Diamond Resorts Bell Rock Inn

Diamond Resorts Bell Rock Inn is at Bell Rock Inn 6246 State Route 179
Sedona, Arizona, 86351. This is my second Diamond Resort and the second on this trip to Arizona. Until this trip I had not spent much time in Arizona, but the people are hospitable and the area is rich with natural gifts.

Video by Travel And Moore

Day One Travel & Arrival at Diamond Resorts Bell Rock Inn

I was transferring from another Diamond Resort to this one on my trip to Arizona. I had been staying at Diamond Resorts Kohl’s Ranch Lodge for the last few days and I was happy to be there. That was my first Diamon Resort, and this is my second. These are so nice. I do not know why I have not stayed before.

Also, I had seen some of the resorts and their workers because they had appeared on the show Undercover Boss several times. This meant that the brand had some positive impacts on me before I ever came to the first resort. I am a sucker or sap for the warm and fuzzy things in life. I think we all can do better to help each other with opportunities.

These two resorts are about 2 hours apart. So my new rental car and I headed off to the next resort from Kohls. The drive was not bad, but the outside temperature was warm. Even in September here, the average high is still 91 degrees. In July and August, the average is often over 100. 100-degree heat is even hard to explain. Years ago, I worked in manufacturing as a younger man. In one plant, they had no HVAC because the plant made toner for laser printers. There was so much toner ink in the air that it would quickly kill all but the most advanced HVAC system. So the company just did not put one in.

This meant that in the summer when all the machines were running, that building could get to 120 degrees or more. You had to hydrate well or you would just eventually pass out. Much the same is true in July and August in Arizona. They say it is a dry heat, but it is not for long because every person will perspire here. Not like the islands in the tropics, but still, you are drenched pretty quickly. That is why I am here in September instead of July and August. It is still hot but not too hot.

If you are young and in shape, do not worry about the heat other than take standard precautions. Just like me in my younger years, the heat does not bother you as much as it will when you are over 50. You may even be able to get a better rate in June-August given the heat.

September has been good for me to visit the area because it is hot but not in that searing heat. This makes it reasonable for me to be outside in nature and that, for me, is the big draw to Arizona.

I have another 1 bedroom booked at this resort. At this Diamond Resort, these may be a little larger than the last. I think they are almost 100 square feet larger.

Villa Amenities

Then the resort itself offers all of these options.

Resort Amenities

After I check in and get into the room, I see this resort has a more updated feeling yet some of the rustic charms of the last Kohl’s location. Instead of log walls, you have finished normal sheetrock walls, but the beds are still made out of that rustic live log look wood (which I like).

The adobe-like exterior of the buildings blends into the natural scene here in a most appealing way. The kitchenette is appealing in its simple design and functional layout. These are small but efficient cooking and preparation setups. You would not want to cook Thanksgiving dinner here, but breakfast, lunch, and dinner should be no problem at all.

This resort is in a much larger small town area than the last, with the Village of Oak Creek as the backdrop for the resort. This meant on the way in I stopped and grabbed some groceries at the Clark’s Market & Pharmacy, Sedona. They had some nice prepared foods if you just want to reheat them and go about your day. I like fixing an omelet for breakfast so I grabbed must-have items for those.

Given the heat, I also grabbed some craft beer. I kind of had the same idea that I would have after cutting the grass on a hot day. My time outside would end better with an ice-cold beer.

Recent Reviews

I have started to share recent resort reviews in these blogs because I think they are helpful to hear from other people’s perspectives.

I felt right at home. We had a suite with a full kitchen, living room, and 3 bathrooms. The kitchen had everything you could need just had to buy some groceries. The rooms were clean and provided plenty of clean towels. The front desk staff was wonderful and always accommodating. Would def return!

The rooms are complete mini apartments and are furnished with minimal kitchen necessities. Although older and in need of upgrades, everything is functional. The beds are comfortable and the premises are quiet.

We waited until the last minute to book a hotel and settled on this one instead of paying $600/night at a more preferable location. If you are like me, you search through the negative reviews and perseverate on how awful the stay COULD be. I was pleasantly surprised. I agree with all the reviews about how the hotel needs to be updated. Yes, it was dated, however, everything was clean. The bed was lumpy, but we slept like babies after hiking all day. I did bring shower shoes for the shower, which made me happy. Parking was easy, coffee shops were close by, great hiking was close by, and easy in and out to Downtown Sedona. Decent restaurants right down the road. The pool was nice. The hot tub was broken when we were there. Overall, it was an enjoyable stay!

The staff was great, checked in to be sure we were doing well. The room was neat and offered great functionality. Great location with so much to do. Hands down will stay here again when we are back!

We spent 7 nights at the Bell Rock Inn and would give this hotel a 4-star rating. It is just a few miles south of the downtown Sedona area, so you’re away from major traffic snarls, especially if you’re visiting during peak tourist season. (We were there in the 1st week of February.) The hotel is very clean. I would say the couch and chair in our living area of the suite were maybe a bit dated, but hey … it was ok. There is no breakfast on site, but there are MANY restaurants within walking distance. We made a trip to the grocery store on the first day, stocked up on necessities, stored them in the fridge and cupboards, and ate breakfast in the room. We ate a nice meal out (usually in town – or wherever our destination took us, then caught a snack back in the room in the evening. Here’s the BEST part … the hotel was very, very quiet. You’ll like staying here and saving a few dollars from staying in more pricey hotels in the area and in town.

First time here since it was just the wife and I this weekend trip and I was pleased with our room and stay and would definitely come back. Rooms are definitely roomy enough for 4 of us to stay with the pull-out couch. Didn’t partake in the pool or jacuzzi as the weather is chilly but they seem fine. Also grills out by the pool area too, which we usually use at other hotels. I love it when they have a mini kitchen with all the stuff you’d need if you wanted to make breakfast or something and there’s a full-size fridge. Just take note you’re maybe 15 mins away from all the other major trails and little shops of Sedona, but you are close to bell rock and other trials. One minor complaint, tv is small and the channels suck. Bring your own entertainment.

The Interior of the rooms was clean and well-appointed, just a little outdated. Beautiful setting and is close to everything you’ll want to see in Sedona.

Nice comfortable room with a great fireplace and nearby pool. Nice laundry setup and housekeeping is fast and accurate every time. Recommended!

Wonderful experience checking in with Dora, she was truly amazing, so kind and friendly. The room was huge and very clean and provided everything we needed and more. The pool was clean. Beautiful location. Highly recommend.

Train Ride

I knew transferring from one resort to another, I would have time in the area between check out at 10AM and check in at 4PM. The dive was almost 2 hours, but that still left 4 hours to do something fun.

The nearby Verde Canyon Railroad is a neat experience. I have had the pleasure of riding a few of these railroad trips across the country. I have always enjoyed the scenery and the experience. So, I was happy to be trying this location out.

The trip here is a 4-hour ride, so for most a half a day affair. You can get seating in the main cars fairly easily, and even do the one-person ride along with the engineer since that does not book often.

The rare option that books well in advance is the private caboose. This makes sense, they rent it out to small parties and I am sure businesses and families jump and have the chance to have it all to themselves. I looked as much as 6 months out and it was booked, so it must be a very popular option.

They do serve champagne, and food in the caboose, so I am sure it is booked even longer than 6 months in advance. That caboose charter is even $850, but it is still booked that far in advance. I went out almost a year and found a day to get you that price.

Day Two Seeing Sedona

Sedona is much more than the hard-to-book caboose on the train ride. Many of the things to do and see are readily available.

Today I am spoiling myself with a top-tier guided tour. I wanted to see as much as I could of Sedona without being with a large group on a bus. I typically like those tours but for whatever reason, when I was booking this vacation, something said to me “do a private tour”. Maybe it was feeling less pressure because my bank account looked better than it had in a while.

I had booked with a company called Silver Spur Tours. They were one that offers private tours. Though they usually do those for 2+ people, I had booked solo and worked out a rate that made sense for both of me and them.

I figured it would be worthwhile to have a guide 1-1 that could explain what they knew about the area and show me things from a local guide’s perspective. The website offers this write-up about their tour.

Discover the secrets Sedona has to offer. Explore Sedona and its magnificent scenery of red rock buttes, pinnacles, and mesas on a 4-hour private tour tailored to you with plenty of amazing photo-taking opportunities. While you enjoy the views of the area´s iconic rock formations such as Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, Courthouse Butte, Coffee Pot, and more, your guide will share with you information about the history, geology, flora, and fauna of Sedona. Relax as we ascend 2,000 feet up Oak Creek Canyon’s scenic road through the Ponderosa Pine Forest to the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau, where you can experience a spectacular view of the canyon below. Enjoy local shopping at Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village, and visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross, an architectural marvel designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Now I have been to a few of these locations before on another trip to Sedona, but never on a solo guided tour. I think I gained a lot more information and felt more connected with this white glove treatment than I did with larger group tours in the past.

I enjoyed the crafts village, and the Chapel of the Holy Cross the most. It is such a unique Chapel and building. In this place, with the views, it also felt very spiritual. They do weddings here and it must just be amazing because of the views behind the altar with those giant windows. There is a picture on their website that looks like a painting. The colors are so powerful.

I felt my tour allowed me to see a great deal of the area. It was worth the cost and then some. Even adding in a tip it was still a great value. It would be something special for a couple to do for sure.

Day Three Seeing More

Sedona has a great deal to go and see. Even the town here the Village of Rock Creek is nice. The views from the town are amazing. At eye level, your brain says “ah small town” but raise your head and you see the multicolored formations on cliffs and mountains very close by. It is nothing short of magical. As a painter, I just want to stop and paint the mountains here. But the logistics will have me taking some photos and then trying to paint with the photo and memory when I am home.

Today I am taking water to win Kayak trip

I love to Kayak and at one point I kayaked a great deal. So, the idea of booking a trip appealed to me. I booked with Sedona Adventures for their water-to-wine tour. It was a nice mostly floating trip down the river, where the current does most of the work. Yet, you are still rewarded with wine at the end of your trip. That was a cool benefit.

There is a great deal to see in the area. The nice thing about this part of Arizona is you are close to Sedona and all its things to see and do, yet off by yourself in a special place away from the path of others. This small-town charm here is worth considering as an alternative to their site in Sedona. Just 15 minutes away but it feels like it is at a different pace, and much less crowded.

This is certainly a resort of choice for anyone who wants to see Sedona yet not stay in the heart of it because of the crowds and mass of travelers.

I think at Diamond Resorts Bell Rock Inn you get the best of both worlds quite location and close enough to see everything. The Village of Oak Creek is worth exploring on its own and you can spend a day here in the local shops and spots, then venture off into the surrounding hills as I have done today.

Just make sure you book through Tzort to get the very best rate.