we unloaded our entire truck into the room to reorganize everything and never felt cramped. The kitchen was excellent and well-stocked with dishes and utensils.
The furniture is a bit outdated, which isn’t a concern, but the couch and bed were a bit uncomfortable. The air is a mystery too because sometimes it blows out hot and other times cool.
The Price:
The price for Bell Rock Inn averaged about $100 per night, including resort fees. Since our goal is to keep this cost below $80 per night, we were over budget. However, having a kitchen also reduces our eating expenses, so they cancel each other out.
We did get our rooms comped for a few nights by attending a Diamond Resorts International vacation club preview (see below). Overall, we’d prefer to save money, but this stay was worth it.
The Negatives:
This wouldn’t be an honest hotel review if we didn’t talk about the negatives, right? Yet it’s essential to state that the first two have nothing to do with this resort.
The Wifi: The biggest frustration is the crappy Internet service. Apparently, Wifi in Sedona sucks. Because of this, we bought a Verizon MiFi JetPack and maxed that out in two days with their bullshit “unlimited” plan. Sometimes our phone data didn’t even work well.
If you have to work from the road as we do, then be ready to pull your hair out. Don’t expect to binge-watch Netflix either. But on the flip side, do you really come to Sedona to watch TV??
The Traffic: Highway 179 is a continual stream of traffic, especially on the weekends. If you’re looking for solitude, being by the street is not the answer. After a few days, you’ll tune most of it out, but it’s almost always there.
The Resort Fees: Paying resort fees on top of the daily room rate, especially when there are no extras to enjoy due to COVID-19, isn’t something I agree with -- no matter the hotel. We’ve spent about $300 on these fees to wash our clothes twice. The good news is we’ll end up with credit points to offset these charges.
What about the DRI preview offer?
Many reviews stated that people were being pressured to attend a DRI timeshare (now Hilton Grand Vacations) presentation in exchange for free rooms or discounted tickets. I personally was never pressured or coerced into a preview. In fact, I approached them.
My interaction with Yvonne, the concierge in charge of these services, was fun and easy-going. There was no pressure or bullying. She’s a wonderful person who is just doing her job by asking visitors if they’re interested.
As for the actual preview at The Ridge at Sedona Golf Resort, that was something else.
Yes, they are going to tell you all these wonderful things and ask you to purchase a package at the end. Yes, you will spend a couple of hours going through it all. And of course, some of it will entertain or frustrate you in the end. But if you want to save some money and have time to kill, then go for it.
No doubt there are horrible timeshare experiences, but not all experiences are awful. We’ll share a complete review of this soon.
Final Thoughts on Bell Rock Inn
Donetta and I have genuinely liked our stay at the Bell Rock Inn and we’ve loved talking with their staff. Aside from the WiFi issues, it’s been an absolute pleasure. Some of our friends visited over the weekend, and they liked this place too. Next time we stay in Sedona, we’ll look to book here first.