Prepared to be pampered…that’s my mantra as soon as I turn into The Phoenician, A Luxury Collection Resort, Scottsdale. True, you do indeed pay for your stay and amenities at The Phoenician, a AAA Five Diamond luxury resort hotel. Yet this 250-acre oasis at the base of Camelback Mountain will have you saving for your next hotel stay. After my first stay at the Canyon Suites at The Phoenician a few years back, I looked forward to a re-do – this time at The Phoenician resort hotel.
The Phoenician
Arrival
Turn onto Phoenician Drive, a few minutes from Old Town Scottsdale, and you’ll agree that this is a Paradise in the Desert. The Phoenician symbol flanks both sides of the entrance, and then you drive a few minutes up the palm-tree lined drive, with Oasis golf course to the right, and vibrant, color-popping flower beds. A quick stop at the guard house, and you’ve entered a whole new Phoenician World, where the desertscape is happily embraced with manicured lawns, and granite ensconced waterfalls.
Entrance to The Phoenician
We barely put the car in park when the valet opened our car doors. The check-in was a flawless as the arrival, but it wasn’t a hurried, move on to the next guest. Everyone seemed a link in the cog, embracing the zen of the desert. Perhaps that simpatico is due to the combination of luxury European and casual Southwest décor, from the French tapestries and the Navajo rugs, to the exquisite $25 million art collection.
Accommodations
This trip, I traveled with my daughter and son-in-law, and our shared room was a standard with two beds, garden view, but at 600 square feet, we had plenty of elbow room for 3 people. Italian linen, signed original artwork, and thick carpet just begging to sink our bare feet into. Our room was on the first floor, and we opened the sliding glass door to enjoy the February sunshine on the private terrace with a table and lounge chairs. (I’d left behind the snow in Denver.)
Standard Room at The Phoenician
Amenities
You’ll not want for anything here, and in fact, you’ll forget there’s an outside world just beyond the gates as you hunker down to enjoy the resort.
You’re in Arizona where a pool is a necessity, and the complex of nine pools at The Phoenician is inviting anytime of the year. It was a little cool (perhaps 70-ish), but we still headed to the pool to enjoy the sunny day. There were a few resilient folks sunning, but we sat at the pool bar, finally relaxed to enjoy our vacation.
Aerial view of the Pools at The Phoenician.
And the list goes on: three nine-hole golf courses; Tennis Garden with 11 courts; Centre for Well-Being spa facility; retail therapy (shopping!) and numerous recreational activities from bicycling to water volleyball to hiking trails.
View of the Golf Course from the meeting space at The Phoenician.
Dining
With 10 restaurants and lounges, whatever your taste buds, The Phoenican has them covered with its full gourmet and casual dining experiences. Our favs were the Relish Burger Bistro, atop the Clubhouse, with its Knife & Fork burgers paired perfectly with the largest tequila collection in Arizona, and a daily happy hour makes a stop here easier on the wallet. American/Italian cuisine is family friendly at the Il terrazzo, known for its Sunday brunch, and wowza, it’s bone-in New York Strip was fabulous! You can even take traditional English afternoon tea at the Lobby Tea Court.
On-site dining include Il Terrazzo at The Phoenician
Summary
The Phoenician is part of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Luxury Collection, so of course, your stay comes with a hefty price tag. Yet their website continually offers deals and packages. The Phoenician will continue to be one of my favorite Scottsdale escapes.
Book your room on the hotel’s website. You can also book online through Hotels.com, or your favorite hotel booking site.
Photos & accommodations courtesy of The Phoenician & Diana Rowe.
