We recently spent a week in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. A last minute trip, we decided to use the week to explore different areas of the region and three different hotel/resort properties.
Our first three days were at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, a sprawling property that really is a world unto itself, complete with its legendary gold course. It was brief stay, but absolutely first-rate and extremely relaxing. You’re taken great care of here—in your room, at the property’s various restaurants, at the spa, or simply enjoying the spectacular grounds.
Our first night, we arrived after dark, and took a somewhat mind-boggling ride in a golf cart to reach our section of the property. This place is large and it was truly hard to grasp its scale in the dark. Our first morning brought a lot of clarity as to where we were and how to get around the premises, but it is a big, big place.
That aside, let’s begin with the stunning view from our room in the Sunset Beach are of the resort. A pool with its own sandy beach and soaring palms, this was lovely sight first thing in the morning from our balcony. The massive fire feature in the centre of the pool (pictured above) was awesome to see as night fell…
Our king room was spacious, scrupulously clean, and tastefully decorated in earthy tones, including decor made of natural fibres hanging over the bed. Relaxing, welcoming and a great place to stretch out!
An enormous master bathroom with two sinks on opposite walls gave us ample space and elbow room to get ready. There was a gorgeous glass-doored shower, and like many Fairmont properties we’ve stayed at, sumptuous, first-rate bath products from Le Labo graced the bathroom.
A wet bar area with a Nespresso coffee maker and coffee pods made for convenient, pleasant mornings. We brewed up a few mugs every morning and relaxed on our balcony overlooking the pool. Though it wasn’t swimming weather, it was pleasant enough for sitting outside and enjoying blue skies and sunshine virtually the whole week through.
Above is another pool, one of several on the property (including a dedicated “family” pool). Again, no real action in the water the week we were there, but it certainly looks like there’s ample room to unwind and soak in the sun poolside.
The grounds themselves are gorgeously landscaped with a wide variety of cacti and other trees that thrive in the hot, dry Arizona climate. We often paused en route to one of the property’s several restaurants, spa or boutiques just to enjoy the plants and trees.
On one stroll around the ground, we stumbled upon the Fragrance Garden, which included a towering stand of orange trees in full bloom.
In terms of dining, there are lots of choices at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. Ironwood American Kitchen is where we had daily breakfast (open for all meals, as well). Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak was a high-end, raucous steakhouse—with a totally different vibe than La Hacienda and its upscale Mexican cuisine. We weren’t there long enough to take in Toro, a Latin American-inspired restaurant, but overall the variety and quality of eateries on the premises is impressive.
All of Scottsdale is of course only an Uber away, with plenty of dining and shopping options of all kinds. Because our stay here was brief, we opted to take all our meals and spend most of our time here at the hotel. We did spend one afternoon in the very touristy Old Scottsdale area, reaching it by Uber. If you’re looking for that sort of thing—shopping, casual eating, gift shops—it’s fine enough. On the other hand, on a repeat visit I’d stick to the hotel. There’s so much to do here—finer shopping than the tourist district offers, wiling away time at the luxurious Well & Being Spa, or just walking the grounds is a greater pleasure.
And of course, there’s golfing. Not being golfers ourselves, we can’t really comment on the course or the game experience—although the course certainly looked spectacular. (In fact, preparations for the famed WM Phoenix wereunderway, about to begin shortly after our departure.) A dedicated Gold Concierge can assist with your plans if golfing is in our your vacation agenda.
Finally, this last photo of the outdoor bar sums up our brief but wonderful stay at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess: luxurious, outdoor-focused, out-of-the-ordinary, and restorative. We plan to come back—for a longer stay next time.
For more information or to book your stay at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, visit www.scottsdaleprincess.com
