Arizona Inn’s First Chapter Under New Stewardship
Six families, a shared promise, and a year of caring for one of Tucson’s most beloved places.
What does a year of devotion look like?
At Arizona Inn, it can be found in a carefully restored floor, a more comfortable night’s sleep, and a garden tended by hands that have known it for decades. It is there when a familiar guest returns, when a family gathers for a celebration, and when an old photograph helps guide a room’s next chapter.
One year into new stewardship, these moments tell a story of care for a place that already holds so many stories of its own.
Six families. One shared devotion.
On October 1st, 2025, six families came together to carry Arizona Inn’s legacy forward: Jim and Kerrin Berwick, Greg and Marla Amado, Brian and Shamra Strange, Phil and Mimi Amos, Kirk Saunders and Ann Peterson, and Steve and Margot Kerr.
Their promise was simple: “The Arizona Inn doesn’t need reinvention - it deserves devotion.”
With deep ties to Tucson and a personal affection for the Inn, they accepted responsibility for a landmark founded by Isabella Greenway in 1930. Along with its buildings and gardens came something less tangible: generations of memories, cherished routines, and the trust of people who feel that a little piece of the Inn belongs to them.
That trust has helped guide this first year.
Care you can feel
Across the property, work has focused on preserving the Inn’s character while bringing renewed comfort to the guest experience.
Historic flooring has received careful attention. Refreshed bedding, linens and furnishings have brought comfort to guest rooms while respecting their familiar style. The pool area has also received renewed attention, with cabanas and poolside service inviting guests to linger a little longer beneath the Tucson sky.
These details matter because they shape how a stay feels - the pleasure of settling into a comfortable room, an afternoon spent by the water, or the quiet of a private patio after a day exploring the city.
The work continues, guided by the history and character of each space.
The people who keep the Inn alive
Stewardship is shared with the people who care for the Inn every day.
Among them are gardeners whose service spans two decades or more. Their knowledge lives in the daily care of the lawns, trees, paths and seasonal blooms that make these grounds so familiar to returning guests.
Throughout the Inn, the team carries that same continuity into the welcome, the dining experience and the attention given to each stay. Their work connects the ownership’s intentions with the moments guests remember.
This anniversary belongs to them, too.
A place for Tucson to gather
The year has also been measured in gatherings: weddings in the gardens, family celebrations, afternoon tea and guests returning for University of Arizona occasions.
The first annual Christmas lighting in November 2025 added another occasion for the community to come together. Music, seasonal gatherings and time around the table have continued the Inn’s role as a place where Tucson celebrates its own milestones.
Each gathering adds something to the story. The couple beginning married life. The family returning to a favorite table. The guest who remembers coming here as a child and now brings children of their own.
A historic legacy, nationally recognized
In 2026, Arizona Inn joined Historic Hotels of America®, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The recognition honors the historic integrity, architecture and atmosphere that generations have helped preserve.
The Inn also celebrated its 23rd consecutive year as a AAA Four Diamond hotel and was named to the 2026 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America® Great American Road Trip Hotels list.
These milestones recognize a legacy built over many years, now entrusted to new hands. They also offer new travelers an invitation to discover this historic Tucson hotel for themselves.
Audubon: the past helps shape what comes next
As the first year closes, Audubon Bar’s next chapter is taking shape, with reopening anticipated this October.
Its original layout remains. Renewed finishes draw inspiration from the original 1933 murals by Tucson artist and designer Leionne Salter, who worked alongside Isabella Greenway on the Inn’s interiors.
Uncovered some time ago after decades beneath layers of paint, the murals and historic photographs became the foundation for the redesign. Their patterns and colors inform fabrics, finishes and details, with brass and bird motifs honoring the Inn’s affection for the natural world.
The room has evolved with dining tastes over the decades. This next chapter continues that tradition, bringing the spirit of its post-Prohibition beginnings into new gatherings.
A story worth continuing
A year is a small part of a history that began in 1930. Yet it is enough time to demonstrate how a promise becomes daily work.
To the six families, the team, our guests and the Tucson community: thank you for the care, patience and affection you bring to Arizona Inn.
Behind these pink walls, the story continues. We are grateful to share this chapter with you.