Downtown SLC • Lodging Intelligence

Where to Stay in Salt Lake City:
The Sightseer’s Shortlist

Ignore the marketing noise. With 40+ hotels in the valley, the difference between a good trip and a great one often comes down to logistics. We have audited the downtown corridor to prioritize properties based on "Walkability Score," proximity to the Temple Square District, and access to the Trax Free Fare Zone.
📍 The Logistics King
Radisson Downtown

Official Tour Departure Hub

💎 The "Bucket List" Stay
Grand America Hotel

Utah's Only 5-Diamond Icon

🏙️ The Urban Center
Marriott City Creek

Connected to Premier Shopping

Rank #1 • The Sightseeing Hub

Radisson Downtown
Salt Lake City

The "Zero-Friction" Morning: This hotel is the designated departure point for every major sightseeing tour in the city. You can wake up, grab a coffee in the lobby, and walk 20 feet to your tour bus. No Uber required.

For the visitor prioritizing logistics above all else, the Radisson is the undisputed champion. Renovated in 2019, this 15-story property serves as the geometric center of the downtown tourist corridor.

Strategic Geography: The hotel anchors the north end of the Salt Palace Convention Center, placing it exactly one block from the south gates of Temple Square. Whether you are walking to the Delta Center (home of the Utah Jazz) or heading to City Creek Center, you are never more than a 5-minute walk from the action.

Airport Access: It is located half a block from the Arena Station on the TRAX Green Line, providing a direct, affordable rail link to Salt Lake International Airport.

Rank #2 • The Modern Titan

Hyatt Regency
Salt Lake City

The "Newness" Factor: Opened in October 2022, this is the only major luxury hotel built in downtown Salt Lake City in the last decade. It offers a crisp, glass-and-steel aesthetic that older hotels simply can't match.

If you prefer floor-to-ceiling windows and modern tech over historic charm, this is your choice. Standing 26 stories tall, it dominates the skyline of the Convention Quarter.

The "Bleisure" Sweet Spot: While it is physically attached to the Salt Palace Convention Center (making it #1 for business), its location is equally powerful for leisure. You are positioned exactly two blocks south of Temple Square and one block west of the upscale City Creek Shopping Center.

The Culinary Edge: This location puts you at the gateway to the Main Street Dining Corridor. Many of the city’s highest-rated restaurants (like Bambara, White Horse, and Eva) are within a 3-minute walk.

Rank #3 • The Urban Center

Salt Lake Marriott Downtown
at City Creek

Booking Warning: There are multiple Marriotts in downtown Salt Lake City with nearly identical names. Ensure your reservation specifically says "at City Creek" to get this specific location.

The "100/100" Walkability Score: If your priority is being in the center of everything, this is the winner. It is located at the exact intersection of the Convention District, the Shopping District, and the Temple District.

The Weatherproof Advantage: The hotel is physically attached to the City Creek Center, a $1.5 billion upscale mall with a retractable glass roof. This connectivity means you can walk from your room to 100+ stores, a food court, and fine dining without ever stepping outside—a massive perk during snowy winters or hot summers.

Attraction Density: You are directly across the street from the main entrance of the Salt Palace Convention Center, and less than one block from the world-famous Family History Library and the south gates of Temple Square.

Special Pick • The Luxury Icon

The Grand America Hotel

The "Billion Dollar" Experience: Built as the Headquarters for the 2002 Winter Olympics, this is Utah's only 5-Diamond Hotel. With 300,000 sq. ft. of Italian marble and 700 chandeliers, it is a tourist attraction unto itself.

If you are willing to spend $300-$400/night (a steal for a property of this caliber compared to NYC or London), this is the most memorable stay in the state.

The "View" Strategy: Because it sits on its own 10-acre block just south of the main skyline, the Grand America offers more rooms with unobstructed views of the Wasatch Mountains than any other downtown hotel.

Getting to Your Tour (The Free Way)
This hotel is 1 mile from the tour departure point (Radisson), but you don't need an Uber:
01. Walk across the street to the TRAX Station.
02. Board any train heading North (You are in the Free Fare Zone).
03. Exit at "Temple Square" and walk 1 block to the Radisson.