Sometimes mistaken for a run of the mill desert town, Phoenix is in fact anything but. And while the sky may be bluer, the mountains sharper and the lifestyle simpler than most urban centers, its lack of worldliness has given the nation’s sixth largest city a bad rap. But look closer and you’ll be surprised to find that its lack of hustle bustle energy is a foil for its sophistication, personified by The Phoenician Hotel, the eponymous AAA Five Diamond resort which practically put this city on the map and celebrated its 25th anniversary last year.
James Meeks, the hotel’s long-time official ambassador greets me with a customary, “Good morning on this beautiful day.” Meeks, a tall, imposing gentleman with a baritone voice that resonates throughout the opulent foyer then queries, “What are today’s plans—golf, tennis, hiking?” He could have continued—shopping, wine-tasting, shopping, gallery hopping, shopping? Am I that obvious? Don’t answer that.
The resort’s offerings are abundant—a slew of eateries, 27 holes of golf, 11 tennis courts, and a full service spa—all on 250 manicured acres at the base of Camelback Mountain. Its three on premise restaurants, Il Terrazzo, J&G Steakhouse and Relish Burger Bistro, are complemented by a café and ice cream parlor and an afternoon tea court. And let’s not forget to mention that The Thirsty Camel Lounge has one of Arizona’s largest vodka collections. The newest addition to the hotel’s retail corridor is Grape & Grain, best described as a wine and spirits boutique, which offers patrons the opportunity to taste and purchase numerous wines from the resort’s 10,000 bottle, $4.5 million inventory, as well as its private label tequila and bourbon. And the feather in its cap is that The Phoenician is home to Greg Tresner, Arizona’s only master sommelier.
In a part of the country where a golf green is the new red carpet, treasured accolades include being named “North America’s Leading Golf Resort” by the World Travel Awards and ranking among the “Top 75 Golf Resorts in America” by Golf Digest. But golf isn’t the only game in town. The Phoenician’s tennis facility has the distinction of being the Southwest’s only facility to offer four playing surfaces, including a Wimbledon championship grass court.
Rebirth, rejuvenation and renewal are promises of the world-class spa, The Centre for Well-Being, with treatments that reflect its setting such as a Honey Avocado Foot Therapy.
Luxury is The Phoenician’s common denominator. In 1985 financier and developer Charles Keating envisioned an Arizona resort reflecting the elegance and sophistication of a fine European hotel. His vision became The Phoenician—a resort complete with a white marble lobby (imported stone from Carrera, Italy), a ceiling etched in 24-karat gold, 11 rare Steinway pianos scattered throughout and lush tropical landscaping created by island workers from the Kingdom of Tonga.
Superlatives continue. Its $25 million art collection is an exclusive compilation of Old World and contemporary works by European and Native American artists. Of its nine pools (including a 165 ft. waterslide and private cabanas), The Oasis Pool complex is home to one of Arizona’s most costly pools inlayed with Mother of Pearl tiles.
Debuted in 2007 The Phoenician’s Canyon Suites pay additional homage to luxury, representing the state’s only Forbes Five-Star/AAA Five Diamond hotel. Guests of this exclusive 60-room oasis have the privacy of their own pool, their own concierge and chauffeur driven Mercedes Benz transportation.
Be warned! Whether you’re a guest of the main resort or The Canyon Suites, The Phoenician staff will more likely spoil and indulge your vices rather than your virtues. Frequent guest Michele Allison sums it up well. “I feel like it’s home. They take good care of you. They remember everything … your likes, your dislikes, everything. But what is there to dislike? And every time I leave, there’s a tear in my eye.”