Where to stay when you leave.
Dirty or With a Twist? Cooling Off at the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale
5/27/2008 at 3:41 PM
Tags: Hotel Renovations, Hotel Pools, Scottsdale Hotels
Want to swim in a martini olive-shaped pool? If you're a lover of martinis, then you should probably check into the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, Arizona where you'll get all the Fifties-era trimmings, history, and funky retro-chic flavor you could want. Oh yeah, and there's that oddly-shaped pool.
The V-Ho has earned its place in history. It opened its doors in 1956, and became the crash pad du jour for the Hollywood elite. It also made hotel industry waves for being the first to feature central air conditioning and TV sets in every room.
Narrowly escaping the wrecking ball during the 70s, it got a total renovation in 2005; it's now known as America's best-preserved mid-century modern hotel, if you dig modern architecture.
Today, as well as attracting celebrities, it's a favorite with 20- and 30-something Scottsdalees taking advantage of the Valley Ho's Trader Vic's bar with its on-site DJ and outdoor firepit, the restaurant/lounge at Cafe ZuZu, and the pool bar alongside the O Pool.
The rooms and suites are outfitted with stylish touches. For example, 21 suites have "open-air" bathrooms hidden behind pull curtains; executive suites have free-standing circular bathtubs big enough for two; and the tower suites have patios overlooking the pools and views of the Camelback Mountains.
Finally, 11 rooms have direct access to private cabanas, though guests can book their own, for a fee, for the duration of their stay (non-guests can also claim a paid space).
Guests have free access to The VH Spa, which recently added acupuncture to its menu. It also hit the Conde Nast Traveler Hot List in 2006.
Tripadvisor reviews for the most part rave about the Ho's "atomic age cool" and its location, which is walking distance to downtown Scottsdale. But there are several gripes about the location -- namely that it sits on a busy, noisy thoroughfare -- and that the staff could use a healthy refresher in customer service.
[Photo: Jared Kelly]
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