Romantic inns offer lovebirds cozy nesting spots

Arizona Republic
February 2004

Arizona boasts awe-inspiring natural wonders, and their general effect makes you consider the wonders of your own life - including the gift of your significant other.

When that happens - whether on Valentine's Day or any other day head for one of Arizona's romantic inns. Perhaps an intimate inn in the red rocks of Sedona will tempt you. Or cuddling in a cozy cabin in the alpine paradise of Greer. Here are five to choose from:

Red Setter Inn
If you yearn for a winter wonderland this Valentine's Day, head for Greer, in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona. Downhill skiing is only 20 minutes away, at Sunrise Park Resort. Cross-country trails begin wherever you put on your skis. There's a horse-drawn sleigh ride, too. During less frosty times of the year, you can hike, mountain bike, canoe, ride horses and fish.

The Red Setter Inn is a luxurious Adirondack-style bed-and-breakfast on the bank of the meandering Little Colorado River.

The main lodge has nine rooms, all decorated with antiques and beds donned with luxurious linens and goose-down . comforters. Some have gas fireplaces, spa tubs and potbellied stoves. Upstairs rooms have skylights perfect for stargazing right from your bed.

Common areas in the lodge have stone fireplaces, beamed ceilings, comfortable sofas and a display of antique toys. Outside, Adirondack chairs dot the expansive redwood decks, balconies and lawn. Guests can enjoy gourmet breakfasts served on antique plank tables in the dining room. Delicious baked goods appear midafternoon.

For the ultimate in private, romantic accommodations, reserve one of the three cottages.

DETAILS: Red Setter Inn, 8 Main St., Greer. 1-888-994-7337 or www.redsetterinn.com. Rates begin at $145.

Hidden Meadow Ranch
For those seeking adventure in the great outdoors while enjoying creature comforts, Hidden Meadow Ranch may be the place. This all-inclusive guest ranch in Greer has been open for about a year.

You'll think you've gone back to the Old West as you are escorted, to your cabin by a cowboy on horseback, but once inside, you'll find all of the luxuries and amenities of an upscale resort.

These lavishly appointed log cabins - there are 10 on 120 acres - have wood-burning fireplaces, digital music channels (no TV), galley kitchens, separate living rooms, hand-carved wood furnishings and custom soaking tubs. You can request in. room massages, rose-petal baths and room service.

All of the meals and activities are included in the price of the room. Gourmet meals are served daily in the main lodge. You can go cross-country skiing, canoeing, snowshoemg, hiking and fly-fishing, or take a sleigh ride through snow-covered pines.

DETAILS: Hidden Meadow Ranch, 620 County Road 1325, Greer. 1-866-333-4080 or www.hiddenmeadow.com.

Inn at 410

You'll get the flavor of turn-of -the- 20th-century Flagstaff when you book a room at this lovely Craftsman home, built in 1907. In a quiet residential neighborhood, this nine-room inn ale lows you to leave the driving and parking hassles of the 21st century bt(hind, as you can easily walk to Flagstaff's historic downtown.

The rooms are spacious and comfortable, featuring art and decor from the early 1900s. Each room was designed with romance in mind. Wineglasses and fresh flowers are in every room. Some rooms have window seats with views or private outdoor entrances, and some are equipped with whirlpool tubs for two and fireplaces. Outside, you will find a gazebo where, in the afternoon, you can warm your soul with a cup of steaming hot chocolate and freshly baked cookies.

Because each room is different, take a virtual tour at the inn's Web site before you choose.

DETAILS: Inn at 410, 410 N.Leroux St., Flagstaff. 1-800774-2008 or www.inn41O.com. Rates begin at $145.

Across the Creek at Aravaipa Farms

If a riparian oasis is your thing, head two hours southeast of Phoenix to Aravaipa Canyon.

A creek flows through this ll-mile-Iong canyon filled with cottonwoods, sycamores and willows. It's also home to 400 species of birds. If you enter the canyon from the west, you will be five miles from the entrance of Across the Creek at Aravaipa Farms, a bed-and-breakfast with five casitas on 300 acres.

Owner Carol Steele has filled each casita with artwork and kilim rugs from her travels around the world. There are fireplaces indoors and out, and rustic but comfortable furniture.

This isn't your typical B&B. Each casita has a fridge stocked with all you'll need for your own breakfast, and a gourmet dinner is served each evening in the communal dining room. Weather permitting, lunch is served outdoors at 1 p.m. daily. If you plan to hike, Steele will prepare a gourmet lunch to pack along. There are no TV s, phones or even clocks, so each couple can leave the world behind.

You need a permit to hike Aravaipa Canyon, so contact the Bureau of Land Management before you go.

DETAILS: Across the Creek at Aravaipa Farms, 89395 E. Aravaipa Road, Winkelman. 1-(520)-357-6901 or www.aravaipafarms.com. Rates are currently $250. In March, they jump to $285.

Inn on Oak Creek

If you are looking for privacy, location and culinary delights, book a room at this ll-room inn. On the edge of beautiful Oak Creek in the center of Sedona's gallery district, you can easily walk to Tlaquepaque, a Mexicanstyle arts and crafts village filled with shops, restaurants and galleries. A private grassy creekside park is available for guests.

The rooms are fabulous. The Duck Roon! has cou_try charm and a private deck overlooking the creek, where you can watch ducks swim by. The Rested Rooster has French provincial farmhouse style, while the Angler's Retreat is elegantly rustic. Make sure to request a room with a private deck.

The dining area has large picture windows that frame the views. It also has a deck, where you can hear the creek below.

DETAILS: The Inn on Oak Creek, 556 Highway 179, Sedona. 1-800-499-7896 or www.sedona-inn.com. Rates begin at $190.

Pam Swartz is author of Arizona Getaways for the Incurably Romantic, available at bookstores or at www.arizonagetaways.com and www.arizonagetaways.com or www.amazon.com.