As far as cheap hotels go this one is a bit of a find. While the buildings are relatively old, the place is a bit set back from Dobson Road and also away from HWY 60. They even let you open the windows. This makes for decent sleeping conditions with relatively fresh air and low noise (at least until ~5:30am). Our bathroom showed the usual moldy caulking and shoddy plumbing. The shower curtain bar was installed to high, which resulted in the curtain being a bit too short. A creative 'interior decorator' then had the glorious idea to implement magnetic beads at the bottom of the curtain (this is a first for me!), which allowed to keep the curtain safely inside the tub despite the only 1 inch overlap-cudos to that smartypants solution! The kitchenette was o.k. and the fridge relatively ungrimy. Web access was flawless ($5 for the entire stay)
With regard to the location, this place has several advantages: The neighborhood seems to be decent. It is also close to a Trader Joe's, a Whole Foods, Arizona State University, Old Scottsdale, and many interesting hiking trails in Tonto National Forest. It is also only about 20 min from the airport (if traffic is flowing).
In summary, this place is perfect for vacationers with a sense for value.
PS.: In the same parking lot there are also a decent Starbucks and a Jamba Juice outlet, useful for breakfast or a quick refresher after a long hike!