Oases of Luxury in the Desert

When you check into a luxury resort, you don’t expect to find a notice in your room cautioning you about rattlesnake encounters. As a guest with my wife, Sandy, at the new Four Seasons Resort in the desert just north of Phoenix, I watched where I stepped.

In this part of the country, the good life comes with a drawback or two.

I never did see a snake--although lots of rabbits hopped just beyond my feet as I strolled to the pool each morning. But I did suffer a bad scrape when I inattentively brushed too close to a tall cactus. And that’s how I learned how far some luxury resorts here will go to pamper a guest.

I thought nothing of my wound, which I sustained while entering the Crescent Moon cafe for breakfast. But a waitress, noting a bit of blood on my arm, called security. And, lo, as my melon was served, along came a medic toting his black bag. As the whole room looked on, my arm was cleansed with antiseptic and soothed with medicinal lotion.

Ain’t the rich life grand?

Not that this is the life I customarily lead. But fate has smiled on me sporadically in recent years, allowing me to stay at four of the finest resorts in the greater Phoenix area--which means, by most preference polls, among the finest anywhere in the country. Besides the Four Seasons, they are the Boulders, the Phoenician and the Royal Palms.

Each of the resorts I’ve stayed in is very different, but happily, each delivers on its promise of elegance and indulgence: attentive service (I never waited for a valet to park my car or return it), fine dining, spacious rooms, marble baths, glorious views, soothing spa treatments. If you have the wherewithal--a lot of wherewithal--or are splurging on a special occasion, go for it.

Graced with a near-perfect climate from fall to spring, the Phoenix area has emerged as a major resort capital. Vacationers fleeing the chill of winter come here to swim, golf, play tennis, hike, horseback ride or just relax under a usually warm, sunny sky.

To be honest, I’m normally a budget-conscious traveler. Resorts cater mostly to golfers and tennis players, and I’m neither. But when my wife’s employer dispatched her to each of these places, I was happy to tag along. Even with free lodging, though, I still managed to spend a bundle on meals and recreation.

We stayed first at the Boulders, and after that trip I was hooked. But would I spend my own money? I ponder this each time I return to Phoenix. And my best answer is, “Yes, I would be tempted.” I like living rich, if only for a few days.

So here is a peek into Phoenix’s finest vacation retreats.

The Boulders

Families of quail paraded among the desert cactus, and bushy cottontail rabbits scampered everywhere. Lucky them. They live year-round at the Boulders, a posh resort that rates at the top of nearly every list of best places to stay in America.

On these trips, my wife worked and I idled. At the Boulders I was up at dawn each day. I stepped from our adobe casita onto our private patio. Within minutes the first quail or rabbit would appear, darting among the cactus. The Boulders fits as gracefully into its rugged but lovely setting as my early-morning visitors did.

The resort covers 1,300 acres of Sonoran Desert foothills in the suburb of Carefree, about 33 miles north of the Phoenix airport, and much of the land is untouched. Our patio faced a natural desert-scape of cactus, mesquite, odd-looking paloverde trees and waxy jojoba bushes. The fragrance of the desert filled our room.

Lodging is in 160 spacious and cozy Southwestern-style casitas scattered among the soaring granite boulders that give the resort its name. The buildings, painted in the same pinkish color as the rocks, are all but hidden in the natural shrubbery. Southwestern is the theme throughout; a giant terra-cotta pot stood above our room’s wood-burning fireplace, and rough log beams called vigas crossed the ceiling. The room was more than big enough for two overstuffed leather chairs, a wet bar, a desk and two six-drawer dressers. A walk-in closet held two fluffy robes. The Boulders justly calls its tiled bathrooms “oversize.” Ours was larger than many hotel rooms I’ve stayed in, and abundantly supplied with amenities.

The Boulders has two 18-hole golf courses and six tennis courts, but I found plenty of other things to do. I jogged one morning to explore the grounds and exited through the guarded gate into the community of Carefree. Enviable homes dot the steep, winding streets, which have names like Languid, Meander and Leisure. The resort boasts separate pools for loungers and lap swimmers; I often had the lap pool to myself.

Folks looking for other activities needn’t fret--the staff can keep you busy. One day I joined other guests for a 90-minute trail ride in the hills. On another, I joined in on a five-mile hike and picnic in nearby Tonto National Forest. The Boulders charges $70 per person for each of these outings; next time I’d do the hike on my own at no cost. Still, both were agreeable experiences that got me out into the beautiful desert.

If you want a romantic dinner alone--perhaps to propose marriage--the staff will set up a table for two on the eighth hole of the South Course and deliver a gourmet dinner for $100--plus the cost of food and drinks.

Since our stay, the Boulders has opened a branch of the Golden Door spa. I stopped by for a look earlier this year and was flabbergasted by the Ultimate Spa Suite, an indoor/outdoor massage room for two featuring--can you believe it?--a fancy sitting room with patio, indoor and outdoor massage tables, private steam showers (indoors) and a private Jacuzzi on the patio. The six-hour Ultimate Spa Experience, as it is called, features four 50-minute treatments each and lunch on the patio for a heady $1,400. (A Golden Door massage is $115 for 50 minutes.)

I can dream, can’t I?

Four Seasons at Troon

Like the Boulders, the Four Seasons occupies many acres of desert (40) studded with rock-strewn hills, and here too the natural landscape has been preserved. This accounts, I suppose, for the reported presence of an occasional rattler and the stately old cactus into which I stumbled.

The resort’s style is Southwestern and tastefully so. Its 210 rooms occupy a series of one- and two-story brown adobe structures resembling an ancient pueblo. They are arranged in a giant oval surrounding a huge swimming pool with waterfall. On hot days at the pool, attendants drape you with cool towels and spritz you with mineral water. About 3 p.m., they appear with complimentary ice cream bars, distributing them to everyone.

We were assigned an upper-level room, reached by a zigzag series of 33 steps. To some guests, I’m sure, this would be less than luxurious. But the climb gave us privacy. We could open our windows to a desert panorama without fear of anyone peeking inside.

Our generously sized casita came equipped with a gas-burning unit built in Southwestern kiva style, but the weather never turned cool enough to use it. I moved the two overstuffed chairs away from the fireplace toward the floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door and the desert beyond. The decor--cream and tan and lots of solid wood trim--blended with the rocks and sand of the landscape outside. The walk-in closet added to the sense of spaciousness. And left on my own while my wife worked, I made good use of the deep soaking tub in the bathroom.

Guests enjoy priority use of two challenging 18-hole golf courses nearby, Pinnacle and Monument at Troon North. On the resort grounds are four tennis courts and a full-service spa. I chose the eucalyptus-scented steam room and a basic feel-good massage ($110).

The “daily activities guide” suggests other pursuits, both free and not. Among them: power walks, body-toning classes, balloon rides, horseback riding, mountain biking, yoga lessons and stargazing. Now that I’m home, I regret that I didn’t sample some of them.

The Acacia, specializing in grilled game and meat, is the resort’s dress-up restaurant. We preferred an outdoor table under the stars at the casual Crescent Moon. Our choice that evening was pan-roasted salmon wrapped in prosciutto and served with yellow beans, fennel and potatoes with Chianti-flavored butter ($22).

The Phoenician

The Phoenician is lovely, of course, but it’s my least favorite of this group--though I would never give up a chance to stay here again. Where the Boulders spreads out in open countryside, the Phoenician is an urban resort occupying 130 acres in downtown Scottsdale. With 640 rooms and suites, it bustles, and I longed for the serenity of the Boulders. But as a tag-along, I wasn’t about to complain.

Given its in-town location, the Phoenician is nicely situated at the base of a looming, rocky cliff that suggests the nearby desert wilderness. The Phoenician is a landscaped garden of bright flowers and expansive green lawns, an oasis of greenery in the earth-toned winter scenery here.

Lodging is in two long, multistory buildings that form parallel crescents. They partly encircle an amazing acre of water gardens--the Oasis--where guests have a choice of seven terraced swimming pools, including an adults-only cluster of tiled hot tubs. Fountains bubble, waterfalls cascade and a discreetly hidden water slide spirals from one level to the next.

Tucked between the main lodge buildings and the cliff behind them is a well-tended two-acre cactus garden, where you can study Sonoran Desert vegetation. Near the pools, a creek tumbles through a landscaped ravine, and a hibiscus-draped grotto there offers some solitude from the crowds.

The Phoenician maintains 27 holes of golf and 12 tennis courts. But I chose a wonderful afternoon (Sandy’s treat) at the full-service spa, called the Centre for Well-Being. Before and after a massage ($110), I soaked in the hot tub, steamed in the steam room and rinsed away any remaining cares in the multi-headed Swiss shower.

Our agreeably large room opened onto a balcony view of the cactus garden. In the closet we found terry robes; the bathroom was Italian marble. I counted three telephones for the two of us.

The resort’s top restaurant is the elegant Mary Elaine’s, where huge windows open onto the twinkling lights of Phoenix and the desert beyond. On our final night, I ordered the grilled dorado on a bed of curried rice with mango and coconut. Sandy chose the herb-crusted rack of lamb. Entrees begin at $42, making Mary Elaine’s the most expensive restaurant in the four resorts.

Of the four, the Phoenician looks the most regal. The artworks and tapestries might grace a palace. The 11 Steinway grand pianos, most available in the public rooms for guests to play, are impressive.

Royal Palms

At the foot of Camelback Mountain, the Royal Palms is a resort for non-resort-goers--that is, folks like me. I loved the place, partly because nobody was playing golf or tennis. Neither is available on the premises; the concierge will arrange times elsewhere.

But what delighted me most was the resort’s lovely Spanish colonial flavor--a step back into Old Seville with its splashing tiled fountains, fragrant orange trees, hidden courtyards and palm-shaded archways. Colorful flowers bloom in countless clay pots on the property’s nine walled acres.

Stay here for romance, just the two of you in one of the 116 casitas (my choice) or plaza guest rooms. Because Sandy was working, romance wasn’t on our agenda, so I spent much of one day seeking out cozy niches in which to read, periodically wandering over to the swimming pool for a dip. In January, a full-service 10,300-square-foot spa is scheduled to open.

The villa-like principal buildings, which house the reception area, restaurant and cozy public lounges, were constructed in 1929 as a retreat for Delos Willard Cooke, a nephew of J.P. Morgan and a wealthy New York industrialist. He and his wife planted 900 palm trees, many from Egypt, thus the name. In 1948 the mansion was converted to a glamorous but intimate hotel. Like the Phoenician, its neighbor, it sits in the heart of Phoenix’s sprawl, fortunately shielded from the traffic of Camelback Road by its high wall.

T. Cook’s, the inn’s restaurant, is reputed to be among the best in Phoenix, and I agree. The decor is Mediterranean, as is the menu; the food is divine. The pork tenderloin with balsamic cabbage and apricots ($25) caught my eye. Sandy favored the John Dory, a light, mild fish, with baby beets, fennel and white truffle celery jus ($28).

Our deluxe casita--Sandy sometimes gets upgraded--featured a canopy bed of handwrought iron, a fireplace, French doors leading to a small patio, and a gorgeous marble bathroom. Our cluster of half a dozen casitas opened onto a secluded grove of orange trees.

Sometimes Sandy tells me she is ready to retire. I look forward to that day. But maybe not until she’s taken a few more of these hard-duty assignments.

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Guidebook: Splurging in Phoenix

Getting there: America West, Southwest and United airlines offer nonstop service from LAX to Phoenix. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $96.

Where to stay: You may get a better price by booking a package with spa treatments, tennis or golf. Summer room rates can be as low as half the peak rate.

The Boulders, 34631 N. Tom Darlington Drive, Carefree, AZ 85377; (800) 553-1717 or (480) 488-9009, fax (480) 488-4118, www.wyndham.com/luxury. The rate now through December is $495 a night, single or double occupancy. In the February-April peak season, rooms rise to $625 a night; rates drop as low as $119 for midweek summer stays. The Boulders is a “gratuity free” property, so there is a service charge plus tax.

The Phoenician, 6000 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251; (800) 888-8234 or (480) 941-8200, fax (480) 947-4311, www.thephoenician.com. Double rooms begin at $495 a night through Dec. 19, $625 from Dec. 20 to May 4, $515 May 5-June 1, $275 June 2-Sept. 14.

Royal Palms Hotel and Casitas, 5200 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85018; (800) 672- 6011 or (602) 840-3610, fax (602) 840-6927, www.royalpalmshotel.com. Through Dec. 31, a plaza room is $345 a night; a casita is $405. Jan. 1-May 31, those rates increase to $375 and $475 respectively, dropping to $179 and $219 in summer.

Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, 10600 E. Crescent Moon Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85262; (888) 207-9696 or (480) 515-5700, fax (480) 515- 5599, www.fourseasons.com. Through Dec. 21, doubles begin at $355 a night; they rise to $395 until Jan. 5, then to $445 until June 11. Rates then drop to $175 through Sept. 4.

For more information: Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau, 400 E. Van Buren St., Suite 600, Phoenix, AZ 85004-2290; (877) 225-5749 or (602) 254-6500, fax (602) 253-4415, www.phoenixcvb.com.

Arizona Office of Tourism, 1110 W. Washington St., Suite 155, Phoenix, AZ 85007; (888) 520-3434 or (602) 364-3700, fax (602) 364-3701, www.arizonaguide.com.

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James T. Yenckel is a Washington, D.C., travel writer.