The desert, full blast

LATE morning is mojito time inside the gold-striped cabanas surrounding the pools at the Phoenician, the mega-classy Scottsdale area resort.

A few miles north, on the grassy islands separating the pools at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge, the Dirty Worm, an Oreo cookie milkshake topped with gummy worms, is the afternoon drink of choice for kids. For grown-ups, it’s Cabana Colada, a mix of five types of rum.

And in downtown Scottsdale, on the oh-so-hip double chaises reclining poolside at the Hotel Valley Ho, anytime is martini time. That drink is a natural choice because the Oh Pool was designed to resemble a martini in a glass.

In this sizzling desert town, all hotels are not created equal, I discovered late last month when I sampled the top pools in Scottsdale and environs. The region is home to some of the nation’s finest resorts, where the nightly room rate often tops $450 in high season. But when summer temperatures soar, room rates fall by as much as two-thirds.

Yes, it’s hot. It was 102 degrees during my May visit -- a full month before the official start of summer. But Scottsdale’s pools are very cool. And the low-season prices let thrifty travelers spend a few nights enjoying the luxuries that help put these hotels in a class of their own: fine linens and bedding, expensive bath soaps and lotions, the seeming acres of pools.

During my three-day visit, I zipped down slides, floated on lazy river tube rides, stood under waterfalls and sank my toes into faux sandy beaches.

Summer is one of the busiest times of the year for many of these hotels. “We get a lot of driving-distance locals, including Southern Californians, this time of year,” said Stephanie Dowling of Westin Kierland Resort & Spa. “If you live nearby, you can have an inexpensive first-class vacation.”

The larger resorts abandon the conventioneer crowd -- their bread-and-butter the rest of the year -- in favor of the family fun set, offering such activities as watermelon-eating contests, pool sports and dive-in movies.

Maricopa County, home to both Scottsdale and Phoenix, offers fun and games on a grand scale, including nearly 200 golf courses. Of course, some activities, such as golf and hiking, require pre-sunrise wake-up calls to avoid the midday heat. But there are ice skating, tubing on the Salt River and first-class shopping at scores of boutiques and luxury department stores.

For those who want to see the desert up close, there are rollicking Segway tours, tranquil balloon rides or backcountry trips by Jeep or Hummer.

Scottsdale -- long known for its Western-style Old Town full of cowboy art, Native American gift shops and midcentury modern motels -- is revitalizing itself. More than $2 billion in development is underway, and some projects, such as a new retail and restaurant complex, are already completed.

Much of the development is along Scottsdale’s waterfront.

Scottsdale has a waterfront? It seems a contradiction in terms.

It’s actually the Arizona Canal, I learned, originally engineered by the Hohokam people for irrigation more than 500 years ago. City officials and developers hope it will become an epicenter for new retail, dining and entertainment venues, much like the River Walk in San Antonio.

Several restaurants and shops have opened along the canal, including a P.F. Chang’s and an Urban Outfitters, and others are scheduled to debut in the next few months. A new W Scottsdale hotel is scheduled to open in December.

I strolled through one of the new projects on a Friday night, dining at the Olive & Ivy Restaurant & Marketplace, a blend of Mediterranean and California elements with a giant patio facing the water. A lively crowd of well-dressed young professionals was sipping cosmos and sangria -- a house specialty -- and dining on olive oil-poached salmon and roasted duck breast.

A quarter-mile away, Scottsdale’s evolving entertainment district now has more than 50 lounges and nightclubs, all within walking distance. On many nights, the hottest clubs have long lines snaking down the street. Can’t get in at popular Axis, which pumps house music, or its sister club Radius, which caters to the hip-hop crowd? Try Suede, the dining room and lounge across the street, or Myst, a techno club a block away.

Might be an entertaining way to spend the evening after a lazy day drinking mojitos by the hotel pool.

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FOR KIDS AND OTHER CANNONBALL FANS

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FAIRMONT SCOTTSDALE PRINCESS

HOTTEST WATER SLIDES

The vibe: With 450 acres, this resort complex has much to offer, including fine dining, casual and poolside restaurants, five bars, a top-rated spa, two golf courses and five pools. The resort has AAA’s Five Diamond rating.

Fun factor: There are loads of things to do here, including riding two of the longest resort water slides in Arizona (each nearly 200 feet). There’s a sloped entry area so tots can play in shallow water, and kid-sized bulldozers await in a sandy area near the pool. At night, weekend guests can watch dive-in movies. Cabanas are $100 on weekdays, $125 on weekends.

Details: The room rate for the Dive-in Days package, available until Sept. 11, is $249 per night and includes $100 daily food credit and free use of Kids Club and Teen Hangout programs. 7575 E. Princess Drive, Scottsdale, Ariz.; (866) 540-4495, www.fairmont.com/scottsdale.

HYATT REGENCY SCOTTSDALE

RESORT & SPA AT GAINEY RANCH

BEST SANDY BEACH

The vibe: Another of Scottsdale’s mega-resorts, a beautifully landscaped 560-acre complex with lots of activities, restaurants, a spa and 27 holes of golf.

Fun factor: Build a real sandcastle at the “beach,” which slopes down into the pool, making a safe entry for tots and a fun place for seashore lovers. The water park here includes 10 pools with 28 fountains and 47 waterfalls. The resort also has weekend dive-in movies, a three-story slide and gondola rides.

Details: Summer Values package, $199 per room per night, includes a $50 daily resort credit for food or beverages, Camp Hyatt for kids or spa services. The hotel has a $15 nightly resort fee. 500 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Ariz.; (888) 492-8847, www.scottsdale.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp.

WESTIN KIERLAND RESORT & SPA

MOST KID-FRIENDLY

The vibe: This may be primarily a convention hotel during the peak season, but it converts to a family fun zone in the summer. The resort even hired a director of fun to make it all happen. Activities include kids’ cooking classes, stargazing, kids and teens clubs, and trips to museums and zoos. The resort also offers 27 holes of golf, eight restaurants and a spa.

Fun factor: The resort’s Adventure Water Park has a 110-foot slide, a lazy-river ride, sloped entry for toddlers, weekend dive-in movies. Cabanas, priced from $65 to $90 per day, are set back from the water, a disadvantage on a hot day. An adult pool nearby, open 24 hours a day, offers respite from the fun and games.

Details: Room rates for the Summer Escape special, available through Sept. 9, are $199 per night with a $50 resort credit and includes programs for kids. 6902 E. Greenway Parkway, Scottsdale, Ariz.; (800) 354-5892, www.kierlandresort.com

JW MARRIOTT DESERT RIDGE

COOLEST LAZY RIVER

The vibe: Water flows throughout this large Marriott: Waterfalls, wandering waterways and pools are the dominant element. At night, flames top a 22-foot-tall, free-standing waterfall in the main pool. There are also 36 holes of golf, Segway tours of the desert, the Revive Spa and the Kokopelli Kids Club.

Fun factor: The 4 acres of pools here include a slide, shallow fountains that are great for toddlers and dive-in movies at night. But the best water activity is floating down the lazy river; double-ring inner tubes and a speedy current make this ride a winner. Don’t forget to try the house beverage, the very rummy Cabana Colada, a deal at $10.

Details: Summer room rates, available until Sept. 5, start at $159 weekdays and $169 weekends but must be booked by June 30. 5350 E. Marriott Drive, Phoenix; (800) 898-4527, www.jwdesertridgeresort.com.

THE PHOENICIAN

CLASSIEST CABANAS

The vibe: If you’re looking for luxury, this may be the place. The Phoenician is another AAA Five Diamond winner; it also received a Conde Nast Gold List award as one of the world’s best places to stay. It’s beautifully located at the base of Camelback Mountain, and guests say staying here is an over-the-top experience.

Fun factor: The Phoenician has nine pools, including the adults-only Mother Pool, inlaid with mother of pearl. At the Oasis Pool, kids can ride on a waterslide. The resort’s bright cabanas -- chic gold tents that line the edge of the water -- are good places to laze and drink mojitos. Cabana fee is $150 per day.

Details: Summer room rates start at $199 a night weekends and $225 a room weekdays through Sept. 16. 6000 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale, Ariz.; (800) 888-8234, www.thephoenician.com.

MONDRIAN SCOTTSDALE

HIP PARTY PALACE

The vibe: The Mondrian, which opened Jan. 30 in downtown Scottsdale, calls itself an urban resort. It is sleekly designed with voluminous white drapes and hip-looking sculptural details. In former lives, the hotel was a Doubletree, a Holiday Inn and a James Hotel.

Fun factor: The Blue Pool is a long rectangle; an exotic Bedouin-style tent shades the whirlpool. Underwater speakers supply music for swimmers. Lots of partiers among the young crowd here. Cabanas cost $500 a day.

Details: ThePlaypackageavailablethroughAug.31startsat145pernightperroomandi ncludesa25dailybarcreditatthepoolanda20offspacredit.7353 E. Indian School Road, Scottsdale, Ariz.; (800) 697-1791, www.morganshotelgroup.com.

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WHERE THE GROWN-UPS GLIDE

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HOTEL VALLEY HO

BEST PLACE TO DRINK A MARTINI

The vibe: Recently rehabbed to the tune of $80 million, the Valley Ho is a Midcentury Modern landmark in downtown Scottsdale that once was a hideaway for Humphrey Bogart, Bing Crosby and Marilyn Monroe. Now it’s one of the hottest spots in town for young professionals.

Fun factor: The Oh pool is a perfect circle, designed to look like a martini glass. There is day and night swimming along with lots of mixing and mingling. Cinder block cabanas cost $99 to $259 a day.

Details: The So Summer package, available through Sept. 7, is $149 per room per night on weekdays and $179 weekends. It includes appetizer, drink, coupon book and 10% off spa credit. 6850 E. Main St., Scottsdale, Ariz.; (866) 882-4484, www.hotelvalleyho.com.

SANCTUARY CAMELBACK

MOUNTAIN RESORT & SPA

BEST PLACE TO CHILL

The vibe: This low-key mountainside retreat was No. 1 resort in the nation in the Conde Nast Traveler readers’ choice awards. If you’re seeking tranquillity, this is the place. Casita-style rooms and suites are contemporary, offering luxury on a budget during the summer.

Fun factor: The setting offers striking views of Camelback Mountain, and guests can relax at what’s said to be the largest infinity-edge pool in the state. But cellphones are banned by the pool. The ambience here is strictly Zen.

Details: Summer room rates, available until Sept. 6, start at $185 Sunday to Thursday; $225 Friday, Saturday. 5700 E. McDonald Drive, Paradise Valley, Ariz.; (800) 245-2051, www.sanctuaryaz.com.