The Place for Government Per Diem Rate Hotels

City Overview

Government and military travelers seeking federal per diem rate hotels in Phoenix will not be disappointed. The heart of the Sonoran Desert is an unlikely place for the fifth largest urban population in the US, but there sits Greater Phoenix, with its maze of roadways, and over 200 golf courses and resorts. Saguaro (sa-war-oe) cacti stand like soldiers, jutting out of sandy, brush landscape much like its many shopping malls.

Today Phoenix and neighbouring Scottsdale, both often called The Valley of the Sun, have become a mecca for snowbirds (those wanting to escape winter), retirees, golfers and spectator sports enthusiasts.

Metro Phoenix has professional hockey, baseball, basketball, football teams and is spring training host to nine major league baseball teams. TGEN, Motorola, INTEL and Honeywell make the metro area a big technology hub but being the self-proclaimed 'spa capital of the world,' it is also the place for pampering and indulgence.

Getting Around

Airport

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Tel: (602) 273 3300.
Website: www.phoenix.gov/aviation
Positioned 5km (3 miles) east of downtown Phoenix, three terminals serve almost 40 million passengers yearly. Each terminal has its own parking garage.

Airport facilities:
Services include restaurants, bars, Internet kiosks, retail shops, ATMs, free wireless Internet, bureaux de change and tourist information. Car hire companies use a multi-coloured shuttle to transport customers to the Rental Car Center, located at 1805 East Sky Harbor Circle South. Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty have a presence here.

Transport to the city:Valley Metro, the Phoenix transportation system, offers the Red Line Bus and bus 13 operate to and from the airport (tel: (602) 262 7433; website: www.valleymetro.org). SuperShuttle (tel: (602) 244 9000 or 1 800 258 3826; website: www.supershuttle.com) offers shared-ride, airport-to-door service. Courtesy phones located near the baggage claim areas connect seniors and people with disabilities to Dial-A-Ride (tel: (602) 253 4000). Audio challenged and speech-disabled individuals may contact Arizona Relay Service (tel: (602) 231 0961; website: www.azrelay.org). There is no flat rate for taxis and limousines but fees are posted on the outside of the vehicle window.

Trains

There is currently no national passenger rail service to Phoenix, even thought there is still a station building.

Rail Services
However, it is still possible to get close to Phoenix by Amtrak train, stopping your rail journey in a nearby major city and then taking a bus or coach on the remaining leg of your trip. This can be a quicker option than travelling long distance by coach, and have the advantage over air of allowing you to soak in the scenery.

Rail Operators
Trains to nearby cities are run by the national rail network Amtrak (tel: (1) 800 872 7245; www.amtrak.com) and then connect by Amtrak Thru-Way or Greyhound bus. The best city for you to catch the train to is dependent upon where you are travelling from, but popular options are Tuscon, Flagstaff and Maricopa because they have good Greyhound bus links (tel: (1) 800 231 2222; www.greyhound.com).

Connections
Journey times to nearby railway stations are around the following: average trip from New York is 57 hours; from Los Angeles is 10 hours 21 minutes; from San Francisco is 22 hours 56 minutes; from Las Vegas is 9 hours 13 minutes; from Denver is 17 hour 16 minutes.

By Road

Phoenix is a car-oriented city and is built, as with many American cities, on a grid system that makes working out how to get around fairly easy. Obviously, as with all of North America, drive on the right. One quirk that European drivers may not be used to is that drivers are permitted to turn right through a red light as long as there is no traffic coming from their left, or unless it is signed as prohibited. This ‘right turn on red’ rule treats a traffic signal as a give way junction and helps to ease congestion within built up cities. Maximum speed limits in and around Phoenix are 120kph (75mph) on rural interstates, 105kph (65mph) on urban interstates and 88kph (55mph) on other roads. In business or residential districts, a limit of 48kph (30mph) applies. Drivers may drive on international licences, but must have insurance for their vehicle.

Emergency breakdown services

The Arizona Automobile Association (tel: (1) 800 633 3332; www.aaa.com) provides insurance and breakdown recovery for members.

Routes to the city
The Interstate 10 connects with Los Angeles to the west, Interstate 17 connects with Flagstaff to the north, and then continues south to Tucson. These roads are all well-maintained and generally have at least two lanes available to traffic in each direction.

Driving times to the city
Driving time to Phoenix from Los Angeles is 6 hours; from Flagstaff is 2 hours 30 minutes; from Tucson is 2 hours; from New York is 39 hours; from Las Vegas is 5 hours 30 minutes.

Coach services
The main coach company across the US is Greyhound (tel: 1 800 231 2222; www.greyhound.com). They operate a 24-hour coach station at 2115 East Buckeye, Phoenix. Greyhound coaches link every major city in the US as well as most of the smaller ones. Another good-value option is Arizona Shuttle (tel: 800 888 2749; www.arizonashuttle.com).

Local Transport

Public Transport

Phoenix is built on a grid system and is divided into smaller districts that are treated as individual towns. Although public transport is available, the best way to navigate the area is by car. However, Valley Metro (tel: (602) 253 5000; www.valleymetro.org) operates buses and its RideShare system connects commuters with van and carpools. Maps, schedules and fare options are available online. The Metro Light Rail service provides access to the airport, the convention centre and other main city locations. Valley Metro also provides a variety of passes to assist travellers in Phoenix. The packages vary depending upon how many days travel is required and the distance the journeys will be. The general passes are for one, seven or 31 days long. Craigslist also runs a local rideshare forum: http://phoenix.craigslist.org/rid/.

Taxis

Taxis must be booked in advance by telephone. Main operators are: Sunrise Cab (tel: (602) 468 3618) and Aguilas (tel: (602) 455 4500).

Car Hire

The US has an agreement with most countries that national driving licences, including the UK’s, are valid for up to a year. Optional CDW (collision damage waiver) insurance is recommended, if not already covered by the driver's own policy. Minimum hiring age ranges from 21 to 25, depending on rental companies. Major companies include Alamo (tel: 1 877 222 9075; www.alamo.com), Avis (tel: 1 800 331 1212; www.avis.com), Budget (tel: 1 800 527 0700; www.budget.com), Hertz (tel: 1 800 654 3131; www.hertz.com) and Thrifty (tel: 1 800 367 2277; www.thrifty.com).

Bicycle Hire

Try Cactus Bike Rental, at 4747 East Elliot Road and 1960 South Alma School Road, Chandler (tel: (480) 940 7433; www.cactusbike.com), they rent a variety of bikes and helmets.

General Information

Location

Arizona, southwest USA.

Time zone

GMT - 7.

Electricity

110 volts AC, 50Hz; two-pin plugs are standard.

Average January temperatures

12ºC (54ºF).

Average July temperatures

34ºC (93ºF).

Annual rainfall

445.5mm (17.54 inches)

Things to do

Sightseeing Overview

Tourist Information

Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau
100 North Third Street, Convention Center West Building (across from the Hyatt Regency)
Tel: (602) 254 6500 or 1 877 225 5749.
Website: www.visitphoenix.com

Biltmore Visitor Information Center
Biltmore Fashion Park (between Macy's and MAC)
2400 East Camelback Road
Tel: 1 877 225 5749.

Scottsdale Convention and Visitors Bureau
Galleria Corporate Center
4343 North Scottsdale Road
Tel: 1 800 782 1117.
Website: www.experiencescottsdale.com

Attractions

Arizona Science Center
How We Live With the Sun (light, electricity and heat), Fab Lab (examines principles of physics) and All about You (a mind and body exhibit) are some of the 300-plus hands-on exhibits in this science centre. Great for kids.

600 East Washington Street
Tel: (602) 716 2000.
Website: www.azscience.org

Tempe Town Lake
Chill out, fish, boat, walk, attend concerts or a variety of festivals at Tempe Town Lake, which is located in downtown Tempe, not far from Arizona State University. At night, the bridges look fairylike when they sparkle with lights.

620 North Mill Avenue, Tempe
Tel: (480) 350 8625.
Website: www.tempe.gov/lake

Restaurants

Expensive

Asia de Cuba
This farm-themed bistro has rooster pictures, tall pottery renderings of fruit baskets and an enormous egg on the patio. Everything is pure white. The food and people make the colour. Specialities like miso-cured Alaskan butterfish and char sui beef ribs, a fusion of Asian and Cuban cuisine, are excellent. So is the service.

7353 East Indian School Road, Scottsdale
Tel: (480) 308 1200.
Website: www.morganshotelgroup.comLa Hacienda
Think turn-of-the-20th-century, free standing Spanish ranch house for this restaurant at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess (see Hotels). White tablecloths, warm woods, large plush Spanish-styled chairs complement the excellent service and signature margaritas. Expect gourmet Mexican food like spit-roasted suckling pig or filet mignon rubbed with brown sugar, coriander and Oaxacan chilli. Save room for desserts like capirota (fried milk bread pudding with port berries and star anise ice cream).

7575 East Princess Drive, Scottsdale
Tel: (480) 585 4848.
Website: www.fairmont.com/scottsdale

Moderate

Biltmore Grill & Patio
Attentive service, an open kitchen, brick walls, white tablecloths and ceiling-to-floor windows add to the traditional American food and Southwest favourites, whether a chilli-rubbed ribeye steak or a bistro burger with blue cheese and bacon. There is a blazing open-pit fireplace on an outdoor patio in the evenings.

Arizona Biltmore Resort
2400 East Missouri, Phoenix
Tel: (602) 954 2550.
Website: www.arizonabiltmore.comDelux Burger
Award-winning, succulent burgers are served at this small eatery. It is nothing more than an open kitchen with one long table and two rows of side tables. Yummy fries, both regular and sweet potato, are served in a mini grocery shopping cart. It is open daily for lunch and dinner.

3146 East Camelback Road, Phoenix
Tel: (602) 522 2288.
Website: www.deluxburger.com

Cheap

Pita House
This simple corner shop with few tables and a small outdoor eating area is the place for quick-stop Greek/Lebanese cuisine. Babaghanouj, hummus, falafel, kebabs and pita sandwiches - all are prepared from scratch and delicious. Some consider it the best in the valley.

7210 East First Street, Scottsdale
Tel: (480) 425 9200.
Website: www.pitahouseonline.comPizzeria Bianco
New York Times and Oprah Winfrey have dubbed this pizza some of the best in the country. Mozzarella is fresh and the pizza is cooked in a wood-burning oven. You have to have patience to enjoy it. Huge lines form way before this small, unimpressive-looking little brick house opens. Waiting times can be as long as three hours, as bookings are not accepted except for groups of six or more (and even then, reservations must be made at least six weeks in advance). Bar Bianco, the watering hole next door is the place to hang out until your name is called.

623 East Adams Street
Tel: (602) 258 8300.
Website: www.pizzeriabianco.com

Night Life

Phoenix, especially Scottsdale, has swinging nightlife that often lasts until 0200. Happy hour venues offer discounted and half-priced drinks and light bites. The Salty Señorita, at 3636 North Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale, is famous for its Margaritas. Meanwhile Kazimierz World Wine Bar, also known as Kazbar, on 7137 East Stetson Drive in Scottsdale, is the place to sample the grape. Alternatively the chic Red Bar, located at 7353 East Indian School Road in Scottsdale, with cherubs on its ceiling and a huge red apple as its focal point, is a magnet for 30-somethings.

Clint Eastwood has dropped by the Rusty Spur Saloon, a cowboy bar at 7245 East Main Street, Scottsdale.
Wanna groove to some tunes? Try Axis and Radius, at 7340 East Indian Plaza in Scottsdale for dancing to all kinds of music, or the disco Myst, 7340 East Shoeman Lane in Scottsdale, where celebs go to hang and dance. HandleBar J Restaurant & Saloon, 7116 East Becker Lane in Scottsdale, has live country music nightly. Wright Bar, Arizona Biltmore, 2400 Missouri, has a pleasant atmosphere, good drinks and nightly entertainment.

Shopping

While retail therapy isn't generally what visitors travel to Phoenix to enjoy, the city certainly isn't short on shopping. Outlets range from trendy boutiques to fun shopping malls, catering for all budgets. Visitors won't have difficulty finding local products to buy here as the city's native American heritage is clear to see in the many smaller gift shops or independent boutiques.

Markets
Phoenix is packed with market places, from flea markets to local farmers markets. For the freshest produce in the city, the Sprouts Farmers Market (8040 N 19th Avenue), is the best place to visit. For a market with a difference, the Phoenix Park n' Swap (3801 E Washington Street) is a fleamarket selling everything from souvenirs and gifts, to canaries and bicycles. Children's fairground rides operate here and food vendors are on site all day.

Shopping centres
Phoenix offers a variety of shopping centres, such as the Biltmore Fashion Park (24th Street), home to popular shops and department stores. For other fashion and homeware outlets, Kierland Commons (Scottsdale Road) is a vast complex with plenty of recognisable stores selling the latest trends, books, toiletries and other items.

Key areas
Visitors can enjoy a flavour of Asia at the Chinese Cultural Centre (668 N 44th Street), where ornaments and rugs are sold alongside traditional Chinese food and plants. Traditional Wild West cowboy attire is sold at Saba's Western Wear (3965 N Brown Avenue) and for an eclectic range of antiques, Willow Antiques (133 W McDowell Rd) is a popular venue. Art lovers in Phoenix make their way to downtown Scottsdale, where galleries are in abundance.

Shopping hours
Store hours vary in Phoenix. In general, they are open between Monday to Saturday 0900 & 1800. Some places do open on Sundays, although many do not. Visitors should be aware that most shops close on public holidays.

Tax information
Sales tax 9.3%, although this does not apply to purchases of food.

Events

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Jan, football game, University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale (website: www.tostitosfiestabowl.com)

FBR Golf Open (Phoenix Open), Jan-Feb, TPC Scottsdale (website: www.phoenixopen.com)

Super Bowl XLII, Feb, football game, University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale (website: www.azsuperbowl.com)

Scottsdale Arts Festival, Mar, arts and crafts exhibition, Scottsdale Civic Center Mall (website: www.scottsdaleartsfestival.org)

Tempe Music Festival, Mar, music, hot air balloon rides and game arcade, Tempe Beach Park (website: www.tempemusicfestival.com)

Tempe Festival of Arts, Mar, art fair and street performers, Mill Avenue District (website: www.tempefestivalofthearts.com)

Maricopa County Summer Home and Garden Show, Aug, Cardinals Stadium

2007 Gay World Series, Oct, softball event, Rose Mofford Softball Park (website: www.series2007.org)

Grand Prix Arizona, Nov-Dec, rock concerts, food festivals, street party and the race, downtown Phoenix (website: www.granprixarizona.com)

History & Culture

Native Americans called the Hohokams lived in Arizona and were the original settlers of this arid landscape over 25,000 years ago. They built a large network of canals, designed to help with irrigation and allow for the planting of crops. The Hohokams were eventually forced out by flooding and drought and the area was inhabited by small groups of indigenous native Americans for several decades.

The city of Phoenix began when a prospector called Swilling discovered the area and set up home at the foot of the White Tank Mountains. As other settlers arrived, so the small town grew, was redesigned and modernised. Phoenix played a significant part in World War II, responsible for the manufacture and distribution of weapons and other military supplies. It also housed a prisoner-of-war camp which saw an escape attempt towards the end of the war when a group of prisoners broke out and attempted to flee to Mexico via the Salt river, not realising that the river had been dry for decades.

See the Arizona Opera at Symphony Hall, 75 North Second Street (tel: (602) 266 7464; website: www.azopera.com).

The Phoenix Symphony (tel: (602) 495 1999 or 1 800 776 9080; website www.phoenixsymphony.org) also performs at Symphony Hall as well as at the following venues: the Orpheum Theatre, 203 West Adams Street (tel: (602) 257 4300); the Scottsdale Center for the Arts, 7380 East Second Street in Scottsdale (tel: (480) 994 2787; website: www.scottsdaleperformingarts.org); Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main Street, Mesa (tel: (480) 644 6500; website: www.mesaartscenter.com); Pinnacle Church Presbyterian Church, 25150 North Pima Road, Scottsdale (tel: (480) 585 9448; website: www.pinnaclepres.org/missions); and Maricopa County Events Center, 19403 RH Johnson Boulevard, Sun City West (tel: (623) 544 2888; website: www.maricopacountyeventscenter.com). The latter is also the venue for Broadway-style theatre.

See Ballet Arizona at the Ballet Arizona Studios, 3645 East Indian School Road (tel: (602) 381 1096; website: www.balletaz.org), or at the Herberger TheaterCenter, 222 East Monroe Street (tel: (602) 254 7399; website: www.herbergertheater.org).

Center Dance Ensemble (tel: (602) 997 9027) and resident theatre companies, which include Arizona Theatre Company (tel: (602) 256 6899; website: www.aztheatreco.org), Childsplay (tel: (480) 350 8101; website: www.childsplayaz.org) and Actor's Theatre of Phoenix (tel: (602) 253 6701; website: www.atphx.org) perform at various venues. Check www.showuptickets.com for discount tickets.

You'll find two strategically located cinemas at the AMC Arizona Center 24, 565 Third Street (tel: (602) 956 4262), and Harkins Fashion Square 7, 7014 East Camelback Road, Scottsdale (tel: (602) 222 4275).

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