Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU is Now Open

The area around Arizona State University in Tempe continues to expand. In the past few years, a number of new hotels have popped up in the East Valley suburb of Phoenix. These include The Westin Tempe, which touts sweeping views from its Skysill Rooftop Lounge, and the pet-friendly Canopy by Hilton Tempe Downtown. Now, Omni Hotels & Resorts welcomes visitors to the university and neighboring Phoenix. On April 28, the small hotel brand opened its latest accommodations, the Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU.

Located at the southeast corner of Mill Avenue and University Drive, just steps away from ASU’s art museum and Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Gammage auditorium and a few blocks from the center of campus, the $125 million hotel is part of a public-private partnership with the university and the city of Tempe. 

A Tempe Sense of Place

I had a chance to review the hotel just days before it opened to the public.

The 16-story hotel features 330 rooms — 162 queen, 157 king, and 11 suites, including the 1,600-square-foot Presidential suite. And all of the suites are adjoining, so they can accommodate families or large groups.

The room decor is light and airy, with cool, muted colors that reflect the surrounding landscape. Floor-to-ceiling windows open the rooms up to the city skyline, with north-facing rooms offering views of Camelback Mountain.

The rooms are designed to resemble a professor’s apartment. There’s a credenza that looks like filing cabinets that you might find in a library. One of the nightstands mimics a briefcase. And maroon refrigerators offer a soft nod to the Sun Devils’ team colors of maroon and gold. Calming shades of blue and earth tones dominate the bathrooms. “It’s more of a cool environment,” says Matt Drusch, director of sales and marketing for Omni Tempe. “You don’t feel as though you’re in a hot desert.”

Twenty of the king rooms and 40 queen rooms will have soaking tubs in addition to showers. And all of the rooms are decorated with artwork by local artists.

The Omni Tempe is both a tourism and business destination. It features 36,000 square feet of meeting spaces, including the largest ballroom in Tempe. Air walls allow the 15,000-square-foot Salt River Ballroom to be divided into as many as eight separate rooms, making it ideal for everything from business luncheons to weddings and bar mitzvahs.

Relaxed Luxury at the Omni

At a time when new hotel builds are praised more for their Instagram-worthy designs — photo walls! themed spaces! cutesy neon signs and quirky murals! — than they are for the quality of their stays, the Omni Tempe embraces subdued elegance.

“Omni is known for being a relaxed luxury brand, and we really focus on the elements of service — giving people a comfortable but elevated experience,” says general manager Todd Gagnon. “This hotel has a lot of great points to be able to take fun pictures in front of, but I think that at the same time, we want it to feel comfortable. We want it to feel welcoming. And that’s the intent of what we’re trying to do here. We want people to come and stay and want to come back.”

The hotel also hopes to serve as a social hub for the local community. Four restaurants offer an array of locally inspired cuisine. Start your morning with a specialty cup of coffee and sweet pastries at Library Rules. The name is an homage to a former Tempe bar called The Library. At night, the spot converts into a lobby bar.

Neighborhood Services is an American comfort food restaurant by acclaimed chef Nick Badovinus. The ground-floor eatery offers indoor and outdoor dining. For something a little more upscale, the rooftop bar and restaurant offers an innovative tapas-style menu with international flair and creative cocktails.

And during the day, soak up the sun at the third-floor pool bar, Salt & Gila, which offers cocktails and light bites. The small pool is surrounded by loungers and cabanas and can be heated or cooled depending on the temperature. Day passes are available for community members and non-guests.  

Booking a Stay at the Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU

The Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU is Omni’s third foray into the Arizona market. It joins the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia in Scottsdale and Omni Tucson National Resort, located in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains.

Rates at the Omni Tempe Hotel begin at around $200 per night. Compare rates at Booking.com or Hotels.com to see if you can find a better deal. Small dogs are allowed, although a nonrefundable fee of $150 will be charged.

For a limited time, in honor of its freshman year and to pay homage to ASU, which was established in 1885, the hotel is offering special rates starting at $185 per night. Guests also can save up to 20 percent when staying three or more nights. And don’t forget to sign up for Omni’s Select Guest program for more special offers, member benefits, and the opportunity to earn free stays.

Artist renderings of hotel exterior and ballroom courtesy of Omni Tempe Hotel. Photographs by Rebecca L. Rhoades.