The areas
Old Town Scottsdale
The only walkable district in the city, roughly a square mile of restaurants, bars, galleries, the Civic Center and Scottsdale Stadium. Lodging inside the boundary is mostly hotels and condos; the closer to the Entertainment District, the livelier the nights. The edges, including the townhouse communities just east of Miller Road where Hideaway sits, give you the walk without the noise.
The Camelback corridor and Paradise Valley
Seven to fifteen minutes northwest, this is resort country: large properties at the foot of Camelback Mountain with pools, spas and golf, and resort fees to match. Beautiful, and a drive to everything.
North Scottsdale
Kierland, the Airpark, TPC Scottsdale and the golf communities, 17 to 25 minutes north. Best for golf trips built around the northern courses and for Phoenix Open week if you are willing to drive to Old Town for dinner.
South Scottsdale and Tempe
Cheaper and closer to the airport and ASU, with a younger crowd along Mill Avenue. Old Town is a 10 to 15 minute drive.
Hotel or vacation rental?
A hotel wins for one or two people on a short trip who want a spa, room service and a resort pool, or for a convention. A vacation rental wins for three or more people, for stays of four nights or longer, for anyone with a dog or a baby, and for anyone who wants to make breakfast, do laundry and park for free. The arithmetic for a group is decisive: three hotel rooms plus resort fees and parking against one three-bedroom home with a kitchen, a washer and two covered spaces.
By type of traveler
| Trip | Where to stay | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Family of four to eight | Old Town edges, rental | Bedrooms, kitchen, laundry, playground; walk to the market and the stadium. |
| Couple, first visit | Old Town or a Camelback resort | Walkable dinners, or a spa pool; Hideaway suits couples who want space and privacy. |
| Girls’ trip or friend group | Old Town edges, rental | Everyone gets a bed and the nightlife is a walk; no venue rules to worry about in a hotel either. |
| Golf trip | Old Town for nights, courses in every direction | Talking Stick in 15 minutes, TPC in 20; Old Town for the 19th hole. |
| Spring training | Old Town | Scottsdale Stadium is walkable and Salt River Fields is 14 minutes; hotels near the stadium sell out first. |
| WM Phoenix Open | Old Town or north Scottsdale | North is closer to TPC; Old Town has the nights. Shuttle or rideshare either way. |
| Monthly or corporate stay | Old Town edges, rental | Residential quiet, groceries on foot, a kitchen and laundry, monthly pricing. |
| Resort pool vacation | Camelback or north Scottsdale resort | If a heated private or resort pool is the point, book a resort; Hideaway’s pool is a shared community pool. |
When Hideaway is the right answer
You are three to eight people, or two people who want room. You want to walk to Old Town and sleep on a quiet street. You want a real kitchen, laundry, parking, and a dog-friendly policy. You are staying four nights or more, or a month or more. You value a professional management company with a 24-hour line and a home that was fully remodeled in 2025.
When it is not
You need a private heated pool or a hot tub. You need ground-floor bedrooms. You want a spa, a gym and room service on site. You are one person on a two-night business trip. In those cases we would send you to a resort, and we say so on the pool page and in the FAQ.
Questions
What is the best area to stay in Scottsdale?
For most first-time visitors, Old Town or its edges: it is the only walkable part of the city, it has the restaurants and nightlife, and it is central to spring training, Fashion Square and the airport. North Scottsdale suits golfers and resort-pool travelers who plan to drive everywhere. Paradise Valley and the Camelback corridor are the luxury-resort zone between the two.
Is it better to stay in Old Town Scottsdale or downtown Phoenix?
For a leisure trip, Scottsdale: the restaurants, nightlife, golf and spring training parks cluster here, and downtown Phoenix is 23 minutes away when you want the Suns, the Diamondbacks or the museums. Stay downtown only if your trip is built around a convention or Chase Field.
How much does it cost to stay near Old Town Scottsdale?
It varies enormously by season. January through March, Old Town hotel rooms commonly run several hundred dollars a night and resorts more, with resort fees and parking on top. A three-bedroom rental like Hideaway is priced for the whole home, so for four to eight people it is usually the lower cost per person, especially with a kitchen and free parking. Summer rates everywhere are a fraction of winter.