The 10 Best Luxury Hotels in Paradise Valley

Here the pool is both meeting point and viewing platform; from many loungers you look straight at Camelback Mountain. If you are traveling with children and want a 5-star hotel in Paradise Valley or just outside the town, look for slides and kids' areas, while those traveling as a couple care more about adults-only pools.The Phoenician Scottsdale · ScottsdaleFor families: At The Phoenician Scottsdale, the pool complex spreads over several levels. The upper one has a winding slide of 197 feet, while the Mother-of-Pearl Pool lies calmly on the lower one; kids also romp in the Kids Zone with its pirate treehouse and water playground. Guests of The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician share all of this and also have an infinity pool of their own, open 24 hours a day, with private cabanas that include a bathroom.

For peace and quiet: If above all you want to unwind at your 5-star hotel in Paradise Valley, choose one with an adults-only pool. At the western end of the Mountain Shadows Resort Scottsdale lies the Sunset Pool, for adults only and with Camelback Mountain right in view; at the Citizens Club, two 75-foot pools are heated to about 82 °F. At the infinity pool of the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort Scottsdale you sit high above the valley, on weekends among guests 16 and older.

Small and exclusive: Two of the more intimate luxury hotels around Paradise Valley sit on Camelback Road. Guests can use the palm-lined pool of the Royal Palms Resort Phoenix around the clock, with a hot tub, cabanas and daybeds. At The Global Ambassador Phoenix, the pool is reserved for hotel, spa and club guests, and the Pink Dolphin serves ceviche and margaritas alongside.

Large wellness complexes: The spa at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort arranges its treatments along four ariVea “Pathways to Well-Being”; its 20 treatment rooms include three double suites, and a Vitality Pool holds 18 people. At The Phoenician Scottsdale, three floors of spa hold 24 treatment rooms, a Drybar salon and a nail lounge; treatments are available from age 18, and the rooftop pool is reserved for spa guests alone.Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort Scottsdale · Paradise ValleyWater and stillness: The treatments at the Alvadora Spa of the Royal Palms Resort Phoenix are inspired by the Mediterranean, with Vichy showers among them. Couples book the hot stone massage for two, then rest indoors or outside by the fireplace. At the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort Scottsdale, the spa includes a Zen garden, a reflecting pond and a relaxation room, and Oxylight facials sit alongside classics such as the Masami Facial.

Care with a big name: Smaller luxury hotels in Paradise Valley also put their own stamp on the spa. At the spa of The Global Ambassador Phoenix, therapists work with products by Augustinus Bader. The Structural Longevity Massage combines massage and infrared heat, and the locker rooms have a sauna, a hot tub and cold plunges.

It all starts at 182 € at the Mountain Shadows Resort Scottsdale; at the other end of the scale sits The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician at 953 €, a small resort within a resort. On Camelback Road the Royal Palms Resort Phoenix starts at 240 €, while the resorts on the mountain usually range between 231 € and 380 €. The table lists all ten luxury hotels in Paradise Valley and the surrounding area by location; the hotel list further down shows what a night costs today and which rooms are available.

Mornings: Breakfast for two is included at the Royal Palms Resort Phoenix, at The Global Ambassador Phoenix and at the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort, and at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort as a buffet. The other six work with a daily credit for up to two guests: the Andaz Scottsdale Resort gives 30 US dollars, the W Scottsdale 80; at The Phoenician Scottsdale and at The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician it applies at the restaurant Mowry & Cotton and for room service.

Extras: You get an upgrade subject to availability at nine of the ten hotels, though not to suites at The Phoenician Scottsdale; The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician is the exception and offers none. A hotel credit comes with every stay except at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort, usually 100 US dollars; the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort Scottsdale adds 125, the W Scottsdale 50 to spend on dining. The Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort grants the benefits from two nights, and the Mountain Shadows Resort Scottsdale adds a little extra for suite stays of two nights or more.Grand Hyatt Scottsdale ResortPoints and status: Marriott Bonvoy applies at four hotels, including The Phoenician Scottsdale and the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort. Hyatt members collect World of Hyatt points at the Royal Palms Resort Phoenix as well as at the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort and the Andaz Scottsdale Resort, while The Global Ambassador Phoenix and the Mountain Shadows Resort Scottsdale belong to I Prefer. The Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort Scottsdale is tied to no program; guests there rely on the suitespot benefits.

When to go: In winter and spring the light is clear and the air mild, ideal for a round of golf or a hike up Camelback Mountain. Summer is for long afternoons by the pool, spa appointments and dinners under the open sky, and in fall the golfers return. A 5-star hotel in Paradise Valley offers enough for a few carefree days in every season.

How many nights: Three to four nights are enough for spa, pool and a morning hike. If you want to play golf and get to know the restaurants on Camelback Road, plan a week and perhaps switch from the mountainside to the city halfway through.