The Grand Highland Hotel is like a time capsule for Prescott and Whiskey Row — one that dates to the early 1900s, when the original hotel building was a saloon and brothel. In 1949, the first floor was turned into a store called the Holiday Shop, which sold everything from Indigenous jewelry to shoes and fishing gear. Not long after that, the upstairs portion became the Highland Hotel, featuring 16 guest rooms and three shared bathrooms.
But a fire in May 2012 destroyed the building next door and caused smoke damage to the hotel, resulting in yet another iteration. Today, the Grand Highland Hotel offers 12 guest rooms, each with its own bathroom and upgraded amenities. The hotel’s general manager, Natasha Baierl, says the owners prioritized keeping some pieces of the original building, and that’s what makes the hotel a part of Prescott history.
“The brick is original; most of the windows and floors are original,” Baierl says. “It has the charm of a historic property with all the modern conveniences.” The charm includes room names such as Big Nose Kate and Speak Easy, homages to Prescott’s history and people. And in 11 of the rooms, the amenities include a claw-foot tub.
Baierl, who’s been with the hotel for
10 years and worked her way up from housekeeping to management, says the charm of the hotel is what draws people to stay there, but the hospitality makes their stay special. “We’re a boutique hotel, so we get to meet our guests and have a relationship with them,” she says. “We have small-town charm. The people do care about you, and we’re there to give you suggestions and recommendations.”
The prime location on Whiskey Row, adjacent to Courthouse Square, makes that job easy. Two of the guest rooms overlook the square, making those rooms popular when events are held there. The hotel hosts its own events, too: In 2021, Medina Hospitality purchased the property and acquired a liquor license, allowing the hotel’s courtyard, on the site of the building that burned down in 2012, to serve alcohol at weddings, reunions and company gatherings.
For anyone wanting to experience the historic charm of Prescott with a side of top-tier hospitality, the Grand Highland Hotel is the place to stay.
The Grand Highland Hotel
154 S. Montezuma Street
Prescott, AZ
United States