Hotel at a Glance: The Westin Tempe

Located in downtown Tempe this 4-star hotel provides the perfect oasis for the guests to unwind and enhance their well-being. Retreat to a luxury room after a day of shopping on Mill Ave and rejuvenate in the spa-centric bathrooms complete with rain showers.

• Make a splash in the hotel's rooftop infinity pool with sweeping views of Tempe 

• Never miss a workout at the 24-hour fitness center

• Sample local ingredients at the on-site restaurant or grab a coffee to go from the hotel's coffee shop.

• Discover the area explore local shopping, dining, and hiking trails 

Tempe, Arizona: University Town near Phoenix

If you hear Tempe natives referring to a mountain, there's no need to ask which one. It's the local nickname for Tempe Butte, a steep hill with a 60-foot-tall letter A emblazoned on its south face in honor of Arizona State University. The hill stands just north of the school's campus, which is home to a student body of more than 70,000. Many of them congregate in the brewpubs, shops, and coffeehouses in the Mill Avenue District.

Only a 20-minute drive away, Phoenix offers several acclaimed museums. At the Children's Museum of Phoenix, kids can build forts, measure vegetables in a pintsize market, and help paint a 10-foot-tall robot. The Phoenix Art Museum includes a collection of Thorne rooms—miniature dioramas of ornate interiors kept tidy by a fleet of tiny roombas.