AZ Travel Guide
Historic Hotels / Phoenix Hotels / Waldorf Astoria Hotels / Frank Lloyd Wright Hotels / → All Tags
Arizona Biltmore’s Mystery Room Returns to Speakeasy, Man-Cave Glory
If you've ever wandered the legendary Arizona Biltmore Resort, you've likely stumbled upon a photo of the "Mystery Room," though never the room itself as the location has long been — you guessed it — a mystery. That's all about to change; last week we were among the first to learn that this mysterious room will soon be revealed and restored to a version of its former self as a speakeasy lounge.
Back in the day, the cozy club masqueraded as a "Men's Smoking Room" requiring a secret password for entry and accessible only through a secret passage that started behind the resort and traveled up a hidden staircase from the kitchen. In many ways it was a true man cave, where gentlemen could kick back to smoke cigars and pipes, swap news about the stock market and sip on bootleg setups of gin and juice.
A clever fuzz buster was in place, too, with a spotlight that was officially known to guide guests at night, and unofficially used to search the desert for police raids. Whenever a raid approached, the spotlight would shine through the Mystery Room's stained glass roof, signaling guests to return to their rooms and the booze to be tucked back into the room's hidden bookshelf.
Hotel Packages / Waldorf Astoria Hotels / Arizona Hotels / → All Tags
Arizona Biltmore Wants To Throw You a Free Birthday Party
Go shorty, it's your birthday, Arizona Biltmore's gonna party like it's your birthday…
We'll warn you now: this song may be playing in the lobby of the Arizona Biltmore when you check in.
This historic Waldorf Astoria property totally digs you getting one year older, so they're offering a free room for you during your birthday month (a minimum of two nights booking is required). To make it a serious party, they're also throwing in a cupcake and balloons delivered straight to your room. Bring your own party hats, though.
We suggest rounding up an active crew as this birthday bash is going to be off the hizzle: there's eight swimming pools, including a 92-foot-long water slide; 18-hole PGA golf course; seven tennis courts; mountain biking; hiking; life-size chess lawn and a 22,000-square-foot spa.
Hotel Reviews / Phoenix Hotels / Hotel Restaurants / Boutique Hotels / Hotel Pools / → All Tags
Where We're Bunking Next Time We're Phoenix Bound
We've been talking about Phoenix for a minute at HC, and with good reason. It seems like good things are happenin' around this town and we like nothing more to be around when places start hoppin'.
We planned our hotel stays carefully while in town in December. We enjoyed our night at Aloft Phoenix Airport, and loved the food and design quirks at the Hotel Palomar Phoenix.
But we realized we'd missed a potentially cool little property. So next time we're in town, you can bet your bottom dollar we'll be staying at the Clarendon Hotel and Suites.
Photo Galleries / Phoenix Hotels / Kimpton Hotels / Hotel Loyal Programs / Hotel Design / → All Tags
We Dig The Hotel Palomar Phoenix's Funky Patterns and Perks
We already told you a little about Hotel Palomar Phoenix, but, perhaps predictably, we started off talking about the food. The Blue Hound Kitchen restaurant ticked all of the right boxes—but what about the rooms?
We're happy to report that our stay here was one of the most comfortable city stays we've had in some time. The room was spacious, the bed comfy for both sleeping and working on an iPad while half-watching TV, and the bathroom was also roomy and had a distinct, clean and new feel about it.
We also loved the quirky decor that raises Kimptons from the same-old, same-old pack of city hotels. When traveling for business, a designer pattern here or funky piece of art there always makes us feel slightly cooler than our reason for travel that night might suggest.
Click through our gallery for more shots inside a Deluxe room, facing downtown Phoenix, across from all the sports stadiums.
Hotel Restaurants / Kimpton Hotels / Phoenix Hotels / Dog-Friendly Hotels / → All Tags
Sampling The Noms at Palomar Phoenix's Blue Hound Kitchen & Bar
When we stayed at the newish Hotel Palomar Phoenix recently, we were psyched. Not just for the free WiFi we get for being Kimpton InTouch Members (although that's pretty awesome), but because we knew the hotel was home to one of Kimpton's Directors of Pet Relations.
This is Bosco. We felt like stalkers, lurking near the front desk and peeking around corners to try and find him. Then, when we finally did spy him, he was skipping through the lobby for a walk, so we got to pet him but missed a photo op.
To console ourselves, we shuttled off to the hotel's restaurant, Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails. There, we not only got a canine fix, scoping out all the dog-themed artwork and statues, but we also stuffed our faces with delicious, farm-to-table-good food.
Check out our gallery for shots of both the decor and the dishes.
Airport Hotels / Aloft Hotels / Phoenix Hotels / Photo Galleries / Free WiFi / Hotel Amenities / → All Tags
A Trip Inside the Aloft Phoenix Airport
Yeah, we know: airport hotels are little more than a necessary evil.
Whether it's a delayed flight, a layover, a late arrival or a god-awful early departure the next day, our reasons for staying in one rarely involve the word fun. Or even "nice."
Imagine our relief then, when we arrived at the Aloft Phoenix Airport recently—after midnight, tired and cranky—and were rewarded with something closer to a city boutique hotel experience.
Check-in was fast and simple, and the front-desk guy made sure to tell us about the free WiFi. Bless.
Click through our gallery to check out our room and you'll understand why we wish we were staying longer than eight hours.
Celebrity Scoop / Wellness Retreats / Hotel Spas / Tucson Hotels / → All Tags
Sharon Stone Finds Serenity at Arizona's Miraval Resort & Spa
Miraval Resort & Spa has had besties Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King gush over it as the perfect girlfriend getaway locale, and this past May, blonde beauty Sharon Stone flew in to the desert oasis for a solo sojourn and the opening of the resort’s new Life in Balance Spa with Clarins.
What is This / Scottsdale Hotels / W Hotels / Hotel Lobbies / Hotel Design / → All Tags
What is This at the W Scottsdale?
We like to keep it fun but informative here at HotelChatter so our newest series, What is This? is devoted to odd-looking items in hotel rooms that upon first glance look as if they serve only a decorative purpose. But everything happens for a reason, right? And we're here to tell you what these things really do.
When you walk into the lobby of the W Scottsdale (and after you've inhaled the vanilla bourbon custom scent), your attention will be drawn to this mini Stonehenge formation of tree trunks just outside the W Gift Shop and before the front desk. Have you momentarily stepped outside again?
Dude Ranches / Tucson Hotels / Horseback Riding / Resorts / → All Tags
What to Pack for a Stay at The Tanque Verde Ranch
We know that packing the appropriate attire makes for a better trip, so we're helping you pack your bags for "dude-luxe" horseplay at Tanque Verde Ranch in Tucson, Arizona.
Let's start with footwear. While barrel racing and penning dogies, all gringos and horseback enthusiasts should wear traditional western boots with smooth soles. Trot off in a dusty cloud of confidence wearing comfy Lucchese or Lamas to the Sonoran Desert Breakfast ride.
But toss in your tennis togs as well since full courts and lessons are available. And don't forget some good hiking boots for those guided nature walks, exploring the Sonoran Desert's diverse flora and fauna.
If you're into cycling, you might also want to bring your biking shoes (and some sweat wicking clothing) as the ranch offers mountain bikes with which you can ride through over 600 single- track trails framed by the Rincon and Catalina mountain ranges.
TripAdvisor / Hotel Booking Sites / Tucson Hotels / OpenThread / Hotel Types / → All Tags
Maybe We Should Start Taking TripAdvisor's 'Style' Recommendations With A Grain Of Salt
Just the other day, we were planning out an upcoming trip through Arizona, and we decided to browse some hotel reviews on TripAdvisor; specifically, places in Tucson. But just as we were about to scroll down through the list of results, we noticed a row of boxes at the top of the screen with labels like "business," "romantic" and "trendy," each of which corresponded to different categories of hotels.
Or, as TA calls them, "styles" of hotels.
We dubiously clicked on the seventh one, which yielded four results. And, while we can't say anything bad about them, by no stretch of our imagination would we hasten to call any of these places "trendy."
Hotel Openings / Hotel News / Kimpton Hotels / Hotel WiFi / Hotel Art / For The Sake Of Hotel Art / Phoenix Hotels / → All Tags
Kimpton Goes Desert Chic With The New Palomar Phoenix, Opening June 5
Waaay, way back in 2009, we reported on an in-the-works project known as Hotel Palomar Phoenix, to be housed in a 34-story mixed use building known as CityScape. Well, that development took some twists and turns, but now the hotel is finally set to open on June 5 with starting rates of $149/night.
The Downtown Phoenix Journal is reporting that all 242 rooms will have a "desert-infused palette" of espresso brown, gray, beige and "pops" of orange, and its new GM, Jim Hollister, even compares the hotel's stark design to "that show Mad Men."
Although we personally don't let ourselves get too caught up in surface things like paint, wallpaper and fixtures unless the hotel has the goods to back them up. Which, like many Kimpton hotels before it, this one does.
What is This / Hotel Design / Scottsdale Hotels / Saguaro Hotels / → All Tags
What is This at The Saguaro in Scottsdale?
We like to keep it fun but informative here at HotelChatter so our newest series, What is This? is devoted to odd-looking items in hotel rooms that upon first glance look as if they serve only a decorative purpose. But everything happens for a reason, right? And we're here to tell you what these things really do.
Ok, this photo might be a little tooclose for you to make out exactly what it is but when you walk into one of the guestrooms at the Saguaro Hotel in Scottsdale, you will know immediately what you are looking at--a stylish air conditioner cover.
