Where to Stay in Salt Lake City
Your guide to the best areas and accommodation types
Salt Lake City's grid spreads wide from Temple Square, unusually wide. The Wasatch Mountains rise sharply east. The Great Salt Lake shimmers northwest. Downtown packs the highest concentration of salt lake city hotels into a compact walkable core around Main Street and West Temple. The Avenues climbs the bench above downtown in a grid of Victorian homes. Sugar House, three miles southeast, draws locals for independent restaurants and coffee shops. The Gateway and Granary District house the city's nightlife west of downtown.
A solid mid-range double runs $90, 145 per night in most neighborhoods. Ski season from December through March pushes downtown rates up 25, 40 percent. Holiday weeks and powder-day surges compress inventory fast. The south I-15 corridor offers the same TRAX light-rail access to downtown at 30, 40 percent less. Hostel beds start around $30. The Grand America tops out near $350.
Budget
$55, 85 per night for budget hotels and the Avenues Hostel
Mid-Range
$90, 160 per night for 3, 4 star hotels
Luxury
$180, 350 per night for 5-star and premium boutique properties
Where to Stay in Salt Lake City
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for every visitor.
Our Top Picks
The highest-rated hotel in each price range, selected from all neighborhoods.
Top Pick — Downtown / Temple Square
"The room was in good condition and the breakfast was delicious. I hope there are…"
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Downtown / Temple Square
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Top Pick — Downtown / Temple Square
Downtown / Temple Square
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Top Pick — Downtown / Temple Square
Luxury
Grand America Hotel
"I didn't like staying in old hotels, but I booked it decisively when I sa"
Indoor swimming pool
Outdoor swimming pool
Sauna
Spa
Downtown / Temple Square
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Best Areas to Stay
Each neighborhood has its own character. Find the one that matches your travel style.
Hotel recommendations verified
Downtown / Temple Square
Mid-range to Luxury
Temple Square and City Creek Center anchor the beating heart of Salt Lake City. Main Street and West Temple pack the city's hotel inventory at every price point. TRAX light rail and FrontRunner commuter rail both hub here, this is Utah's most transit-connected address. From any east-facing window, the Wasatch mountains frame your view. That constant reminder? Excellent skiing sits 30 minutes up the canyon. December spikes in 'things to do in Salt Lake City' searches aren't accidental.
- ✓ You're set. Four blocks, maybe five, put you at Temple Square. One more minute and you're browsing City Creek Center. The Natural History Museum of Utah waits a short stroll east; Clark Planetarium sits even closer.
- ✓ TRAX Green, Red, and Blue lines all converge here. Best transit hub in the state.
- ✓ Widest hotel selection at every price point in a compact area
- ✓ 30-minute drive to Snowbird and Alta ski resorts via Little Cottonwood Canyon
- ✓ Salt Lake City restaurants and Salt Lake City nightlife sit within a few blocks, walkable, dense, and easy to navigate.
- ✗ Salt Palace events flip the city. Hotels sell out fast, rates spike sharply, check the calendar before you assume availability.
- ✗ Sunday evening downtown? Dead quiet. Book dinner early, every table fills by 7 pm.
Recommended places to stay in Downtown / Temple Square
"The room was in good condition and the breakfast was delicious. I hope there are…"
Gym
Private parking
Airport pick-up
Airport drop-off
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✓ Verified
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Luxury
Grand America Hotel
"I didn't like staying in old hotels, but I booked it decisively when I sa"
Indoor swimming pool
Outdoor swimming pool
Sauna
Spa
✓ Verified
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Mid Range
Hampton Inn Salt Lake City-Downtown
"We love the place! It's clean, comfy beds, includes simple bathroom amenities li…"
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Gym
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Wi-Fi in public areas
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Mid Range
AC Hotel Salt Lake City Downtown
"The location is very convenient, and you can eat everywhere in two steps. It's a…"
Skiing
Hiking
Gym
Private parking
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The Avenues / Capitol Hill
Budget (hostel) to Mid-range (B&Bs)
Capitol Hill rises northeast of downtown, its Victorian and Craftsman homes lining an alphabetical grid, An Avenue, B Avenue, C Avenue. The streets stay quiet. Independent coffee shops dot corners. Locals treat 2nd Avenue as their dining room, only a handful of restaurants, all beloved. This isn't a tourist quarter. People live here. The 1916 Utah State Capitol anchors the southwest corner. Walk the grounds at dawn. It is free. One of the better free things to do in Salt Lake City.
- ✓ Walking distance to Utah State Capitol and Memory Grove Park
- ✓ Quieter nights than downtown, no convention foot traffic or bar noise bleeding over
- ✓ Historic building character that no chain hotel can replicate
- ✓ 5-minute drive to downtown, Cathedral of the Madeleine one block away
- ✗ Hilly terrain turns a downtown walk into a slog when you're hauling bags, skip the sweat, call a rideshare.
- ✗ Very thin hotel selection: three B&Bs and one hostel, nothing else
- ✗ No direct TRAX access, a car or rideshare is necessary for ski resort runs
Recommended places to stay in The Avenues / Capitol Hill
"I read many reviews, so I worried about every thing before staying this hotel. B…"
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Wake-up call
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Mid Range
Little America Hotel Salt Lake City
"My stay at this hotel was exceptional! The level of cleanliness was outstanding,…"
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"Exceeding expectations of service, all facilities and rooms are very satisfied,…"
Gym
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"Pleasantly surprised at how nice everything was at the hotel. Checking was quic…"
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"Spacious room, clean, front desk staff were super friendly. Very nice breakfast,…"
Indoor swimming pool
Sauna
Gym
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Sugar House
Budget to Mid-range
Sugar House sits three miles southeast of downtown Salt Lake along 2100 South. Locals treat it as their living room. The 110-acre Sugar House Park anchors everything, green space, yes, but also the walkable spine of indie coffee roasters, craft breweries, bookshops, and the best Salt Lake City food you'll find outside the core. Tourist infrastructure? Minimal. Local authenticity? Through the roof. Hop the TRAX S-Line streetcar to Central Pointe hub, downtown access without a car, sorted.
- ✓ Best concentration of independent restaurants and coffee shops in the city
- ✓ 110 acres of Sugar House Park sit waiting, no gate, no fee. Run the loop at dawn, spread a blanket for lunch, or grab a sled when snow hits Salt Lake City. Free, easy, and always open.
- ✓ Quieter residential feel with downtown reachable by streetcar in 15 minutes
- ✓ Craft brewery density is among the highest in Salt Lake City
- ✗ Hotel choices are thin, one Hampton Inn and scattered budget motels. No luxury options.
- ✗ Longer ski resort commute than downtown (45 minutes to Snowbird vs. 30 minutes)
Recommended places to stay in Sugar House
"Very close to the airport, the hotel has a free shuttle pick-up and drop-off mac…"
Indoor swimming pool
Gym
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Airport pick-up
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"We asked for 2 rooms, which was pretty good. But the old air conditioner in my r…"
Golf course
Indoor swimming pool
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"The hotel is very new and therefore very clean. The decoration is very tasteful…"
Outdoor swimming pool
Gym
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Bar
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"Hotels in the United States are quite satisfactory. Every hotel has a place to p…"
Indoor swimming pool
Skiing
Hiking
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"Moab town drives to Salt Lake City, navigation takes nearly 5 hours, the actual…"
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Gym
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Gateway / Granary District
Budget to Mid-range
West of downtown's tidy grid, the Gateway open-air mall and the rising Granary Row arts district fill old warehouses lining 400 West and 500 West. This is where Salt Lake City nightlife lives, craft cocktail bars, live music venues, and the Delta Center arena. The district is rougher than Temple Square but pays off for anyone chasing local arts, things to do in Salt Lake City at night, and Jazz or concert events.
- ✓ TRAX Green and Red Line stop at the Gateway, direct car-free access from both the airport and downtown core
- ✓ Best craft cocktail bars and live music venues in the city
- ✓ Delta Center arena for Utah Jazz games is a 10-minute walk
- ✓ Hotel rates run $20, 30 below equivalent downtown properties, same location, less cash.
- ✗ Several blocks west of 400 West feel visibly neglected after dark. Stick to lit commercial corridors.
- ✗ Breakfast? Forget it. The streets around the hotel stay dead until noon. But after dark, boom, the whole neighborhood wakes up.
Recommended places to stay in Gateway / Granary District
"It was a pig room with a king size bed and a large couch, except that it still…"
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Gym
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Wi-Fi in public areas
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Mid Range
Hyatt House Salt Lake City/Downtown
"This room is still clean. I live on the second floor. There is a staff meeting r…"
Outdoor swimming pool
Skiing
Gym
Public parking
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Mid Range
Element Salt Lake City Downtown
"The interior of the room is nice, the hot water is good and the temperature is s…"
Outdoor swimming pool
Gym
Private parking
EV charging station
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"Our room was very clean with large space. Also a complimentary car parking. High…"
Indoor swimming pool
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Hiking
Sauna
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Mid Range
Radisson Hotel Salt Lake City Downtown
"It has been more than a month since I returned to the UK, but the hotel deposit…"
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Bar
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East Bench / University District
Mid-range to Luxury
East of downtown Salt Lake City, the bench rises. University of Utah anchors it. Research Park and Foothill Drive stretch south. Quieter than downtown. Academic. Residential. Red Butte Garden sits five minutes away. Emigration Canyon trailheads too. Best base for hikers who want Salt Lake City attractions. The 9th and 9th intersection, boutiques, brunch spots, marks the western edge.
- ✓ Five minutes. That's all it takes to reach Red Butte Garden, the Natural History Museum of Utah, and the Emigration Canyon trailheads.
- ✓ Quietest sleeping environment of any area close to the city center
- ✓ University TRAX stop connects to downtown in 20 minutes
- ✓ 9th and 9th dishes out exceptional brunch, pours serious wine, and stocks indie shops you won't find elsewhere.
- ✗ Hotel pickings are slim. You've got one full-service Marriott and a handful of smaller properties scattered around. That's it.
- ✗ You'll need a car. Snowbird sits 40 minutes up-canyon from this side of the valley, no shuttle, no bus, just you and the wheel.
Recommended places to stay in East Bench / University District
"Large room. Its a very nice budget hotel near the airport."
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"I like the Marriott Spring Hill series of hotels very much. The price/performanc…"
Golf course
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Spa
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Mid Range
Tru by Hilton Salt Lake City Airport
"The room is large, clean, and the breakfast is good. The airport pick-up service…"
Skiing
Hiking
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Private parking
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"I have lived in this other chain. But this Holiday Inn & Suites in Salt Lake…"
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Mid Range
Courtyard Salt Lake City Downtown
"The geographical environment is great, very close to the city centre. Go to the…"
Golf course
Indoor swimming pool
Skiing
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Cottonwood Heights / South Corridor
Budget to Mid-range
$40 a night cheaper than downtown, and you're still on the slopes faster. The I-15 south corridor through Murray, Midvale, Sandy, and Cottonwood Heights packs the metro's thickest knot of budget chains and extended-stay properties. Zero neighborhood charm, total practicality. TRAX Red Line covers the whole run to downtown in 20 minutes flat. Pick Cottonwood Heights and you chop 15 minutes off the ski-resort drive versus staying downtown. Week-long skiers know the drill: bunk here, bank the savings, buy lift tickets.
- ✓ Lowest consistent rates in the metro, $55, 80/night at reliable chain properties
- ✓ TRAX Red Line connects to downtown Temple Square in 20 minutes without driving
- ✓ Cottonwood Heights puts you 15 minutes from Snowbird and Alta, the shortest resort commute of any hotel zone.
- ✓ Easy I-15 access for day trips to Provo, Ogden, Moab, and Arches
- ✗ No walkable dining or neighborhood character, purely functional accommodation
- ✗ A car is essential. Sidewalk infrastructure is inconsistent south of Murray
Recommended places to stay in Cottonwood Heights / South Corridor
"There is a free shuttle bus from Salt Lake City Airport to the hotel. The journe…"
Indoor swimming pool
Gym
Public parking
EV charging station
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Mid Range
Best Western Plus Airport Inn Suites
"Their free airport shuttle service is worth for us to stay there. They have most…"
Indoor swimming pool
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Airport pick-up
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Mid Range
Hilton Garden Inn Salt Lake City
"The hotel has free parking, and it is very convenient to return the car to the a…"
Indoor swimming pool
Gym
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Luggage storage
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Mid Range
Salt Lake City Marriott City Center
"The hotel is in a very good location, and it is very convenient to go to Temple…"
Golf course
Indoor swimming pool
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Mid Range
Residence Inn Salt Lake City Downtown
"Love the 2 separate bedrooms and bathrooms. Nice kitchenette and living room are…"
Golf course
Outdoor swimming pool
Hiking
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Find Hotels in Salt Lake City
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Accommodation Types
From budget-friendly hostels to luxury hotels, here's what's available.
Full-Service Hotels
$100, 350 per night
Every big-name hotel is downtown. Grand America, Hyatt Regency, Hilton, Marriott, Kimpton, Le Méridien, all within a tight grid you can cross in minutes. Quality stays high. Several opened or finished major renovations after 2018. Most large downtown properties give you direct skybridge access to the Salt Palace Convention Center, which keeps midweek demand humming year-round.
Best for: Conventioneers, ski crews, and anyone who wants to hit Salt Lake City restaurants and events on foot, skip the rental car.
Convention weeks in February, June, and September can wipe out downtown inventory within 48 hours of a conference announcement. Set rate alerts. Book the instant dates lock in.
Boutique Hotels and B&Bs
$90, 220 per night
The Avenues and Capitol Hill hide Victorian B&Bs that aren't just old, they're restored with intent. Ellerbeck Mansion, Inn on the Hill, plus a clutch of smaller guesthouses. Each one nails the details. Anniversary Inn runs themed suites near South Temple. Think Tudor, think space-age. Whatever you're into. Fewer than ten boutique properties exist citywide. That's it. Yet they beat chains cold on breakfast quality, room personality, personal service. Every single time.
Best for: Couples, architecture enthusiasts, and travelers who want a morning meal that involves actual cooking
Ellerbeck Mansion and Inn on the Hill? They're gone by March. October fall-color weekends sell out fast, book any September or October Saturday stay by late July at the latest.
Extended-Stay Suites
$80, 160 per night
Skip the hotel breakfast racket. Homewood Suites, Residence Inn, and Extended Stay America pack downtown and the I-15 south corridor, full kitchens, actual fridges, and a 5:30am breakfast you can eat in your socks. Stay longer than seven nights and they'll slice 20, 25 percent off the rate without you asking.
Best for: Five nights or more on the slopes. Families cramming into tight quarters won't cut it. Corporate relocations, ski season, extended stays, same fix. You need space.
Weekly rates vanish from booking sites. Call the property directly. Ask for the 7-night rate before you lock in any online reservation.
Hostels
$30, 55 per night (dorm bed), $70, 90 (private room)
Salt Lake City runs on shockingly few hostels for the foot traffic it gets. The Avenues Hostel on F Street stands alone as the city center's only true backpacker bunkhouse. Along the I-15 corridor, budget motels match hostel price points with private rooms, most solo travelers pick these anyway, since the car-centric layout makes wheels essential.
Best for: International backpackers. Solo travelers on tight budgets. Ski trippers who'll spend every waking minute on the mountain.
Avenues Hostel private rooms? Gone. They fill weeks ahead during January, March ski season. Dorm beds stay available last-minute if you're flexible on sleeping arrangements.
Ski Resort On-Mountain Lodging
$150, 600+ per night ski-in/ski-out
Alta, Snowbird, and Park City deliver ski-in/ski-out lodging that runs from Alta's intimate Snow Pine Lodge to Snowbird's towering Cliff Lodge and Park City's glossy Waldorf Astoria. The upside, first tracks before day-trippers roll in, zero canyon commute when traffic peaks, is genuine, but you'll pay for it. Most Salt Lake City hotel guests skip the splurge, grab Canyon Transportation shuttles ($35 roundtrip), and pocket $100, 300 per night.
Best for: Serious skiers and snowboarders, they're not here for Salt Lake City's restaurants or nightlife. They want first tracks at 8:30 a.m. and a bar stool at 4 p.m. That's it.
Christmas week, MLK Weekend, Presidents' Day, book 3, 4 months ahead. Every on-mountain property sells out. No exceptions.
Booking Tips
Insider advice to help you find the best accommodation.
Ski season is real peak, downtown needs 8 weeks lead time
December through March drives the highest sustained demand for Salt Lake City hotels. Powder alerts can compress remaining downtown inventory overnight, last-minute skiers flood in fast. Holiday weeks, Christmas through New Year's, MLK Weekend, Presidents' Day, need 10, 12 weeks minimum. January and February outside holiday windows offer slightly more flexibility, but 6 weeks is still the safe standard.
Sundance Film Festival spills south from Park City every late January
30 minutes. That's all it takes from Salt Lake City to Park City. Yet every January, Sundance overflow floods SLC hotels. Rates spike 40, 60 percent in the final week, even if you couldn't care less about the festival. Book early or lean in, those same dates deliver the season's best snow.
Check the Salt Palace convention calendar before assuming downtown is booked
200 events a year. The Salt Palace Convention Center never sleeps, except when it does. One weekend sells out. The next? Empty. That gap between conventions is your window. Hotels slash same-week prices fast. HotelTonight and Hopper catch them the moment a convention ends and rooms sit empty.
South corridor properties cost 30, 40 percent less with identical TRAX access
TRAX Red Line from Murray, Midvale, Sandy, and Cottonwood Heights drops you at Temple Square in 20 minutes flat. Rates stay reliably lower, no surprises. Canyon-heavy itinerary with minimal downtown time? The savings matter. $40/night across 5 ski nights buys one lift ticket.
When to Book
Timing matters for both price and availability.
High Season
Book 6, 8 weeks ahead for December, March ski season. Holiday weeks and late January Sundance overflow? You'll need 10, 12 weeks minimum for any downtown or Cottonwood Heights property worth the money.
Shoulder Season
April, May and September, October deliver crystal-clear mountain views, mild days good for hiking, and prices 25, 35 percent below winter peak. Two weeks covers every neighborhood except the most popular Avenues B&Bs in October, those book fast.
Low Season
June, August means steady summer crowds yet plenty of rooms sit empty. Walk-ins still get fair prices, except when Pioneer Day hits on July 24 and USANA Amphitheatre packs in the big outdoor concert weekends.
Two weeks handles most summer and fall bookings. Winter? Six to eight weeks, minimum. Properties within 30 minutes of the ski resorts vanish fast. The entire Wasatch Front packs tight on powder days.
Good to Know
Local customs and practical information.
Check-in / Check-out
15:00 check-in, 11:00 check-out, citywide. No exceptions. Downtown hotels almost always store luggage early for ski days starting before 7:00am. Confirm when booking. Don't assume.
Tipping
$2, 5 per night on the pillow keeps housekeeping happy. Bellhop? $1, 2 per bag. Standard. Front desk and concierge? Skip the tip, unless they pull off something big.
Payment
Every hotel takes plastic. Utah's loosened its booze rules, dramatically. Still, a few old quirks linger. Ask the concierge what's current before you plan your Salt Lake City nightlife.
Safety
Downtown and the Avenues stay safe for pedestrians day and night. Blocks west of the Gateway turn lonely after midnight, stick to lit streets or grab rideshare after late-night events. Altitude sits at 4,226 feet above sea level: give yourself a day to acclimatize if you're coming from sea level, and drink more water than feels right, the desert air plus elevation accelerates dehydration during skiing and hiking.
After You Book: Activities in Salt Lake City
Once your accommodation is sorted, explore these activities
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