A Scottsdale tonic with twists

Call it an oasis of cool in the desert.

The James Hotel, which was to have opened last week in downtown Scottsdale, Ariz., is the first of a planned line of moderately priced hip hotels. Rates range from $95 to $285 per night, depending on the season.

Refurbished after the former lodging was bought out of bankruptcy, the James offers 200 rooms outfitted with 42-inch plasma-screen TVs and sleek, minimalist furnishings. In-room amenities include condoms and a martini shaker printed with five recipes invented on site.

“It’s not just your boring old martini,” said co-owner Stephen Hanson.

Other unusual touches: midnight massages in private cabanas ($90 to $110 per hour), James-brand women’s underwear for sale and a library of about 250 films.

There are also two pools, one with a waterfall fountain; a 3,000-square-foot workout room with TVs at each treadmill; meeting spaces; a bar; and a 300-seat garden restaurant modeled after Fiamma Trattoria at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, overseen by Michael White, Esquire’s 2002 chef of the year.

The culinary and fitness savvy reflect the co-owners, both newcomers to running hotels. Hanson is a restaurateur whose B.R. Guest company runs the Fiamma Trattoria in Vegas and Blue Fin at W Times Square, among other restaurants. Danny Errico was a co-founder of Equinox Fitness Clubs.

They have set their sights on South Beach, Fla., Dallas, Philadelphia and New York for James clones, but no deals have been closed, Hanson said.

Why James?

“It means James the butler to take care of you, and James Dean and James Brown to have fun and to feel good,” Hanson said.

Who are we to argue?

Reservations and information: (888) 500-8080, www.jameshotels.com.