From hiking and kayaking, to racing the rising sun in a hot air balloon, there’s a plethora of fun activities to get you out and exploring in Scottsdale, Arizona. But you don’t want to forget about setting aside some down time, especially if you’re staying at Hotel Adeline. The property has a way of making you want to relax and stay a while.
The lobby knows how to make you feel welcome. The phrase “home is where the heart is” is illuminated on the wall behind the front desk, but there’s more to it than that. With comfy furnishings, vibrant green plants, and eclectic decorative touches like rhino bookends, the light and airy space is easy to get comfortable in.
And even better, the rooms are as well thought out as the communal spaces. The boutique hotel features 213 guestrooms and suites spread across five, two-story buildings. Even room numbers face the pool; odd number rooms face parking areas.
First opened in 1970, the physical property has been a neighborhood fixture for years, but Hotel Adeline is a relative newcomer to the Scottsdale hotel scene. A recent re-do with attention to design, details, and amenities, means you’ll find everything you need. The original, roadside motel structure gives the property a fun, nostalgic feel.
I stayed in one of Hotel Adeline’s five suites. Spacious, it’s essentially two rooms combined to create one. If you enter from the outside walkway that faces the pool, you’ll step into the living area, complete with a leather sofa that seats six, charismatic orange refrigerator, and television. A majority of the room’s exterior wall is a fixed window, providing views of the pool and a welcome amount of natural light. Shades can be pulled for privacy when needed.
A short hallway leads to the bathroom and bedroom. Even with a king bed and large, leather lounger, it’s still a roomy space. Electric outlets and USB ports are plentiful and all within easy reach. The heating and air-conditioning units are on the older side, but custom cabinetry helps them blend in and cut down on noise that might irritate light sleepers.
The bathroom features a single sink vanity with room for two, toilet and walk-in shower. The space is a bit dark, but doable. My biggest disappointment was that toiletries are still provided in single-use plastic bottles.
The heart of Hotel Adeline is the sparkling pool, surrounded by cabanas, lounge chairs, lawn games, and a bar. When the sun goes down, a fire pit encourages guests to linger longer.
There are two onsite eateries. Good & Proper serves breakfast and lunch. Quick and casual, the breakfast menu offers everything from burritos, and avocado toast, to peanut butter cup pancakes. Lunch selections include, pizza, salads, and sandwiches.
Selfmade is open for dinner and Sunday brunch. Selections range from pizza and salads, to grilled salmon and burgers. In addition to the restaurant bar, there’s also a speakeasy off the lobby that you need a password to enter. Staff at the front desk are happy to let you in on the secret.
Downtown Scottsdale is less than a 10-minute drive or a half-hour walk from the hotel. Fashion Square shopping mall, home to Wonderspaces Arizona, a unique take on a modern art museum space, is easy to reach on foot in about 15 minutes. Expect driving to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to take around 20-minutes, depending on traffic.
Rates for standard rooms range from $215 to $350 a night. A suite upgrade runs another $100. But bargains can be found in the summer with mid-week rates starting as low as $85. Hotel Adeline charges a daily stay and play fee of $28. It includes self-parking, Wi-Fi, the 24-hour fitness center, and in-room bottled water and coffee. Make your future reservation through Hotels.com or Expedia.
** We realize the COVID-19 pandemic has put a hold on travel plans, but we hope our hotel reviews can offer inspiration for future adventures.
Review and photographs by San Francisco Bay Area travel writer and television correspondent Dana Rebmann. Her stay was organized by Experience Scottsdale and Hotel Adeline, but as always her thoughts and opinions are her own.
