Phoenix spreads across the Salt River Valley. Museums and sports venues are downtown, arts stops line Central Avenue, and the desert preserves sit in the hills. Book in the part of town you will use most, because drives across the valley add up fast.
The Phoenix Convention Center, Mortgage Matchup Center, Chase Field and the Roosevelt Row arts district sit close together downtown. The light rail runs through downtown and north along Central Avenue, so book near a station if your trip is museums, games or meetings. Roosevelt Row has galleries, murals and independent restaurants. If you want quiet nights, check the exact block.
Midtown and Uptown follow Central Avenue past the Heard Museum and Phoenix Art Museum. Melrose District shops and nightlife line Seventh Avenue, west of the rail corridor. The Biltmore and Arcadia are resort and restaurant country. The rail does not reach them, so plan on rideshares or a car.
Papago Park, east of the center, holds the Desert Botanical Garden and its red sandstone buttes. Hikers head for South Mountain Park and Preserve and Camelback Mountain. In summer the heat on those trails can be dangerous. Go in the cool early morning and check park guidance before you set out.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is close to downtown. The free PHX Sky Train runs from the terminals to the Valley Metro station at 44th and Washington, and the light rail carries on into downtown. You can do a downtown stay without a car. Arcadia, the Biltmore and the trailheads are easier by road.