Orchard Canyon on Oak Creek — Hotel in Four Corners States

We stayed at Orchard Canyon the last weekend of January ’23. The grounds and cabin are beautiful, even magical, covered in snow. The staff is outstanding. They are friendly, warm, inviting, and responsive to any needs and/or concerns. We have stayed in the spring in the past, and the grounds are amazing. The gardens, creek, and orchards are beautiful against the backdrop of Oak Creek Canyon. The dining area is warm and cozy, and we enjoy the environment encouraging engaging with other guests.

Our most recent stay had a few issues. On our first full day, we woke up to the water in the entire facility not working. The problem was likely caused by the snow and freezing temps at night, potentially compounded by the facility's age. When we left for the day to enjoy the abundant hiking around Sedona, the water was working again. On our return, we wanted to shower before dinner and enjoy our evening. The water in the sink and toilet was working, but the shower was not. We found someone to address our issue, and they returned shortly after to install a new showerhead. We then prepared to shower, only to find the water heater was not working. They were not able to get that fixed but graciously offered the use of a shower in an alternate cabin. Though this was the best solution they could offer, after a long day, a big dinner, and not to whine, walking back and forth across the grounds in the snow was not the most ideal. But we live only 35 minutes away. This can be a much more significant inconvenience and issue for folks coming to Sedona to check it and the Grand Canyon off their bucket list from all parts of the country and world.

Additionally, every time we left the grounds and returned, there would be no parking available, and we would have to ask the staff where we could park. Each time they would proceed to move staff vehicles to accommodate. It might mitigate this issue if they were to park staff vehicles in a different spot in the first place, as inconvenient as it may be. This wasn’t a massive issue for us. Still, we can see how it could be for folks with mobility issues and/or children, especially if it were busier.

Lastly, we ordered dinner on both nights. Two entrees, salads, and desserts on both evenings. On both nights, the salads we ordered were the same, and one of our two desserts and entrees was the same as the night before. We point this out because the quality and presentation drastically differed from one night to the next. We understand that the cook may vary from one evening to the next. Still, the quality went from something expected and advertised as a higher-end meal to something you could get for half the price and a chain restaurant.

Our stay was only four days after reopening from their winter closure. Northern Arizona has had an unusually cold and snowy winter. We understand that these things are out of their control and that when they close and reopen, the processes and procedures of doing so are not easy tasks. But it seemed to us that the facilities could not operate well in these conditions. We understand that there are a lot of aspects of running a business like this that are unpredictable and that getting staffing and maintenance up to speed for an opening week can be challenging. But we want to share our experience.

To clarify, the team and GM were very responsive. They tried their best to resolve the issues and offer different solutions. They went above and beyond to help and thought outside the box to the best of their abilities. We do encourage anyone visiting Sedona to consider them. There are many other options, but we have found them either overpriced, unresponsive, or, at worst, both. Others are great but completely different experiences. Orchard Canyon is perfect for a more rustic, quiet, romantic, and disconnected experience. The age adds to the ambiance (no wifi, TVs in the cabins, which we loved, a fireplace, etc.) but comes with...

I wanted to do a thorough review that was not biased at all. My wife and I stayed here for a long weekend during the off-season (Feb) and fell in love with the place. The views are absolutely magical. We stayed in the "Amanda"cabin and loved it. The staff is very polite and did a great job providing the perfect amount of fire wood and starting material. It's a totally rustic and unplugged escape from modern society. (Don't worry you can still access wi-fi by the office.)  You could hear the creek in the cabin if you had the doors or windows open and could even watch the creek from the back porch. Staying here isn't easy on the wallet even in the off-season. I was offered a buy 2 nights get the 3rd free which was greatly appreciated. The cabin seemed well maintained. There was dust and cob webs here and there but I think that will all get cleaned up in their prep for the peak season. I was told they will shut down for a week or two in preparation. I didn't get the full experience of meals and the orchard due to the winter season, which I will return for during the peak season. Now for a few cons. Due to the high price, I think the bathroom sink and shower could really use an update from an early 2000s look. The shower head had a decent amount of mineral deposits on it as well. Also, the toilet barely flushes, and you have to hold down the handle for about 10 seconds. THE BED. Bring your own mattress topper! Let me tell you how awful the bed was. I could feel the springs in the mattress! I would wake up with my arms asleep. My wife and I actually didn't stay all 3 nights because we couldn't get any sleep. The thermostat is also from the 1970s. The sun will come in through the glass in the apex of the cabin structure, which is fine, unless you are trying to sleep in, it didn't bother me. The final qualm. There is a step next to the fire-place right in front of the sink and fridge that will end your life until you remember it's there. It made several attempts at my life but luckily I had shoes or slippers on every time I kicked it. It's the same color as the rest of the stone floor and you can't even tell its there in low light. Whoever designed said step, they were seriously looking to kill people or get sued. The longer I stayed the more I fell in love with the place. I am really looking forward to going back during the summer or fall. As for location slide rock is 5 mins away and downtown Sedona is 10-15 depending on traffic...

Wow- a different experience. The charm of OC is so very special. Unfortunately, new owners/management have diminished what made this place truly unique. ||||The cabins are spectacular! The property is a Farm to Table experience with a maestro of a chef who delivers a creative and top notch dining experience with waitstaff who cheerfully explain or tell a quick story about each course brought to your table. A table full of strangers who then become friends! This is the sort of dining experience that makes you feel truly SPECIAL!! …………….Oh wait!!!!!! No. I must digress.. that was old management/owners…||||Now it is INSISTED you take your meal in your cabin. This exquisite, beautifully designed meal now arrives cold. Very cold. No microwave to warm up the food. At least a random hotel has microwaves in the rooms!!! There is no longer a point in the beautiful bar in the dining room- place closes at 5- dinner shows up at 6 ish…seriously?? It used to be every evening a unique, quirky cocktail would be crafted to enhance the dinner offering. Now you order a martini or whatever that shows up with dinner…. What about if I want more than one? What if I would like another cocktail? What if I would like to get to know new friends in front of the fire?||||To be fair, as far as the coldness of the food, there is no way possible to deliver a meal in a plastic covered box off the back of a golf cart when it’s 25 degrees and expect it to stay hot. And quite frankly, it shouldn’t be expected to. #1 rule of restaurant management- HOT FOOD HOT, COLD FOOD COLD. Period.||||Breakfast is also cold. Impeccable breakfast dishes curated by a talented kitchen, only to be served cold in the very dining room that dinner should be served in, because now it serves as a makeshift buffet. ||Gone is the extensive, mouthwatering breakfast menu. ||While breakfast is DELICIOUS … its basic, and it’s cold. Food is no longer Farm to Kitchen to Table. It is now basically Room Service or a Buffet on warming plates. Come on guys. You know better than this! You have to! ||||As one who has worked in restaurant management I must question- How does an extraordinarily talented and respected chef tolerate his creations to be served in a manner so undeserving?||||We will return once Orchard Canyon returns to the impeccable, BRILLIANT, unique, special experience that it once...