Emily RichardsonSummer is usually the ideal time to take some much needed time away from your regular schedule, especially with school being out.
However, some people cannot take time off of work to go on expensive getaways and for those people, Chamber Business News has compiled a list of the top resorts and hotels for a staycation this summer.
Wet-n-Wild: hotel pools
Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort
The Arizona Biltmore is celebrating 90 years of being “a destination of luxury and inspiration.”
Located right in the heart of Phoenix, the Arizona Biltmore, often called the “Jewel of the Desert,” offers its guests 39 acres of gardens, unique rooms/stylish resort villas and iconic Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. As well as a championship golf course, a spa, fitness center and multiple restaurants.
The resort also has an outdoor oasis pool complex with three pools that combine to create one “spectacular pool” and feature a 92-foot-long water slide, swim-up bar, and private cabanas that have full baths, refrigerators, TV, lounge chairs and cooling misters.
The Biltmore also offers its summer guests “Splash Cinema” dive-in movies that are shown on a screen suspended between palm trees.
Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort
Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak is located in Central Phoenix that has nearly four acres of pools at its River Ranch Water Park.
The River Ranch Water Park is open to hotel guests from 10 am to 8 pm daily and gives its guests the opportunity to enjoy things such as a half-mile lazy river, a children’s pool, a waterslide, and cabanas.
All the rooms at the Pointe are suites and the resort also offers its guests dive-in movies, a Coyote Camp for children ages four to 12, a golf club, and a spa and salon.
The resort also offers special deals for the summer.
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is considered one of Arizona’s most family-friendly and fun resorts.
Located in North Scottsdale, the resort has 750 guest rooms, fine restaurants, a spa, fitness facility, a golf course, kids club, themed family activities. It also has six pools including Sunset Beach, which has a white sand beach, water slide, dive-in movies, mermaids and Saturday-night fireworks.
The resort offers its guests summer packages, one of which is Superhero Summer #AtThePrincess. The resort will be giving children their own special capes and masks at check-in as well as offering superhero training, zip line flight school, aqua light rest, and mermaid university.
The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa not only offers its guests dining opportunities, a luxurious spa and upscale accommodations, it also has an Adventure Water Park that has a lazy river, 110-foot water slide and the Kierland Flowrider 403.
Only accessible to guests, the Flowrider allows people to flowboard. According to the resort, “flowboarding” is not a ride, it’s a sport. It gives guests the ride of a snowboard, the tricks of skateboarding all on a wakeboard that looks like surfing.
The resort is pet-friendly and also has a kids camp and Family FUN Program.
Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch
The Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa has plenty of summer activities. Spread over two and a half acres of property, the resort’s water playground includes ten pools and a variety of experiences for its guests.
The variety of experiences include a three-story waterslide that emerges from a clock tower, a Grecian-style water temple, a Jacuzzi and cold plunge, a sandy beach and decks with waterspouts to help keep sunbathers cool.
There is also an adult-only pool for when you want some peace and quiet.
Guests can also take advantage of Camp Hyatt Kachina for children and golf courses for adults.
Tee-off: resort golf courses
The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain
In Marana, the Ritz is deemed “trendy over traditional” by U.S. News. The resort has a traditional Southwestern style in its restaurants and a spa and pool area that gives its guests the perfect area for some R&R.
The resort also has a 27-hole golf course that was designed by professional golfer Jack Nicklaus. According to the resort, Nicklaus “took advantage of the High Sonoran Desert setting to integrate strategy, variety and fair shot values.”
The elevations range from 2,300 to 3,200 and the course is challenging yet enjoyable. It also offers a pro shop, practice areas, and a clubhouse.
Located nine miles northwest of central Sedona, the Enchantment Resort gives its guests peace and quiet with its secluded location. The resort combines traditional Southwestern décor with contemporary amenities and ensures its guests a comfortable stay.
The resort has many nearby hiking trails, a pool, tennis court, complete spa with tons of treatments, plus five-star eateries and a wine bar.
Enchantment guarantees that guests will be awestruck by the “surreal beauty and majestic red rock backdrop” of its Seven Canyons luxury golf course. Designed by golfer Tom Weiskopf, the course is 18-holes, has an elevation of 4,600 feet and appeals to golfers of all levels.
Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North
The Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North looks over the sprawling desert landscape of Pinnacle Peak and gives its guests the signature service and accommodations of a Four Seasons.
The resort offers many family-friendly amenities and provides the type of seclusion that most guests seek while also giving them tons of things to do such as a pool, tennis courts, four on-site restaurants and a spa.
Troon North also has two 18-hole championship golf courses, the Monument and Pinnacle, that is great for golfers of all skills. The resort promotes privacy by limiting the number of players on the course to allow more space between groups.
The Monument is a 7,039-yard, par-72 course that was conceived by Weiskopf and architect Jay Morrish with a stunning view of the desert vistas.
The Pinnacle is a 7,009-yard, par-71 course with saguaro cacti fronting mountain peaks scenery.
Located in Tucson, Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa is tucked in the Sonoran Foothills and offers its guests ample on-site amenities.
It has a family-friendly atmosphere including childcare and supervised kid-centric activities. It also has four gourmet restaurants, a spa and five pools including a 177-foot waterslide and adult-only pool.
La Paloma also has a 27-hole golf course made up of three nine-hole courses and was designed by Nicklaus.
In 2014, it was named one of Golf Week Magazine’s Best Resort Courses and it has an on-site La Paloma Golf Academy directed by PGA Master Professional Peter Huber. At the 19th Hole, guests can relax at a clubhouse with free snacks, happy hour specials and a full menu.
JW Marriott
The Starr Pass Golf Club has a 27-hole championship golf course with a desert landscape. It offers its guests rentals, lessons, a driving range and a putting green.
It also has a waterslide, lazy river and multilevel pool complex; nearby hiking trails; quality food; and a spa.
JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge
The Phoenix Desert Ridge has two on-site golf courses. The Wildlife Golf Club is home of the LPGA Founders Cup. There are two 18-hole golf courses that were designed by Arnold Palmer and Nick Faldo. They feature a cactus and mountain backdrop.
Desert Ridge also has a tennis court, multiple restaurants, several pools, a lazy river and a spa.
Romantic Getaways
Located in Scottsdale, Boulders is nestled next to a massive 12 million-year-old boulder formation. The resort offers a mix of outdoor activities and luxury including its newly renovated Southwest-style rooms.
It has a restaurant and café, a golf course, hiking trails, and a full spa, fitness room, four pools and a tennis court.
It has a resort fee that includes transportation — golf carts that continually take guests around the property. In the summer, the resort offers the Best of Boulders package with rooms starting at $164/night instead of $350+ in the winter.
Sanctuary Camelback Mountain has a panoramic view of Camelback Mountain and a “feeling of escape no other Scottsdale luxury hotel can provide” by inviting its guests to “experience a higher level of luxury, laughter and glorious renewal.”
According to Sanctuary, the hotel will allow you to reconnect with one another while enjoying the luxury dining, the Sanctuary Spa and scenery.
For your special weekend, the hotel has private Mountain Casitas that look over the mountains. As a true spa resort, Sanctuary offers award-winning Asian-inspired treatments and Spa Casitas that are located close to the spa.
Sanctuary has multiple “playcation” summer specials.
The Hermosa Inn was once an escape of painter Lon Megargee and has been in business since 1936. Now it is a top-rated boutique hotel in the foothills of Camelback Mountain.
The hotel has “unique” amenities including an art walk, fitness room, the blue door spa suite, bicycle rentals, brunch with well-known artists and hiking trails.
The Royal Palms is located in a 1920’s desert mansion and totes Spanish luxury.
The resort “elevates the hotel experience to extraordinary heights” with its romantic grounds, Spanish-inspired villas and casitas, five-star cuisine, a pool with private cabanas, and a luxury spa with Mediterranean modalities.
The Arizona Inn is a historic relic, showing guests how to find tranquility in the heart of Tucson since 1930.
You can enjoy poolside dining while cuddling up next to your special someone at your own private fireplace.
The inn has 14 acres of beautiful gardens, tennis courts, saunas, a heated outdoor pool, southwest inspired cuisine, badminton, ice-cream bar sundaes and casita-style rooms and suites.
The Arizona Inn has been named a AAA Four-Diamond hotel and is on the Conde Nast’s Traveler Gold List.
Honorable mention: The Wigwam, an award-winning resort in Litchfield Park that is home to Arizona’s largest championship golf course of 54-holes, the Red Door Spa, and two pool areas based on whether you want to play around or enjoy some quiet time. Check out their summer scapes packages.
Guest Contributor
Joseph Kavetsky
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