Valley Ho and away we go to Scottsdale

THE baseball fan in my life was thrilled to be staying at the Hotel Valley Ho. Ted Williams slept there when the Red Sox trained in Scottsdale in the 1950s. So did my stars -- Bing, Humphrey and Cary.

We drove from L.A. earlier this month to check out their hangout after the Valley Ho’s $80-million redo and Dec. 20 reopening. We found a swanky Jetsons look, with little nod to its illustrious past guests.

The Valley Ho’s colors and midcentury modern decor hooked me from the minute we entered the airy glass, metal and stone lobby. A painting of bright bold stripes dominated the registration desk area. Chairs in the shades of the Arizona landscape -- reds, oranges, lime greens and turquoises -- surrounded a gleaming fireplace.

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Bunking down: There was a lot packed into our compact room, starting with a king-size platform bed with a lime-green headboard anchored into the wall. A high-definition plasma TV sat atop blond cabinetry, which occupied two-thirds of one wall. A sleek black chaise longue was squeezed between the bed and the balcony.

The frosted glass window that separated the bathroom from the bedroom was a lovely look but impractical. When I got up in the dark of night, the light spilled out the window and woke my husband. A pleasing touch: the subtly fragrant Red Flower toiletries in the bathroom.

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Hanging around: Like the adjacent lobby, the ZuZu Lounge has bright upholstered seating scattered around fireplaces. A Trader Vic’s restaurant is set to open in the hotel in mid-May.

I spent a couple of hours reading by the clam-shaped pool, which features a poolside bar, where I had a “handcrafted” (what other kind is there?) martini. The fitness room offers classes, even a personal trainer. And although I was intrigued by some of the options at the VH Spa -- anybody for an Acupuncture Facial Rejuvenation? -- at $150 for an hour, I found it too pricey to try.

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Going out: Old Town Scottsdale is a couple of blocks east, and there’s plenty there to occupy the restless. We wandered in and out of some of the city’s art galleries and the Scottsdale Historical Museum, and caught a so-so dinner at the Old Town Tortilla Factory across the street from the Valley Ho. Turns out we should have dined at the hotel’s Cafe ZuZu; the bar (with a large plasma TV) and patio overlooking the pool were teeming with well-turned-out young urbanites. Our sandwiches there the next day were good, updated twists on American classics.

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Perks & peeves: The 194-room hotel has fun midcentury touches, such as martini glasses and a shaker in each room and “I Love Lucy” mints in the mini-bar. On the dessert menu at Cafe ZuZu: an American sampler containing Twinkies, Hostess cupcakes and Rice Krispies treats.

I also took a yoga class with a terrific instructor at 8 a.m. Saturday.

The reason I was up so early on a Saturday? Across the street, a cement truck had started churning at 6 a.m. Condos are being built at the Valley Ho property, I learned later; they should be ready for occupancy in June.

But that wasn’t the only reason I didn’t sleep well that night. The bed was dressed in a duvet and cover, but had no top sheet. It was too hot for down but too cool to go coverless. It’s a great look but not comfortable.

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Hotel Valley Ho, 6850 E. Main St., Scottsdale, Ariz.; (866) 882-4484 or (480) 248-2000, www.hotelvalleyho.com. Spring rates from $298. Valet parking, free.