Tombstone Motel and Convention Center
Tombstone is one of those towns that have a permanent place in American history and folklore, largely thanks to the exploits of some of the more violent residents. You’ll have heard of it because of Wyatt Earp, the Clantons, the infamous Gunfight at the OK Corral, the Birdcage theatre and maybe half a dozen other famous and infamous names. No doubt that if you’re ever in Arizona it’s a town that’s got to feature on your list of places to go.
I could tell you about the main street, or that History seems to be the town’s major industry, or that it’s just a fun place to hang out, but you already know this. You can get that from any website or tourist. What you won’t get is a first person look at a very important part of the whole package: where you’re going to sleep.
I can say a bunch of stuff about the Tombstone Motel and it’ll sound like a shill, but it’s worth saying. The folks that run it are great. Each time we’ve been there they’ve been nothing but helpful, nothing but interesting. They’re rightly proud of their establishment, which is undergoing some additional construction. It has a view – boy, does it have a view – and it has a convention center. It’s got some history too – a part of the motel is an original part of Tombstone and might have been involved, at least as a location, in that OK Corral incident. More than that, the older part of the building seems to have been in the accommodation business as far back as anyone cares to look.
The thing of it is, you can sleep there. Sounds obvious, but I’m really picky about where I lay my head at night and there’s something about the atmosphere at the Tombstone Motel which is just plain restful. Let’s not beat about the bush, it isn’t Caesar’s Palace. Not that you want it to be. It’s a place to wind up in at the end of the day and get some sleep (and besides, I’ve stayed at Caesar’s Palace. The Tombstone Motel comes over a lot more genuinely friendly and that counts for a lot).
Plus, it’s literally across the street from Tombstone’s main drag,
The other thing about it is, every time we’ve been there the place has been busy. It seems like there are always people staying there. You’re going to see bikers and walkers and history enthusiasts, even the occasional group of ghost hunters, and they’re all saying pretty much the same thing. They talk about what they’re going to do that day, what they did yesterday.
No one is complaining about the beds, or the food, or the price.
In all seriousness, in all honesty, what more recommendation do you need?