I stayed one July night in the least expensive room ($99) at the Canyon Rose Suites and found it a pleasant experience. Built at the turn of the previous century, this old Allen Building was originally constructed for a furniture manufacturing operation.
It was acquired by owners Brett & Alison Van Gorp in 1991 and remodeled by them over six years. It’s clear from the moment I walked into the building that they put a lot of love, thought, and money into the project to make it the fine accommodation that it is today. Click canyonrose.com to read their story. It’s totally worth your time.
Sean, the manager on duty, met me in the lobby to register. We then went upstairs where he showed me my room as well as several larger suites. All are very nicely furnished and comfortable, with a full kitchen, private bath, and just about all the amenities one could reasonably expect, such as free WiFi, flat screen TV, DVD player, DVD library, and laundry facilities.
The high ceilings and wood floors speak of a by-gone era before air conditioning and wall-to-wall carpeting. The windows are large and let in a great deal of light, although there isn’t much of a view … at least not from my room. With the exception of the outside of the windows, my suite was exceptionally clean.
The location of Canyon Rose Suites is as good as it gets in Old Bisbee. Easy walking distance to the old city’s restaurants, galleries, and other attractions, such as Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum, which we highly recommend. It’s just off Main Street, so it is a bit quieter than others, such as Bisbee Grand Hotel, that are right on the main drag.
This is a smoke-free; pet free building, which is fine by me. And if you give Sean 48 hours notice and fill out the checklist online, he will make sure you have your groceries of choice in your kitchen when you arrive. If we were going to stay several nights and cook some of our own meals, this would be a welcome service.
Quibbles
#1. As mentioned, the windows are large. However, in all but one suite, the air conditioning is a window unit. This is an issue for three reasons. First, it’s in a window that cannot be opened. Second, compared to central air, window units are noisy. And third, the unit is too small to distribute cool air evenly throughout, so my bathroom never received the benefit.
I hasten to mention, however, that this is Bisbee, which, at 5,500-feet elevation, is typically 15 degrees cooler than Tucson. So the need for A/C is not usually an issue. On the night I was there, the outside air temperature cooled down quickly after sunset. So I opened the other window and was perfectly comfortable for the rest of the night and early morning.
#2. I can’t speak for the other suites, but in my room the bathroom sink did not have a counter, so I had to put my shaving kit, etc. on the back of the toilet. A small matter to be sure, but if Ms. Karen had been with me, the bathroom would have been too small.
That said, unlike some of the older Bisbee hotels, such as Bisbee Grand, the plumbing and electrical are modern and work as expected. This is important, if, for example, you would like to control your shower water temperature.
Parking & Stairs
The nearest parking is a public parking lot behind the building. I was there on a weeknight in the off-season so parking was not an issue. I suspect that it would be an issue on a weekend in the high season.
Also, like all the other old Bisbee hotels, Canyon Rose does not have an elevator. Again, this was not a problem for me, but if you are handicapped, you may not be able to climb 7 stairs to get to your suite.
Breakfast
Canyon Rose Suites is NOT a B&B. This too is not a significant issue. You merely have to walk across the street to the coffee shop for your morning brew and pastries. Or, better yet, walk or drive up the canyon a short ways to High Desert Market & Café for breakfast. They usually have 3 kinds of homemade quiche, pancakes, breakfast burritos, and assorted bakery goods. Click HERE for the High Desert Market & Café menu.
Do we recommend Canyon Rose Suites to our friends & family. Yes, we do. If you stay there, we are confident that you will have a pleasant experience.
Canyon Rose Suites
27 Subway
Bisbee, AZ
Toll Free: 1.866.CYN.ROSE
info@canyonrose.com
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