The Red Light Lounge At The Downtown Clifton

Turned away for dinner at 9:29pm during restaurant week, closes at 10. Drove far. Never again.

I was in town for a solo trip to ride The Loop and wanted someplace that was both unique and affordable. I arrived after their front desk had closed for the night, so on my day of travel they texted me with the code to an outside dropbox containing my room key. Finding the dropbox at night was a little difficult; I had to walk around the property three times, in the dark, before I realized it was tucked into a little maintenance alcove. That was a little annoying with luggage. But eventually I found it and made my way to my room. I stayed in one of the original rooms, which have been lovingly maintained and redone. All the original charm is still there and the furniture, bedding, and decor is all modern. Outlet space was adequate, but do yourself a favor and bring a power tap. The screen door was a great way to bring in some fresh air and keep the place cool at night (though I would NOT sleep with the inner door open). The bathroom was original tile, immaculately clean, and very well maintained. I had ample hot water and water pressure definitely a must after a day of riding the nearby bike trails (The Loop trail is just a short and safe 1 mile ride away). The Red Light Lounge is an indoor outdoor space that can get lively, but not obnoxious. In my vintage room I barely heard a sound, even on the weekend. The drinks were very good and the service was excellent! The food was, unfortunately, forgettable. The burger was okay, but nothing special. The nachos arrived cold with what seemed like institutional cheese sauce. Fortunately, there are a ton of great dining options within walking distance. Just two blocks south there's an Ethiopian restaurant and 5 Points Market, both of which are excellent and very worth the walk! Two blocks west is Exo Roast, which had some of the best cold brew I've ever had. Downtown and all its bars and restaurants is a short six block walk north. I felt very safe walking the adjacent streets by myself at all hours of the night. Parking was tricky. There were several times when the lot was full. I'm not sure there's anything the property can do about this, but be prepared to park on the street. I never had a problem parking close by. There were a few downsides that kept me from giving this 5 starts: WiFi was flaky and unreliable in my room. I tried using the TV a few times for background noise, and it mostly just gave an error. The heating cooling system was fussy. The floor was perpetually dusty due to dirt from outside blowing in. I mentioned this to the front desk, and they profusely apologized and said it's a known issue with some of the vintage rooms. Finally, their booking engine is ... weird. If you try to book more than a month in advance, random dates (and sometimes several months in a row) pop up as unavailable. Despite these minor issues, this is a great option for clean, safe, budget travel with style.

10/10! I am always skeptical of a hotel bar, but it was so awesome. You can access the bar from the courtyard or the lobby, it was super cute and had a fun vibe. The bartender was amazing, and the drinks were excellent. My husband went back the next day and ate dinner there, and said it was good as well. If I find myself in Tucson again, I will be back!

This place is a gem, especially for the amazing low price. I’d stay again, and recommend to most friends, with a caveat I’ll get to later. But first: It’s a 10-15 minute walk to downtown, and the residential neighborhoods closer to the hotel are fascinating to explore. The hotel itself has an older section, and a newer 2-story section where I stayed. I normally never stay in rooms that open to the outside, but with the wrap-around patio/courtyard arrangement, I had no concerns at all. The room and bathroom were huge, the vibe/decor was attractive—like mid century/retro, with a western flair. All the basics were there, including mini-fridge and microwave, and worked fine. If you’re looking for a spa, a workout room, pool boys (or a pool), this place may not suit you. For me, it was great—and again, incredible value and location. My caveat: the restaurant/bar hours were very, ummm, “fluid” from what’s posted. As a manager, I wouldn’t want to stay open when it’s slow, either. As a tourist, though, I’d like to know, when deciding whether to have a drink/snack elsewhere or wait till I’m back at the room. (And not a lot nearby). Shorter hours is totally understandable, but a little notice would be nice. Couple other things are more curiosity because they seem so easily fixable: there’s just 2 wall hooks to hang any clothes (no closet) yet a world of wall space. A couple more hooks, or a small rolling rack? would help. And, no shelf, stand or space next to the single lavatory. Again, plenty of room in the large bathroom (nice big shower), and a stand across the room—but not in reach of the lav. It’s a very small thing (no pun intended) until you’re brushing your teeth or doing make-up or blow-dry. No full-length mirror, either. But bottom line, I’d happily stay again, and tell friends to do the same.

I have lots of food intolerance and the bartender was so gracious and helpful, taking two trips to query the chef as to ingredients. As a result I had a great and safe fir me dinner (the quesadilla). An absolutely charming establishment.Dietary restrictions: Super helpful staff! I am severely sulfite intolerant and the bartender was very helpful and interested in learning about my particular weirdness.