Where to stay · Salt Lake City · United States
Where to stay in Salt Lake City
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Downtown. Temple Square, convention hotels and City Creek Center on a wide-street grid. Best alternatives — budget: Sugar House.
Key facts
- First visit
- Downtown
- Families
- Downtown
- Budget
- Sugar House
- Nightlife
- Downtown
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Downtown | Temple Square, convention hotels and City Creek Center on a wide-street grid |
| Families | Downtown | Temple Square, convention hotels and City Creek Center on a wide-street grid |
| Couples | The Avenues | Victorian houses climbing the foothills north-east of downtown |
| Budget | Sugar House | Walkable district of local shops, breweries and a big park |
| Luxury | Cottonwood Canyons | Ski villages of Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude in the Wasatch |
| Nightlife | Downtown | Temple Square, convention hotels and City Creek Center on a wide-street grid |
| Food lovers | Sugar House | Walkable district of local shops, breweries and a big park |
| Solo travellers | Sugar House | Walkable district of local shops, breweries and a big park |
| Shopping | Downtown | Temple Square, convention hotels and City Creek Center on a wide-street grid |
| Quiet stays | The Avenues | Victorian houses climbing the foothills north-east of downtown |
Salt Lake City neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, shopping and nightlife
Downtown
Downtown spreads around Temple Square, with the Salt Palace Convention Center, City Creek Center mall, the Delta Center arena and most of the large hotels. TRAX light rail runs through it, including a free-fare zone, and the airport line stops here. Streets are very wide and blocks long, so distances are greater than they look.
- Good
- Direct light rail to the airport; Walk to Temple Square and restaurants; Widest hotel choice
- Watch out
- Quiet on some evenings; Hotel prices rise during conventions and church conferences
- Nearby
- Temple Square, City Creek Center, Utah State Capitol, The Gateway
$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays and culture
The Avenues
The Avenues is a hillside grid of late 19th-century houses, small cafés and corner markets, with lettered streets running uphill towards trailheads on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Accommodation is mostly B&Bs and rentals. It is a 15–25-minute walk or short bus ride to Temple Square.
- Good
- Historic, leafy streets; Quick access to foothill trails; Quiet nights
- Watch out
- Steep hills; Few hotels and restaurants
- Nearby
- City Creek Canyon, Ensign Peak, Temple Square, Utah State Capitol
$$ · Best for quiet stays, culture and couples
Capitol Hill and Marmalade
The streets around the Utah State Capitol include the Marmalade District, named for the fruit trees early settlers planted, with some of the oldest adobe and brick homes in the city. It is residential, with views over downtown, Ensign Peak at the top and Temple Square a 10–15-minute walk downhill.
- Good
- City views; Historic houses; Close to downtown
- Watch out
- Mostly rentals only; Steep walk back uphill
- Nearby
- Utah State Capitol, Ensign Peak, Memory Grove Park
$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife, solo travellers and budget
Sugar House
About 6 km south-east of downtown, Sugar House centres on Highland Drive and 2100 South, with independent shops, restaurants, bars and the large Sugar House Park. The S-Line streetcar links it to TRAX, and Liberty Park is a short drive north.
- Good
- Lively local restaurant and bar scene; Parks and trails; Better value than downtown
- Watch out
- Few hotels; 20 minutes from downtown by transit
- Nearby
- Sugar House Park, Liberty Park, Highland Drive
$$ · Best for food lovers, couples and quiet stays
9th and 9th
The junction of 900 East and 900 South has a cluster of coffee shops, restaurants, a bookstore and small boutiques in a leafy residential area between downtown and the university. It is close to Liberty Park and Tracy Aviary and suits travellers renting an apartment.
- Good
- Neighbourhood feel with good food; Between downtown and the university; Quiet
- Watch out
- Rentals rather than hotels; Limited public transport
- Nearby
- Liberty Park, Tracy Aviary, Trolley Square
$$ · Best for families, culture and quiet stays
University and East Bench
The University of Utah sits on the eastern foothills, alongside the Natural History Museum, Red Butte Garden, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts and This Is the Place Heritage Park. Hotels near Research Park and Foothill Drive are a TRAX Red Line ride from downtown and close to Emigration Canyon.
- Good
- Next to the main museums and gardens; Foothill trails; TRAX to downtown
- Watch out
- Few restaurants nearby; Spread out
- Nearby
- Natural History Museum of Utah, Red Butte Garden, Utah's Hogle Zoo
$$$$ · Best for luxury, families and quiet stays
Cottonwood Canyons
Little and Big Cottonwood canyons climb steeply from the south-east of the valley to four ski resorts with slopeside lodges. In winter, staying here avoids the canyon road traffic and avalanche-control closures; in summer, the canyons offer hiking, wildflowers and the Snowbird tram.
- Good
- Ski-in, ski-out lodging; Skip canyon traffic on powder days; Mountain scenery all year
- Watch out
- Expensive in winter; Road closures during storms; Little nightlife
- Nearby
- Snowbird, Alta, Brighton, Solitude
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown | $$$ | Temple Square, City Creek Center, Utah State Capitol, The Gateway |
| The Avenues | $$ | City Creek Canyon, Ensign Peak, Temple Square, Utah State Capitol |
| Capitol Hill and Marmalade | $$ | Utah State Capitol, Ensign Peak, Memory Grove Park |
| Sugar House | $$ | Sugar House Park, Liberty Park, Highland Drive |
| 9th and 9th | $$ | Liberty Park, Tracy Aviary, Trolley Square |
| University and East Bench | $$ | Natural History Museum of Utah, Red Butte Garden, Utah's Hogle Zoo |
| Cottonwood Canyons | $$$$ | Snowbird, Alta, Brighton, Solitude |
Getting to your hotel
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) is about 8 km west of downtown. The TRAX Green Line reaches downtown in about 20–25 minutes; a taxi or ride-hail takes about 15 minutes. Park City is about 45–60 minutes by car or shuttle, and the Cottonwood Canyon resorts about 45 minutes.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Salt Lake City for first-time visitors?
Downtown. Downtown spreads around Temple Square, with the Salt Palace Convention Center, City Creek Center mall, the Delta Center arena and most of the large hotels.
+Where should families stay in Salt Lake City?
Downtown: Direct light rail to the airport.
+Which area of Salt Lake City is best for a budget stay?
Sugar House ($$): Walkable district of local shops, breweries and a big park.