Review: Drury Inn Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Hotel

When it comes to hotels and free food, nothing beats a Drury. NOTHING. If you’ve never stayed at a Drury Inn, you’re missing out. Especially if you’re cheap like me and love to take advantage of free meals at a hotel. In this post, I’ll review my two-night stay at the Drury Inn Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Table of Contents

• Drury Inn – Phoenix Location
• Check in at the Drury Inn Phoenix Airport
• Rooms at the Drury Inn Phoenix Airport
• Drury Inn Phoenix Airport – Amenities
• Free Breakfast / Free Dinner (5:30pm Kickbacks)
• Final Thoughts – Drury Inn Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport Hotel Review
• More About Arizona

Drury Inn – Phoenix Location

The Drury Inn Phoenix Airport is located only 4 miles from the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, making it an excellent location if you’re arriving late in Phoenix or have an early morning flight.

Address: 3333 E University Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85034

Check in at the Drury Inn Phoenix Airport

This is quite a large hotel and it’s very busy, especially during check in time. I arrived at about 4:30 and there was a line to check in, but it moved quickly. Upon check in, I was given two vouchers to present at the 5:30pm “Kick Backs” (aka, the ‘free dinner) – these vouchers include your allotted alcoholic drinks at dinner too. All of this is so #1) some bozo off the street can’t walk in and swipe some dinner rolls and #2) guests can’t take advantage of the alcohol and get sloshed. They do have a full bar where you can purchase drinks and an actual restaurant.

This hotel has an open indoor atrium and a glass elevator that will take you to your floor.

Rooms at the Drury Inn Phoenix Airport

I had a room with two queen beds and a balcony, on the top floor. The room itself was fine – nothing amazing about it. Very average mid-range hotel room that was clean and had everything I needed, inducing a mini fridge. The balcony was great — it had a sliding door with two chairs. It overlooked the freeway so there wasn’t a whole lot to see. I did snap the photo below from my room:

Even though the freeway is located right below, I didn’t notice any freeway noise in my room when the sliding glass door was shut, so they’ve got some decent soundproofing in these rooms.

Drury Inn Phoenix Airport – Amenities

When it comes to hotel amenities, Drury’s got you, fam!

24-hour free airport shuttle. I didn’t use this as I had a rental car that I would be returning when I left for the airport.
Outdoor pool and hot tub
Gym: Usually I use the gym, but I did a few hikes in the Phoenix area during my stay here so I didn’t use it during my stay.
Free breakfast
Free dinner (!!!)
Free popcorn in the lobby, until 8pm
Free coffee in the lobby
Free parking

Free Breakfast / Free Dinner (5:30pm Kickbacks)

This is what sets the Drury Inn hotel chain apart from its competitors — the free food. Everything about it is great — a free breakfast was of a much higher quality than what you’re going to get at Residence Inn or a Hampton Inn. This is more along the lines of an Embassy Suites, though it’s been years (decades!) since I stayed in one. The seating area is huge — you can sit at one of the many tables in the breakfast/kickback buffet area or you can sit out in the lobby. There was never an issue of finding seating during my stay and there were a lot of people here!

As for the free dinner/kick backs. Kickbacks are served between 5:30pm – 7pm and you don’t want to miss it. If you miss your free dinner, you’re simply not getting the value of staying here. In other words, if I know I won’t arrive in time for the kickbacks, I won’t book a Drury.

I am not a foodie. That’s why you don’t see any restaurant reviews on this site or “Where to eat in X” posts. If you’re really into experiencing local cuisine, and want to eat out at a restaurant instead of eating at free hotel buffet, well, more power to you. Is the 5:30 kickbacks the best quality food? NO but it’s decent — free is free and I love to save money where I can.

The free kickback ‘dinner’ isn’t just appetizers. This is a full on meal, people. This is nowhere near what you’d get at an extended stay hotel like a Staybridge Suites and their ‘free evening appetizers’. At a Staybridge, this is only served Mon-Wednesday and you get something like – build your own tacos, free soda and free beer, and a cookie. No, this is a full fucking buffet.

During my stay, every night they had a small salad bar, hot dogs and brats, build-your-own nachos, different kinds of soup, and then the main course buffet that rotated every night. When I was there, one night it was (in addition to the above) pulled chicken, buns, cole slaw, macaroni salad, and more. Another night, it was pasta and baked potatoes.

This food was all really good too — this was much better than what you’d get at a Golden Corral for sure.

Final Thoughts – Drury Inn Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport Hotel Review

I absolutely love a Drury Inn and the location near the Phoenix airport is amazing. While the rooms might not be the most up-to-date fancy schmanchy decor, everything was clean and comfy. You can never go wrong with a Drury! I just wish they had a bigger brand footprint – I would stay at a Drury anytime! The free breakfast and dinner are an amazing value and can really save you a lot of money. I highly recommend seeking out a Drury Inn when you travel – I always do but they just don’t have enough locations.