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Phoenix

Hotel: The Clarendon Hotel

Airport: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)

Why We Chose It: Located in the middle of the Midtown Museum District, the Clarendon provides easy access to the Phoenix Art Museum and the Heard Museum’s collection of American Indian art. The pet-friendly boutique hotel also includes a rooftop pool with underwater speakers, 24 carat gold and platinum accent tiles, and nearly 1,000 fiber-optic “stars” embedded in the bottom.

Business Draw: Free wireless Internet and international phone calls. Four conference rooms fit up to 75 people.

Celeb Spottings: The Clarendon hosted the 2008 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics team and bands like the Black Eyed Peas.

Striking Distance

1) Tee off at Encanto, one of Arizona’s oldest golf courses, just two miles from the Clarendon. Built in 1935, the course attracts duffers looking to lower their handicaps on the wide, unobstructed fairways.

2) Mingle with the locals at Pizzeria Bianco. The Phoenix New Times named the gourmet pizzeria the best in the city. Try the Wiseguy, a combo of wood roasted onions, smoked mozzarella, and fennel sausage.

3) Ride a bike across a 90-foot cable suspended 15 feet above the floor of the Arizona Science Center. The 150,000- square-foot facility contains more than 300 exhibits and an IMAX theater.