Since Theodore Roosevelt set foot in the historic Grand Canyon hotel El Tovar in 1909, many hotels and resorts in Arizona have hosted presidents and vice presidents of the past, present and future.
Phoenix has hosted presidents at its hotels and resorts since Herbert Hoover came to the Arizona Biltmore in 1932, and for decades it was the hotel of choice for presidents visiting the Valley of the Sun.
From desert luxury to downtown hospitality, presidents and candidates have stayed at many Arizona hotels over the years. Here’s a look back at where they stayed and what their experiences were like.
Arizona Biltmore
The iconic Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired hotel has hosted U.S. presidents ever since Herbert Hoover dropped by in April 1932, three years after the Biltmore opened. Every president from Hoover to George W. Bush had stayed at the Biltmore.
The Biltmore also hosted Ronald and Nancy Reagan for their honeymoon in 1952, long before he was elected president.
Besides the hotel’s elegant surroundings and central location, the layout allows security to block off the entire presidential wing for privacy and safety, according to the Biltmore.