Scottsdale is renowned for its luxury resorts and spas, some of which have championship golf courses and breathtaking desert views.
From historic inns to the most luxurious modern resorts, along with more modest chain hotels and comfortable downtown lodgings, Scottsdale has it all. The best choice, though, is undoubtedly the top resorts, which cater to golfers, spa-lovers, and sun-worshippers and offer every indulgence.
The Boulders
The Boulders Resort and Spa gets its name from its distinctive location in among the huge 12-million-year-old boulders that sit in its 1,300 acres. Its two championship golf courses are a large part of its appeal, and it also has its own spa, bars, cafés, and restaurants. For the active there is tennis, several pools, and easy access to outdoor desert activities such as horseback rides, jeep tours, rock climbing, balloon flights, glider planes, and even a cattle drive.
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is another outstanding 5-star resort, with four award-winning restaurants, tennis courts, a spa, and 649 guest rooms (including two Presidential Suites). The Princess doesn’t have its own golf course but right next door is the Stadium Course, home to the annual PGA TOUR Waste Management Phoenix Open, with many other courses close by.
The Omni Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Montelucia
The Montelucia is in Paradise Valley and has three swimming pools, the Joya Spa, several bars and lounges, a café, and the multi-award-winning Prado Restaurant. The resort offers guided hikes up the nearby Camelback Mountain, wine-tasting sessions, and several different yoga classes. As the name suggests, this top resort has a more of a Mediterranean feel to it.
The Sanctuary
The Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort is one of the best-known resorts in Scottsdale as it sits right on Camelback Mountain. Some of the accommodation is in private casitas dotted around the mountain slopes and these naturally provide some of the best views you’ll find anywhere in Scottsdale. It has its own Asian-inspired spa, an infinity pool, five championship tennis courts, and an acclaimed restaurant, elements.
The Talking Stick Resort and Casino
The Talking Stick Resort and Casino has one of the biggest casinos in Arizona, and also offers Vegas-style entertainment with top names such as Jay Leno, Johnny Mathis, ZZ Top, and Dwight Yoakam all having appeared there. It also has three restaurants, a buffet, and two bar lounges, and amenities include two pools, two championship golf courses, and a 14th-floor open-air spa.
The Hermosa Inn
The Hermosa Inn is a reminder that Scottsdale has been welcoming visitors for many years. The Inn opened in Paradise valley in the 1930s and appeals to people who like a more intimate retreat than many of the huge resorts can provide. It has been chosen repeatedly as one of the top resorts in the USA, and one of the Top 25 Hotels for Dining, by Zagat. It has only 34 deluxe rooms and casitas spread over six acres of landscaped desert terrain. It has an acclaimed restaurant, LON’s, and its intimate bar, LON’s Last Drop, is one of the best cocktail bars in the whole Phoenix area.
OUR PICK OF THE GUIDES
From that blues bar you haven’t visited yet to the desert hike you keep meaning to plan, experience something new right here at home with Moon 52 Things to Do in Phoenix & Tucson.
- Cool things to do in and around the cities: Kick back at a Spring Training game or squeeze into the grandstands of El Gran Mercado for some lucha libre. Bike the famed Loop in Tucson, kayak Tempe Town Lake, and lace up your boots for an urban hike in the Phoenix Mountains. Support local BIPOC writers at Palabras Bilingual Bookstore and taste what’s on tap at a women-owned brewery. Savor Sonoran-style food like tamales and carne asada or try authentic Tohono O’odham fry bread.
