Jan 29 2008
You might think that with 100 degree weather summer is not a good time to visit Phoenix. But it is a fantastic time to visit. The resorts go all out and the restaurants, museums and attractions are all set up for a cool time in the Valley of the Sun.What's New with Phoenix Hotels and Resorts?
Five Diamonds Awards
AAA has fittingly presented seven Greater Phoenix resorts and restaurants with its Five Diamond Award, recognizing their high level of service. The resort winners were: The Phoenician, The JW Marriott Camelback Inn, Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, The Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa and Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. Marquesa at the Princess, and Mary Elaine's at The Phoenician were named Five Diamond Award restaurants. Fifty-six Arizona properties received the Four Diamond Award.
For more information on these Five Diamond Award winners see the article on About Phoenix.
Summer Specials at The Biltmore
The Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa continues to prove itself as a haven for couples as well as family getaways with affordable rates and an extensive array of activities, kids programs and poolside services.
The full slate of summer activities will include wine tastings, cigar rolling, regional artisan displays, family pottery painting, and “Biltsmores” marshmallow roasts with a cowboy balladeer sing-along. At the “Dive-In Movies,” children and adults enjoy feature films projected onto a large screen while floating in the Paradise Pool. The Kids Korral program offers supervised sports, games, and arts and crafts for children five to 12 years old.
Now until September 10, the resort is offering room rates starting at just $129 weekdays (Sunday-Thursday) and $159 weekends (Friday-Saturday). The rack rate during this period is $195 so the savings is 36 percent weekdays and 25 percent weekends.
For more Biltmore information.
PBS Highlights the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort for Documentary on the Gila River Community
Members of a national film crew for the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) spent several days researching and visiting the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa for a television program focused on how socio-economics affects healthcare. This program, set to air in 2007, will highlight the Gila River Indian Community’s long struggle with diabetes as a result of losing their water in the early 1900s. However, the Resort’s role in the story provides a positive outlook on the future business developments of the Community and focuses on the authenticity and cultural preservation efforts and programs offered at the property. The crew enjoyed an amazing dinner at Kai and also spent an entire day with Cultural Concierge, Ginger Sunbird Martin. Almost all aspects of the Resort were filmed by the PBS crew, including the Kai kitchen, the Gila River and Interpretive Trail and the Main Lobby. The crew also filmed Resort staff and guests at the Gila River Farms and the Gila Crossing Elementary School to highlight the culinary and Community outreach. The 25-minute program is set to be the first in this six-part series on health. More information on Sheraton Wild Horse Pass.
Latin Sounds at the Westin Kierland
The Westin Kierland Resort and Spa is bringing the sultry and electric sounds of Latin America and the Caribbean to the desert this summer with Arizona’s very own Paul McDermand. Long in demand by a wide variety of artists such as Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett, Johnny Cash, Liberace, the Temptations and the Moody Blues, McDermand and his compelling music are no longer in the background as they take “center stage” at The Westin Kierland’s lobby lounge, The Rim. Guests will enjoy the desert air spilling in from the floor-to-ceiling doors that lead out to the spectacular Dreamweavers Canyon courtyard. Catch Paul McDermand on Friday and Saturday evenings from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. all summer.
More information on the Westin Kierland Resort.
Green Resort and Spa
The Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa has just been transformed into the first all organic resort in the U.S. The Boulders’ transformation into an organic resort will introduce an exclusively organic concept to all five restaurants, room service menus, and even in-room mini-bars. In addition, large-scale gardens on the resort grounds will supply its kitchens with just-picked organic produce and herbs.
More information about The Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa.
