Why meet in Arizona? Well, apart from it being a major airline hub, with hundreds of USAir and Southwest flights passing through Phoenix every day, there’s a wealth of first-rate spas, world-class golf courses, great weather and vast natural beauty. Need more? Here are some of the major meeting magnets that make Arizona so attractive to planners:
1. Spectacular Spas
If you need a little indulgence and pampering, you couldn’t choose a better spot than the Grand Canyon State. Arizona is home to luxurious spas that have been named some of the world's best by Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and Zagat. According to the website ArizonaSpaGirls.com, top spas offer treatments inspired by Asian and European cultures, as well as unique body wraps, scrubs and therapies inspired by the state’s Native American culture. Spas at Arizona’s resorts provide a myriad of services, as well as recreational activities like golf, tennis, horseback riding, skiing and water sports.
Agave, the spa at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, utilizes traditional native treatments handed down from Arizona’s many cultures of healing. Serving as the spa’s main inspiration, the indigenous agave plant is used in many of the treatments offered, providing guests with the benefits of its moisture-rich qualities. Agave includes 21 treatment rooms, a salon, movement studio, weight training/cardiovascular studio, men’s and ladies’ whirlpools, saunas and steam rooms and a juice bar. Cabanas surround the pool garden, providing guests with a private area for relaxing, meditation and exterior spa treatments.
Located 90 minutes north of Phoenix, the Hilton Sedona Resort & Spa is Sedona’s only resort with on-site full service spa and championship golf course. With a serene and tranquil setting amid the dramatic piñon-dotted Coconino National Forest, spectacular craggy Red Rock vistas and clear, crisp juniper-scented air, the Hilton Spa offers an invigorating experience in its spacious 20,000-square-foot spa therapy center. This fully-equipped facility features a wide array of world-class spa treatments, lap pool and therapy spa, exercise opportunities and offerings to sooth mind and body, all in the unforgettable setting of Red Rock Sedona.
The Red Door Spa at the Westin La Paloma incorporates a holistic approach to wellness, health and beauty with 18 private treatment rooms, including two stunning outdoor spaces. Select from a tempting menu of treatments and enjoy a delightful Spa Lunch during your visit, and then make an exhilarating escape to the eucalyptus sauna, heated Jacuzzi, European steam rooms or calming relaxation room.
The Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain is a luxury boutique hideaway with dramatic mountain and spa casitas offering spectacular views of Paradise Valley. This intimate retreat offers Asian-inspired treatments, along with a relaxing meditation garden, movement studio and fitness center. Enhanced by modern architecture and the breathtaking setting, the Spa’s relaxing meditation garden, reflecting pond and Watsu pool provide a tranquil experience. Named the 2008 “Most Excellent Spa Hotel’ by Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence, Sanctuary is one of the country’s most lauded luxury resorts.
The award-winning Spa at JW Marriott Camelback Inn blends the indulgences of a full-service destination spa with a spectacular resort, offering the ambiance and magic of the Sonoran Desert. Featuring a full complement of spa offerings, this 32,000-square-foot world class spa includes a state-of-the-art fitness center, 32 treatment rooms and Scottsdale’s only spa restaurant, Sprouts. Panoramic views of crimson-hued Camelback and Mummy mountains, fiery Arizona sunsets and the picturesque desert landscaping can be enjoyed from the olympic-size lap pool and outdoor Jacuzzi.
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2. A Golfer’s Paradise
There are more AAA “Five Diamond” hotels and resorts in Scottsdale than in any U.S. city except New York. And every one of those luxury properties has a major golf element.
Guests of Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North enjoy special privileges at both The Pinnacle and The Monument championship golf courses at Troon North Golf Club, as well as guest privileges at the Troon North Clubhouse. This exclusive partnership resulted in the resort being named one of the Top 10 Golf Resorts in the United States for 2007 by Travel + Leisure Golf magazine. Last fall, Troon North Golf Club completed an ambitious renovation project led by Tom Weiskopf, the original designer of The Pinnacle and co-designer of The Monument. Under Weiskopf’s direction, the 36-hole facility now features shorter distances between the front and back nines and between the greens and tees, resulting in a more walkable Pinnacle course.
Guests at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess have access to TPC Scottsdale, a PGA Tour Facility whose Stadium Course was designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish. Lush fairways surrounded by desert vegetation and breathtaking mountain views enhance the golf experience on this 18-hole, par-71 course. Built on the former site of TPC Scottsdale’s Desert Course, the completely new Champions Course was designed by Heckenkemper to fit seamlessly into the natural desert terrain. The Champions Course also includes a beautiful new modern clubhouse featuring expanded banquet and catering capabilities and a large outdoor patio that serves as an ideal locale for tournament receptions, business gatherings and other special events.
A golfer’s paradise in the Valley of the Sun, the renowned and private Gainey Ranch Golf Club is exclusively available only to members and guests of the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort at Gainey Ranch. Surrounded by incredible scenery under beautiful blue skies, Gainey Ranch offers a year-round challenge for golfers of any skill level. Each of the three distinct nine-hole courses of this Scottsdale golf resort, designed by Benz and Poellot, offers a different experience for players. The Lakes features varied terrain in a garden-like setting and plays around a variety of water features. Rated one of the Top 75 Golf Courses in the United States by Golf Digest and one of the Top 100 Resort Golf Courses in the world by Golf Magazine, Gainey Ranch Golf Club recently completed a $1.5 million renovation of its Clubhouse.
At the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, guests can perfect their swing amidst desert cacti and scenic canyons at one of the two 18-hole PGA golf courses designed by Tom Fazio – the Canyon Course and the Mountain Course, both featuring breathtaking views of the Sonora Desert landscape and unique holes that will challenge their game. Private and group lessons are available, as well as video lessons and clinics.
Camelback Golf Club at Camelback Inn Scottsdale is one of Arizona’s original gems, featuring 36 holes of championship golf located designed by world-renowned golf course architect Arthur Hills, as well as a 36,000-square-foot pueblo-style clubhouse designed by Douglas Fredrikson; a 2,400-square-foot golf shop named one of Golf World Business’ Top 100 Golf Shops; the Golf Grill, serving American classics and an exquisite Sunday Brunch in Southwestern country club style; a luxurious lounge with outdoor fireside patio seating; and meeting and event space for groups from 15 to 300.
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3. Canyon Country
Northern and Central Arizona are home to some of the most picturesque mountains and canyons in the U.S., including the famed Grand Canyon, best accessed from cities like Flagstaff (78 miles) and Sedona (110 miles).
Closest to the Grand Canyon, the El Tovar Hotel bills itself as “the premier lodging facility at the Grand Canyon.” The hotel opened its doors in January, 1905 as the luxury hotel at the Grand Canyon for the Santa Fe Railway. The building remains steeped in the late Victorian style, with its roof turret and chalet-like balconies and terraces. Over the years El Tovar has hosted such dignitaries as George Bernard Shaw, Ferdinand Foch, Gugliemo Marconi, Presidents William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt, and even Arthur Fiedler.
In Sedona, the Enchantment Resort is consistently ranked as one of the Top 100 Resorts in North America by Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, and Zagat. Surrounded by the majestic red rock formations of Northern Arizona’s Boynton Canyon, this property combines luxury with rugged grandeur inspired by Native American culture. The Coconino National Forest, replete with archaeological rarities and rich Southwestern history, borders the property. And at an altitude of 4,600 feet, even the hottest Arizona weather is incorporated into the resort’s comfort zone.
In the heart of Sedona’s spectacular Red Rock country you’ll also find L’Auberge de Sedona. Nestled along the banks of Oak Creek Canyon and surrounded by towering cliffs of magenta, this stunning property offers traditional comforts in a country French setting. Walkways meander through L’Auberge, from the European-styled Lodge past cottages with wisteria twining in the balconies to the award winning L’Auberge Restaurant. You can easily walk to Sedona’s restaurants and galleries from this small (56 rooms and cottages) retreat.
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4. Desert Vistas
Perhaps the best-known spa in the U.S., Canyon Ranch Spa in Tucson is located on 70 desert acres in the foothills of Santa Catalina Mountains, about 115 miles south of Phoenix. Canyon Ranch can accommodate 240 guests in adobe-style cottages, and the grounds are meticulously landscaped with flowers, cactus gardens, streams, pools and fountains. The resort is famous for its healthy and innovative spa cuisine, which incorporates fresh ingredients into flavorful meals. The beautiful Santa Catalina Mountains and the Sonoran Desert provide a rich, scenic environment where guests can enjoy jogging and hiking through desert vegetation, or simply relax by the pool and take in the view.
The Santa Catalina Mountains also create an inspiring backdrop for Miraval Tucson, whose 106 elegant casitas sit on 135 lush acres that contain a world-class spa, Body Mindfulness Center featuring olympic lap pool and state-of-the-art equipment, an on-site Challenge Course with climbing wall, hiking and mountain biking, and swimming pool areas that include a tri-level pool with cascading waterfalls, accupressure stone walk and whirlpool. Miraval has become a favorite destination for corporate group meetings that range from small intimate gatherings to corporate and incentive retreats. The resort provides an ideal setting for groups to conduct meetings, workshops or social gatherings. Voted by the readers of Conde’ Nast Traveler as the #1 Spa in 1999 and Zagat as #1 in the World this year, Miraval is one of the most acclaimed and unique resorts anywhere.
The Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa is a luxurious natural refuge that melds thrilling outdoor recreation and renowned spa treatments with the unsurpassed beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Located on 1,300 acres just 12 miles from Scottsdale Airpark and only 33 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, The Boulders Resort is a leader among Arizona golf destinations. Featuring two championship-level, Jay Morrish-designed courses, these links are renowned for their breathtaking surroundings and sweeping panoramic views.
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