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Categories: Nightlife, Hotels, American (New) [Edit]
311 E Congress StMon-Sun. 6:00 a.m. - 6:00 a.m.
"The Arizona Inn is one of the most amazing hotels I have ever stayed in. I can't even describe in words the level of detail and personal…" read more »
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Absolutely a must stop in Tucson. Spend the night in one of their rooms and enjoy the food inside The Cup. I highly recommend the "heart breaker". The Tap room provides the casual seating bar while the Club can really pack a crowd.
I personally like to rent a room and just walk Congress St. and 4th Ave. It is the only authentic culture to Tucson.
Only if Tucson was supportive of its downtown gem.
This review is mostly regarding The Tap Room, located off the main lobby, behind the club area. Great little old fashioned bar with a 45-playing Wirlitzer jukebox and paintings by a renowned cowboy artist, whose name escapes me. Nice patio outside that looks across to the old train depot. Fun little bar that makes you feel like you've gone through a time machine to the 1950's. Full bar.
All that plus another full bar in the lobby, another on the club area, good live music-mostly local but some good national acts as well, and even a barber shop. There's also the penny-covered floor of the Cup Cafe. Good food, likely a wait to be seated. But as I said, plenty of bars on the premises to sip while you wait. Oh yeah, there's also hotel rooms.
Sunday late morning/early afternoon has the best create-your-own bloody Mary bar.
It's been a few years since we've visited the Hotel Congress. A few years is too long to wait for a visit to this historic little place. We were in town for a concert at the Rialto Theater next door and stayed at the Hotel Congress so that we would be within walking distance of the Theater and not have to fight traffic or ultra happy concert goers afterwards. What a great plan!
The Hotel Congress is conveniently located in downtown Tucson right across from the old train depot. Although parking at the hotel can be scarce, there is ample parking at the depot. There is also a really nice restaurant in the depot that we will have to sample on our next visit. We were also pleased to see the underpass under the railroad tracks has been remodeled and now it is quite convenient and safe to walk from the hotel to many of the bars and shops along 4th Ave.
Before the concert we stopped by the Tap Room, the hotel bar, and had a drink before the show. The Tap Room is small, but nice. A row of booths parallel the bar and a vintage juke box stands in the corner next to the door to the patio. They had about half a dozen or so different selections of beer on tap, including Guinness and Four Peaks Kiltlifter. If I remember correctly, the draft beers were $4 each. They also had a pretty decent selection of vodka's and tequila's.
I really dig the antique switchboard and front desk. They have cubby holes for each of the rooms and you actually get REAL keys here! I give them an extra star for this factor alone. Not only is it a novelty in this electronic day an age, but how many times have you walked back to your room on the morning you are checking out, only to find out your key card no longer works? Then you get to walk all the way back to the front desk, have them reset the card, and then walk all the back to your room. Well, you don't have to worry about that here!
The rooms are cozy (i.e. small) but very comfortable. Each room has a closet, a bed, a dresser, a desk, and an end table with a rotary dial phone. The shower in our room was small, only 3'X3'. The water temperature was a little fussy, but I don't remember that from before, so we'll see if it's still acting up on our next visit. The Hotel Congress has tried to stay very true to what it was back in the day. It's nothing fancy, so don't expect a 5 star resort, but is wonderfully comfortable. I've read some of the reviews and have to say that yes, I did hear the train at night, but it wasn't intrusive. They do only have evaporative cooling, so you have to keep your window open a little in the summer. We were quite comfortable with the cooling and the ceiling fan on during the night. There is a nightclub downstairs and it gets pretty busy when school is in session. But if you stay in the rooms not directly over the club, you won't hear the music or the people. We've really fallen in love with the charm of the Hotel Congress. When you walk through the doors you are instantly transported back in time. We can't wait for our next visit back in time. Oh yeah, ask the desk clerk about room #214. *wink*
Another great stay on 9/26. Excellent stay with lots of liquor, personable service, and a delicious breakfast at the Cup Cafe on Sunday! Make a reservation for breakfast, though. When we checked in, we did so at the urging of the front desk attendant (thanks!) and were glad we did, since there was a big wait for other people who were not as well-prepared.
Several bars from which to choose? Pie available at midnight? Delicious breakfast and servers who… Read more »
I was told also that there was no problem with flies either & yet there were about 6 flies in our room when we stayed there. Generalizations about "insects" in the hotel from the mgmt are just that, Generalizations.
"Our staff is very honest with guests making reservations and are very clear on what they can expect. "
Next time I hope their "honesty" tells me about the train, loud club, & bugs & how they 'contact' people here who post truthful, yet low Reviews.
Probably better to sleep out in the desert than pay an exorbitant fee for the "hip factor" of this… Read more »
Great food and good rooms, very historic and nice old fashioned ambience. I got a good deal on a room at the front desk, they are down to earth and easy to talk to about the area if you are out of town. Right near Amtrak. Definitely recommend.
Stayed here on Sunday, and loved loved loved it. The staff at the front desk, the Cup Cafe, their bar, and even the housekeepers were extremely friendly and made sure that we were comfortable/well-fed/well-boozed/in possession of stellar directions. We stayed in room 226, and had no problems with noise (although we did happen to have our box fan on all night). The room was warm, but with the fan, it was perfectly comfortable and my husband and I both slept well. Before we booked the room we checked online and found out about their bed and breakfast promotion, which we asked for when we made our reservation. The deal was breakfast for two at the Cup Cafe, which was delicious, and a perfect way to sop up some of the beer from the night before. Speaking of which, Sunday nights the bar offers $3 you-call-it, and you can sit out on their patio and sip anything on their shelves for three bucks.
All of this great stuff aside--I could see how this place might not be for everyone. If you need a dead silent ice chest temperature room to sleep, or if you prefer brand new to old and quirky (and there's nothing wrong with that), this might not be your spot. Personally, we loved the personality of the Hotel Congress, and can't wait to come back and check out a show there.
How could one review Hotel Congress without reviewing Club Congress as well (well, I guess if you stayed on a weekend during the Tucson Music Festival..) Well ya can't, so this is my two in one review...
I flew over to Tucson to watch a friends Indie film at the Rialto Theatre, not even aware of the fact that the annual Tucson Music Festival was the same night(s). My only regret is that I didn't take my wife this weekend as she would have loved it.
To begin with, I spent about 9 hours drinking and watching live concerts on the outside stage, then going inside to watch concerts in the club. While the bar was extremely busy and way, way too small, making it nearly impossible to walk through it, I was able to get a beer refill normally in less than 10 minutes.
All I can say is that if you want to have the time of your life, most certainly do go to the Tucson Music Festival. Apparently it is extremely famous and I just happened onto it by chance.
The main complaints I heard from others staying at the Hotel was that there was no air conditioning or phones and the rooms and it was hot. While the weather was a mixture of heat, rain and the occasional sand storm where everyone would run inside, from what I witnessed in relation to alcohol consumption, who would really care if the rooms had AC? This is the place to stay for the Festival so you can walk upstairs and pass out.
The Club itself has a very nice range of import and micro brewed beers, and I guess having thousands of people in from out of town and out of the country (I hung out for a bit with a group that came from France just for this event), there's no way they would get by with serving the average rancid American liquids like Bud and Miller that are called "beer". Mixed drinks were strong and shots quite full and healthy.
And outside in the courtyard I fell in love with some authentic Southwest food. There was a lady and her daughters whom were the only authorized food vendors serving home made taco like plates that were based on an old authentic Native American Indian recipe. I had never heard of those in my life, but all the locals knew what they were.
The Tucson Music Festival was one of the funnest events I have ever been to in my life. I strongly recommend it, as well as Club Congress and Hotel Congress. Well, this is where it's at!
Great place to eat, great place to drink, great place to see a show - but avoid the hotel part of it. The staff are very unprofessional and really don't seem to make customer service a priority at all. Get everything in writing - they'll change the rate on you if you're not careful. This used to be a hostel, now it's more of a boutique hotel, but they still seem to have a hostel mentality.
As for those complaining about noise from the club, the website makes clear which rooms are above the club and which are not. I requested a room that was not above the club and it was no problem for them to fulfill that request. So, I wouldn't let noise keep you from staying here. But overall, there are far, far better places to stay in town. If you want to be on Congress Street, try the Hotel Arizona.
I drank here, ate cake here, and stayed the night here. I'm more or less obsessed. I promise to request this as my new hotel spot in Tucson from here on out!
We were going to see Brandi Carlile/Indigo Girls at the Rialto across the street and got done with our dinner too early to go to the show. So we decided to pop over to Hotel Congress since it looked like there might be a bar inside. There definitely was. It was completely packed (mind you it was full of women due to the Indigo Girls concert next door...and this may have swayed my opinion slightly) but the two bartenders (servicing about 45 people) were right on top of it and took care of us really quickly.
We weren't planning on staying the night in Tucson, but I'm a sucker for a historic spot and a good drink. So we ordered a room, picked up a piece of carrot cake to munch on later, and headed over to the Rialto for the concert.
When we returned I found a really humble and cozy room on the second floor. There was no TV which was a nice change of pace. The bathroom was tiny but adorably genuine.
I really just loved the whole feel of the place. When we were coming back to our room around midnight there were people just going in to the night club downstairs. The music wasn't loud though and definitely disturb us or keep us from sleeping.
I highly recommend this to anyone who likes to stay off the beaten (i.e. Marriot, Holiday Inn, etc) hotel path. Additionally, it's probably best if you admire historic charm and small scale facilities.
Our room for a wednesday night was only $72. I thought that was pretty reasonable. Although I didn't get to really eat a meal or check out any of the amenities. So someone looking for a longer stay or lots of extras at their hotel might not love it. But for what I was looking for, it was perfect!
p.s. no air...just a swamp cooler...it was about 98 that evening and it felt absolutely fine!
I can only give it 4 stars since I didn't have the pleasure of a) staying here or b) checking out the Tap Room, but my friends took me on a tour of this place and we had a quick bite.
Hotel Congress is everything a restored Western town hotel should be -- bursting with old timey, shoot-em-up, cowboy history (Dillinger was captured here). This "Southwest Deco" monument is part history museum and part hipster hangout with a club, bar with live music, restaurant, and occasional art shows. For those traveling by rail, it's conveniently located across the street from the Amtrak Station.
Good Fucking God this place is so sad.
They occasionally get decent shows by artists who feel the need to represent in pathetic, pissant Tucson.
But then there's the fucking gillnets.
Yes, you heard me, fishing nets.
This is seen at all shows where the under 21 crowd are allowed. Somehow physically separating the minors from the bar with a fucking fishnet struck a Hotel Congress manager as a good idea and nobody has had the balls to tell this person what a colossal fuckup of an idea that was.
Furthermore, there really isn't a lot of room in the aforementioned neted in area to comfortably drink and stand around, so the halfwit security stooges will push you around to keep traffic flowing.
I for one will avoid all future shows like this at Hotel Congress.
Tucson is truly the place intelligence forgot.
Congress is my faaaaaaavorite place in town. It sucks that the 4th ave underpass is gone--it was so nice to walk from 4th and back again. A lot of my favorite bands play here and I enjoy dancin' it up some Thursday and Saturday nights. I hear Karaoke on Sunday's is awesome, too!? Have to go sometime! I have yet to eat at the Cup Cafe, but I hear wonderful things about it. The actual hotel? Uhhhh I live here, so I have no reason to stay there...but maybe I'll get a room sometime just to review it.
Seeya Saturday night!
So I also heard about the famous Hotel Congress and so I went by to check it out. Stopped by the Cup Cafe and had some pasta with shrimp and I was amazed by the flavor and taste! This place really reminded of home in Austin Texas. It was hip, crazy, comfortable, hippi-ish and very vintage looking. I felt like I was sitting some where in a vintage type of bar/cafe in Austin Texas. The people were very nice and very hipster looking. The floor was very cool, it was some crazy number of 177,000 pennies on the floor. So it took the contractor 3 days to lay down that many pennies! I never thought of anything like that before but i was impressed. I didnt stay here nor went the bar but looked like a great place to stay and awesome bar! I can hear the live music from the lobby area. I will stay here next time im in town. But over all I give this place 4 stars and I was impressed! I had a great time and my company was excellent.. I would also say the prettiest girl that was there.. cough cough.. my GF :)
Everything that the previous reviewers have mentioned about Hotel Congress is true. It isn't just a place to crash, it is an experience.
I am originally from Tucson, so I usually stay with my parents when I am in town. However, I did stay here once and loved it! Our room was decorated in a very retro style that I found really charming and a complete fit for the hotel.
We were there in the summer and the room rates were dirt cheap (I noticed on the web site that the rates have gone up a bit, but they are still under $60 in low season).
Our room was directly over the nightclub downstairs. I think that some of the rooms are soundproofed, but ours wasn't. For some folks, this may be a detractor, but for us it was actually a bonus. To compensate, we got free entrance into the club every night. That included access to a sold out Ozomatli show!
Really, unless you are on an Arizona Inn-type budget, I can't imagine why anyone would stay anywhere else!
This place is amazing. The hotel where the caught John Dillinger, it doesn't get better than that.
All the rooms are unique and decorated to the period, right down to the wallpaper and the telephone.
The bar and the restaurant are both so amazing there is hardly a reason to leave the hotel short of getting some sunlight and fresh air.
For a unique experience, a trip back in time, the Hotel Congress is a wonderful and nostalgic place.
Can't believe I'm the first to rate this place.
Arizona keeps surprising as we enter beautiful skyscrapered Tucson at sunset, and cruise around the colourful homes, obviously originally Mexican.
If you stay in Tucson, you have to stay here. As they say, its more than a hotel, it's delivering an experience. Gorgeous old building, with beautiful exposed beams. Rooms have iron framed beds and en-suites.
Monday night is cheap drinks night, and uni students converge here from out of the desert. Paddy talks to several girls, but goes to his room solo. Riet says she's now a convert to the US and plans to come back.
We went to some fry up place nearby in the same street for tea; it was okay.
On-site parking was full. Had to park blocks down the street and get hassled by pan handlers in front of the bus depot.
$110 for a room with steam heat radiators, and the only way to cool down the room was to "open a window"...I have a hard enough time sleeping in a strange bed without trains going by every hour...the shower sucked. Only 1 electrical outlet, and I had to unplug something to blow-dry my hair, while sitting on the floor, with the nearest mirror hanging on the wall across the room. I got stuck with the room right at the top of the stairs and the noise from the bar was irritating (didn't think this would bother me since I was attending the show @ Club Congress, but it did). Good coffee in the morning, but doesn't make up for much (especially when compared to the HI Express I stayed at the following night). Loved Club Congress, can't say the same for the Hotel.
Yum dammit! From a pretty enticing menu though the dull hum of the pseudo punk band playing in the Tap Room, this is a fun restaurant.
Wait staff seemed engaged and proficient. Good Meaty choices from a delicious duck confit and delightful pork tenderloin. Stuff for the veg crowd. Interesting appetizers and a good (and reasonably priced) wine list and breakfast's is good as well.
an institution. love the cup, love the bloddy mary bar in the lobby on sundays (make your own with TONS of amazing ingredients). love club congress for optimist club on thursdays.
it's quirky, staffed with nice people, and it doesn't have air conditioning in the rooms. but once we shut the open window, and make sure to sleep on top of the blanket, the bed was comfortable and i did not wake up drenched in sweat. which, after having driven through texas, new mexico and then part of arizona, this was the first place on our stop that make us go, fuck it's hot here. we're from austin. nothing is hot, besides houston and new orleans.
perhaps i might have enjoyed myself more if the music hadn't been that loud kind i just can't like, but really, i slept like it didn't matter and the shower was really cute, being a stall and whatnot.
This place is one of my all time favorite places in Arizona. Stay there only in cooler months and if you plan on having a good time b/c yes, its noisy. But in a good way. All I can say is, when I'm there I feel love....and at the right price.
Where to go when you're tragically hip? Congress duh. Even if you aren't tragically hip, they aren't picky. I used to love 80s night here, sadly I do not reside in Tucson and can not shake it on a Monday night. I will be staying here when I come back to town though. The rooms are old and definitely not as "clean" as say the Howard Johnson, but there's something so cool about staying in the hotel where the Dillinger gang was caught. Oh and the food at the Cup Cafe is very yummy too, trendy food for the trendy soul.
If you are of the hipster persuasion and passing through tucson for whatever reason, you should consider staying and/or visiting hotel congress. it has a restaurant, bar and venue, a very central location and just oozes the "old tucson" vibe. I make it a point to at least stop in and have a cocktail whenever I'm in Tucson on business.
Tucson. My favorite hotel -- and it's in my hometown. From the moment you walk in the door, it's a trip back to the Old West and the old furniture, pictures and decor in your room, with its completely not updated water fixtures, will keep it real for you in that way. Absolutely no lame flowered nylon bedcovers. Get your food at the Cup Cafe downstairs, make a phone call in their booths, get purdied up in the timecapsule barber shop, and mosey into the bar. Then venture out into Tucson's campy downtown with its several other nightlife options. But don't stay there if you plan on turning in early. Thumpin beats from Club Congress downstairs make that both silly and impossible. HOTEL FOR NIGHT OWLS.
I've been here a few times for afterwork drinks, and I'm been generally okay with the service at the bar. There are definitely a few regulars whom the bartenders know and converse with quite actively.... to the point where newcomers or infrequent clients like me almost feel left out. They need to work on their hospitality a little bit. Their drinks are definitely decent, however.
I am a big fan of the Hotel Congress taproom. The no-nonsense L-shaped bar, the charcoal drawings of cowboys on the wall, the excellently-eclectic jukebox...what's not to love?
hipster haven
Tucson, AZ
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