Stay & Play

Four Seasons, Scottsdale: Stay and Play in a Desert Sanctuary

by Jennifer Merrick

“It looks like a movie set,” was my first thought when I took in the view from the terrace of our casita at the Four Seasons, Scottsdale, Arizona.

We had arrived close to midnight the night before, so we could only see the shadowy outlines of the two 30-feet saguaro cacti with their arms stretched out to the stars. When I threw open the doors the next morning, the saguaros and desert landscape greeted me joyfully.

“Come and play!” they seemed to say.

There were lots of opportunities to do just that on this 40-acre property, located just over 30 minutes north of the Phoenix airport. We had signed up for a guided morning hike and in no time, I was strolling in the movie set I had admired from the room.

At Pinnacle Peak Park, a 150-acre nature reserve located right next to the Four Seasons, we met the cast of characters. The star of the show was the chuckwalla, a large bulky lizard with a big black head and reddish speckled trunk. Basking in the sun and his role, he gave us a reptilian smirk as we snapped his pic. Cottontail rabbits and a chorus of birds also made their appearance.

The sun was shining brightly, illuminating the wildflowers and blooms among the granite boulders. We admired it all at the look-out point near the end of the trail before meandering back to the resort.

What I immediately appreciated about the property was the way it embraced its surroundings rather than competing with them. The 25 adobe casitas housing 210 rooms and suites blended in with the hills, and the ground’s landscaping showcased the Sonoran Desert’s lush plants and blooms. Walking anywhere on the property filled me with a sense of tranquility and relaxation.

There were other ways to unwind, too. The 60,000-square-foot pool with the mountain in the background was a luxurious spot to lounge and swim, and the resort’s spa featured a menu of treatment options, including the Nopal Massage. Nopal cactus, more commonly known as prickly pear, nourished the skin, and the gel that was expertly massaged into the skin came straight from the cactus pads themselves. This serene desert experience was a highlight of my stay, but it wasn’t the only one.

A lesson in pickle ball: If you haven’t heard of it, Pickle Ball is a cross between tennis and ping pong, and its popularity has soared in the past decade. I never understood why until this workshop. By the end of our morning session, I was rallying in an actual game and having a blast. It’s just one of a smorgasbord of onsite activities that include golf, yoga and fitness classes.

Paella with a sunset view: Specializing in fresh seafood and dry-aged steak with a Spanish flair, Talavera is the most upscale of the resort’s dining options. The paella, which was chock full of succulent shrimp, lobster, mussels, clams, chorizo and pork belly, tasted as good as it gets. So it wasn’t a surprise to learn that their young, talented chef had worked in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Spain before moving to Arizona.

Lingering over the multi-course delectable dinner paired with a light, fruity Spanish wine and a desert sunset, I had to pinch myself to check that I wasn’t actually on a movie set myself.

www.fourseasons.com/scottsdale