Discovering the Inn Above Oak Creek

Sometimes, necessity can be the mother of serendipity. Such was the case when we found ourselves needing to travel to a location several hours away for a couple of days, at the height of the tourist/holiday/vacation season, i.e. “Christmas week”. Destination: Sedona, Arizona. 

Sedona, of course, is the little town that never sleeps. A constant flow of traffic north/south and east/west along its two main corridors guarantees that every nook and cranny of the town will constantly be filled with all manners of visitors: hikers, off-roaders, families, retirees, and romantics. All we wanted to do was visit our favorite restaurant for a special birthday dinner…on December 28th…which fell on a Saturday.

There were few lodgings available, and none at reasonable prices, except for one. This was a place we had never been to, but one that we had seen on many previous trips to a favorite timeshare overlooking Oak Creek in Uptown Sedona. In the past, it appeared to be a private residence on the opposite bank of the constantly flowing waterway, so we thought nothing of it, except to declare “oh, what a beautiful place to have a home”. 

What a surprise to learn that the affordable room we booked for two nights was, in fact, at the aptly named Inn Above Oak Creek, the self-same residence that we had always thought to be some lucky local’s home. However, the serendipity of the situation became less about our initial discovery and more about what we found upon entering the establishment.

The Inn appears to have once been a large, rustic home nestled in a wooded area just off the road leading into Sedona. It was converted into a 12-room inn through creative reimagining of the interior space. As a house, it could easily fit a family of six plus grandparents, plus some cousins. As might be expected, the main entrance opens directly into a living room. The inn’s lobby is a small alcove that might have been a sitting room in the distant past. There is a large, shared kitchen beyond the lobby office, with a modest refrigerator that guests can use to store hiking provisions and leftovers. (Label your food so that no one else claims it. Yes, it’s that quaint.) Rooms are on the ground floor level and on one level above. It has a single, centrally-located staircase and no elevator. Each unit’s door uses a standard lock and deadbolt, versus those electronic gizmos that often require several swipes.

If you arrive late in the afternoon, it would probably be Rich who welcomes you. Rich will walk you through the lobby and kitchen and run down all of the amenities and the few rules. Rich quickly becomes one of the family and you will be on a first name basis before you know it. In the morning, you will meet Kimberly, who has provided fresh bagels, pastries, orange juice, and almond milk for the Continental breakfast. The Inn uses real plates, cups, and utensils; not plasticware. Everything is stored in a classic antique cupboard. While it is all self-service, you quickly acclimate yourself to the informal and familial atmosphere.

There is a quaint, spacious, lounge area with a fireplace and an eclectic collection of old books and DVDs on shelves. The dining room offers a panoramic view of Sedona’s natural beauty, with tables and benches available to use day and night. Moki, a small black Spaniel, is our host, Kimberly’s, ubiquitous canine companion. She is friendly and quiet, and prefers to sidle up to guests and just stare into their eyes lovingly — or hungrily. It’s hard to say, for sure. With only twelve rooms and a cozy little sitting area with a warm fireplace and friendly faces, there is a definite old-style bed and breakfast vibe here, save for the fact that the lady of the house — if there is one — does not come out and serve you breakfast personally.

The dining room extends onto a balcony overlooking the idyllic Oak Creek. No doubt that in warmer weather, there is competition for use of this outdoor space. An exterior, wood-plank stairway leads down to a serene lounge area at creekside. Waters are calm today, but we’ve seen some mesmerizing rushes of water through this creek in the past. The sound can be quite soothing, even as it crashes against the smooth rocks and fallen trees. When calm, the surface of the water is like glass. And it reflects the vivid colors of the canopy of trees above. Beyond the tree line is a spectacular view of Sedona’s iconic Red Rock country.

The Inn Above Oak Creek turned out to be a welcome surprise and a real treat on this birthday weekend. It is walking distance from the Uptown Sedona shops and historic Tlaquepaque, arguably the crown jewel of Sedona. At the end of the weekend, it was a bittersweet goodbye. This writer will be moving to Austin, TX, in a few months and may never have a chance to revisit the Inn, or any other part of Sedona again. 

P.S. Happy birthday to my talented editor, photographer and lifemate, Valerie Noel! I hope you enjoyed Dahl & Di Luca and the Inn Above Oak Creek!