Stay & Play
The Scottsdale Plaza Resort & Villas
by Alexandra Cohen
Scottsdale is Arizona’s premier destination for fine dining, shopping and luxury resorts, and I am fortunate to have just returned from my first visit to the region.
With over 70 hotels and resorts, offering travelers a plethora of options, I chose the Scottsdale Plaza Resort & Villas (scottsdaleplaza.com), and stayed in a beautiful two-story villa. The hotel is incredibly well-located, where you are a 10 to 15-minute drive from all major shopping malls as well as Old Town Scottsdale and the many nearby golf courses.
Our villa featured a private entrance as well as an upstairs bedroom with two queen-sized beds, and a main floor which included a living room, dining room, and kitchenette. There was a bathroom on each floor, as well as a balcony on the upper level and a patio on the main floor, where visitors may choose to eat outdoors. The unit also has a fireplace for those wishing to get cozy on one of Arizona’s rare chilly evenings.
One thing that I was looking forward to about my visit was the opportunity to lounge at the pool and enjoy the lovely weather. The Scottsdale Plaza offers visitors a total of five temperature-controlled pools to choose from, including an upper and lower deck main pool, a villa pool, courtyard pool, and casita pool (for those wishing for a quieter experience or those preferring to walk shorter distances from their more peripherally located rooms).
For an elevated pool experience, you can rent one of the hotel’s private shaded cabanas, which come equipped with sofa seating, two reserved lounge chairs, as well as an umbrella. The cabana also comes with a mini fridge which contains water bottles and snacks, a dedicated server, chilled towels infused with aromatherapy oil, as well as a complimentary round of select canned seltzers or beers.
For those who are a little bit more athletically inclined, the property also offers tennis courts, which I often saw guests using to play both tennis and pickle ball. The court neighbors the property’s 24-hour state-of-the-art fitness center, though given the beautiful weather, some may prefer to exercise outdoors by going for a walk or run across the 40-acre property. Naturally, there are also many nearby trails for those looking to hike.
Moving back in the direction of relaxation, I had the opportunity during my stay to visit the Scottsdale Plaza’s Salon & Spa, located directly next to the main pool. While the spa offers a large menu of options, I chose the 50-minute Shea Butter Melt Massage, which I would absolutely do again on my next visit.
For any dining needs while on-site, the property has a market for grab-and-go needs, two restaurants and a café at poolside which we happily took advantage of each day. We were able to sample many tasty menu items, including the crispy cheese quesadillas, the chicken tenders served with kettle chips, and the turkey club wrap. We also enjoyed several of their cocktails.
