From Primedia Publications

Pheonix San Carlos Travelodge Hotel
Pheonix, Arizona

By Susan Bard Hall

The San Carlos, Phoenix’s oldest hotel, was once the site of the city’s first school, built of adobe in 1874. Next came a two-story brick building that was expanded to a 16-room schoolhouse. In 1916 the schoolhouse was declared unsafe, condemned and then sold; the buyer planned to build a 300-room hotel, but the project fell through and the site sat idle until construction began in 1927 on the San Carlos, Phoenix’s first high-rise with an elevator and air conditioning. In addition, guest rooms featured pedestal sinks with not one, not two, but three spigots: one for hot water, another for cold, and a third for ice cold drinking water. A major renovation in 1973 returned the Italian Renaissance-inspired structure to its former glory, maintaining the original pedestal sinks in some guest-rooms, but the special third spigots no longer give ice cold drinking water, or anything else for that matter.

History buffs will want to check out the “San Carlos Historic Gallery” in an alcove of the lobby. Here, guests can take a self-guided tour of city and hotel memorabilia, including guest registers with names of the famous such as Clark Gable, Mae West, Spencer Tracy and Carole Lombard who stayed at the hotel while performing at the nearby Palace West Theater or Riverside Ballroom. The “San Carlos Hollywood Star Walk” in front of the hotel is inlaid with the names of these movie stars and big band leaders. In addition, each floor and suite of the 133-room hotel has one of these famous names assigned to it.

The Phoenix San Carlos Travelodge Hotel is a member of the Historic Hotels of America, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the only historic hotel still in operation in downtown Phoenix, close by Symphony Hall, Herberger Theatre, America West Arena, museums and shopping. Or if guests prefer to wile away the time at the hotel, books and magazines and coffee are available around the clock in the hotel’s Hospitality Parlour, and there’s a roof-top swimming pool and sun deck.

Hotel San Carlos
202 North Central Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona 85004