Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
Sorry! We don't have any recommendations for Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe right now.
The Valley of the Sun now offers locals and visitors some of the country's best choices when it comes to funky, high-fashion accommodations.
Developers and hoteliers have taken advantage of the Valley's wide-open spaces to introduce super-size, luxury resorts like the Westin Kierland and the JW Marriott Desert Ridge, offering everything from their own golf courses and water parks to four-star restaurants and shopping villages. Places like the retro-hip Hotel Valley Ho and the sleek, mountainside Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain have brought Arizona to the forefront of luxury-hotel style. Regal resorts like The Phoenician, the Four Seasons, the romantic Royal Palms Resort, and the Moroccan-inspired Omni Scottsdale keep lodging grounded in traditional, unsurpassed elegance, while plenty of boutique and business hotels keep it grounded in price.
Downtown Phoenix properties tend to be business hotels, close to the heart of the city and the convention centers—and often closer to the average vacationer's budget. Many properties here cater to corporate travelers during the week, but the lively weekend events downtown are more than enough to entice leisure travelers. With more than 60,000 hotel rooms in the metro area, you can take your pick of anything from a luxurious resort to a guest ranch to an extended-stay hotel. For a true Western experience, guest-ranch territory is 70 miles northwest in the town of Wickenburg.
Many people flee snow and ice to bask in the warmth of the Valley, so winter is high season, peaking from January through March. Summer season—mid-May through the end of September—is giveaway time, when a night at a resort often goes for half the winter price, but be forewarned: in the height of summer it can be too hot to do anything outside your air-conditioned room.
This hotel has a great location along the Scottsdale Road corridor, with trendy restaurants and shopping opportunities within easy walking distance, making it a comfortable, affordable, and family-friendly option. The three-story glass entryway is bright and welcoming. Rooms are utilitarian but moderately updated, clean, and include free parking and Wi-Fi.
While staying here, it's easy to imagine that you're relaxing at an oceanside resort instead of in the desert; shaded by towering palms and with manicured gardens and paths, the property has water everywhere—a large pool area has a beach, three-story waterslide, waterfalls, and a lagoon. The two-story lobby opens to outdoor conversation areas where fires burn in stone fireplaces on cool nights. Large rooms have balconies or patios. Three golf courses at nearby Gainey Ranch Golf Club will suit any duffer's fancy. Spa Avania soothes the soul, while kids get their kicks at Camp Hyatt.
This 20,000-acre property combines the guest-ranch experience with first-class amenities. Meals are served in the lodge's bright, festive dining room, and everyone is asked to dress for each night's sit-down dinner. Rooms are spacious and done in low-key Southwestern style. Some contain two queen-size beds and can be creatively configured through a system of adjoining doors to annex separate living rooms or sleeping quarters for children. Activities ranging from skeet shooting to horseback riding are available.
Directly adjacent to the Gainey Village development, with boutique shopping, upscale dining, and a spa, this hotel is a rare find for both amenities and price. Floor plans vary from studios to two-bedroom suites that sleep eight, all with fully equipped kitchens and flat-panel wide-screen TVs. Cozy conversation areas in the lobby and an evening hors-d'oeuvres reception create a warm atmosphere.
Sign up for Travel Tips & News
Thank you for your interest!
