July 2012
This is both a lodging & dining review for those of you heading to Bisbee, AZ.
I was given a tour of the Inn At Castle Rock recently. What a delightful old hotel. Built for local miners in 1895 by the first mayor of Bisbee, the Inn has 14 comfortably furnished rooms, all with their own theme: Asian, Geronimo, Sultan’s Harem … you get the idea. “Eclectic” would be a gross understatement. Somewhere between quaint and quirky. But none so outlandish that I would describe it as “kinky”.
Depending on your needs, rooms are available with 1, 2 or 3 beds: twins, queens, and kings. All rooms have their own private baths with shower, plus A/C, ceiling fan, and heater. While the Inn has modern conveniences, there’s no way you will mistake this for a “modern” hotel. The Ritz it isn’t. But it is living history and that’s it charm. Plus it’s about the least expensive decent lodging in Bisbee.
The Inn has long balconies on each of its two upper floors. From there you can sit and enjoy the view of Tombstone Canyon and Castle Rock across the street. The rooms I saw that are situated at the back of the Inn don’t have much of a view, so I recommend you reserve a front room, all of which have immediate access to a balcony and pleasant view.
The back of the Inn is not without its charms however. There you can enjoy paths that wind up the hillside through gardens and mature trees. Very serene. I was there on a warm July day and this was a pleasantly cool, shaded area.
Apache Spring Café is on the lowest floor. Here is where some Apache’s showed Captain Rucker and his men natural springs at the base of Castle Rock. As precious as this water was to his cavalry, Rucker also noticed something else that would become of even greater value: traces of lead, silver, and copper.
Miners accompanying the captain dug a mine on the spot, which soon filled with water from the springs. What was intended as a mineshaft to riches became Apache Springs Well. In 1895, the hotel was build over the well, which is now the centerpiece of the bar in Apache Spring Café. I’d estimate the water level is below the bar by maybe 25 feet. Try not to fall in. I’m not sure there’s a way out.
And yes, I’m sure you just noticed. It took me a while. The well is Apache Springs Well. The café is Apache Spring Café … not plural. No, I don’t know why. But next time I’m in Bisbee …
Over the past few years, Apache Spring Café has received mixed reviews. However, I understand they have a fairly new chef, so if you dine there anytime soon, please let me know about your experience.
The Inn At Castle Rock has communal areas for parties and special events, such as reunions and weddings. They also have free Wi-Fi, two pet-friendly rooms, and a people-friendly staff. Given its age and stairs, the Inn is not really handicap-friendly. However, it is within easy walking distance to historic downtown Bisbee.
For more Bisbee Lodging see our Bisbee Lodging page.
Chef Hazel & Table 10 has moved to Copper Queen Hotel in Bisbee
Please see our review of Table 10.
Inn At Castle Rock
112 Tombstone Canyon Rd, Bisbee
For a list of more Lodging Reviews in Southern Arizona see our Lodging Review page.
For a map and reviews by area see our Lodging Maps and Reviews page.
For more Bisbee History see our Local History of Bisbee page.
For more interesting things to do in Bisbee see our Things to Do in Bisbee page.
