Courtyard Tucson Williams Centre

The Courtyard Tucson Williams Centre is a great pick for business travelers and families who desire conveniences such as a guest laundry, big desks with plenty of outlets, and a restaurant that is open all day. Updated interiors with contemporary furnishings and a warm Southwest color scheme create a modern, stylish appearance. The big lobby features clusters of chic and comfortable couches and chairs, as well as flat-screen TVs, a large business center and boarding pass print station, and a bar and restaurant.

Outside is a large, tranquil courtyard, where the pool offers respite from the desert sun. Trees provide a bit of shade and benches are placed here and there. The small fitness center is adequate and houses a handful of machines, with an adjacent Jacuzzi located outside under a roof.

Most everything that one can expect from a mid-range chain hotel is here, but the nearby Comfort Suites at Sabino Canyon includes a free breakfast at a lower price point.

The Courtyard Tucson Williams Centre is located on Broadway Boulevard, about five miles east of the University of Arizona. A strip mall across the street offers several dining options. Self-parking is free. Shuttle service is not available.

Tucson is the second-biggest city in Arizona and perhaps its most culturally rich. Though officially founded in 1776, Tucson was first settled in the late 1600s by Spanish missionaries (most notably at the beautiful Mission San Xavier del Bac, the region's most iconic structure), and 4000 years earlier by Hohokam Indians. It is said to be one of the longest continuously-inhabited cities in the USA, known since its inception as the "Old Pueblo."

Sitting at 2,400 feet in a broad valley between five different mountain ranges, Tucson enjoys on average 350 sunny days per year and an arid climate that produces one of the most diverse desert environments in the world. The Sonoran Desert features the stately saguaro cactus, which is celebrated at Saguaro National Park on the city's outskirts, and many other varieties of cacti and unique wildlife including a few notable desert dwellers, such as rattlesnakes, Gila Monsters, and Giant Desert Hairy Scorpions. There was even a 2009 sighting of a rare jaguar. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum has wildlife and flora on display, and is the best place to learn more.

With all that sunshine, Tucson is an outdoor lover's paradise. Scores of golf courses dot the city. Hiking possibilities are limitless and year-round in the Santa Catalina and Santa Rita Mountains nearby, with Sabino Canyon Recreation Area being a local favorite. Mountain bikers come to Tucson by the thousands for the miles of single-track trails in the desert. Bird-watchers can explore some of the richest avian populations in North America in nearby secluded canyons. And there's even a ski area among fir and pine trees atop Mt. Lemmon, which has an elevation of more than 9,000 feet.

Tucson's Hispanic community is woven into the fabric of everyday life in the city, and is reflected in the Mexican restaurants, the Spanish place names, and the arts and culture that play a large part in forming Tucson's identity. The arts abound in Tucson in dozens of galleries, such as the Etherton Gallery or DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun (celebrating the work of Tucson artist Ted DeGrazia). The University of Arizona houses the Creative Center for Photography, the nation's largest repository of photographs by notable artists such as Ansel Adams and W. Eugene Smith.

As a desert city, Tucson gets hot in the summertime with temps ranging in the 100s from May to mid-September. Winter is the busy season, when many visitors succumb to the temptations of 75-degree days and pleasant evenings around a fireplace. Summers can be enjoyable too, by sticking close to a pool or indulging in shopping -- just remember to pack extra water and avoid exertion in the midday sun. Locals might suggest taking a siesta -- "nap" in Spanish -- during midday hours.

It's important to realize that freeways are nonexistent in Tucson, save for I-10. Driving times can vary depending on time of day, as rush hour creates a twice-daily snarl on surface streets.

• 25-minute drive from Tucson International Airport
• 10-minute drive to Reid Park Zoo
• 15-minute drive to the The Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona
• 15-minute drive to the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun
• 20-minute drive to Pima Air and Space Museum
• 20-minute drive to La Encantada shopping area
• 25-minute drive to Sabino Canyon Recreation Area
• 25-minute drive to Saguaro National Park East
• 30-minute drive to Mission San Xavier del Bac
• 40-minute drive to Old Tucson Studios
• 45-minute drive to the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum
• 75-minute drive to Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley
• 2-hour drive to Phoenix

The Courtyard Tucson Williams Centre offers 153 rooms with an updated look that includes contemporary furnishings and flat-screen TVs. A warm, inviting feel is achieved with stained wood furniture and a Southwest color scheme that incorporates tones of red, gold, and brown. Nature-inspired prints and wall motifs add an earthy vibe. Some rooms also offer balconies and good views of the Santa Catalina Mountains.

Customized rooms for disabled guests include bathrooms with grab bars and roll-in showers with bathtub seats.

• Flat-screen TVs with premium channels
• Free Wi-Fi
• Coffeemakers with free coffee and tea
• No in-room safes, safety deposit boxes are available at the front desk
• Bathroom sinks are separate from the rest of the bath, and have limited counter space.
• Rooms facing north will have good views of the Santa Catalina Mountains.
• Upgrading to the King Suite gets you the most space and a separate living room.

• Free Wi-Fi
• Free self-parking
• Heated pool surrounded by plants
• Outdoor Jacuzzi is sheltered by a roof
• 24-hour fitness center is small, but has modern equipment
• A large, pretty courtyard with benches, plants, and fountains
• View Full List of Amenities

• The Bistro is a restaurant and lounge that is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a menu which includes casual fare, such as sandwiches and salads. The restaurant's airy dining room looks out into the lobby. Menu items tend to be pricey; drinks are available at the lounge.
• Several restaurants are within walking distance, including the Good Egg (open for breakfast and lunch) at a strip mall across the street.
• Room service is not available