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JDV's First Hotel Outside of California, The Saguaro, is Now Open

Where: 4000 N Drinkwater Blvd [map], Scottsdale, AZ, United States, 85251

Fresh off the news that Joie De Vivre Hotels has merged with Thompson Hotels, the California-based hotel collection has just announced the opening of its very first hotel outside of the Golden State--The Saguaro in Scottsdale.

Previously, this hotel was to be called The Drinkwater but the owners changed the name to Saguaro to reflect the hotel's tie to the Southwest region and the experience that will be offered to guests. Also, saguaro is a type of cactus and is prominently featured on the hotel's website and throughout the hotel.

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Tanning Concierges / Concierges / W Hotels / Scottsdale Hotels / → All Tags

10 Tips From The W Scottsdale Tanning Concierge

Where: 7277 E. Camelback Road [map], Scottsdale, AZ, United States, 85251

As if this nasty-gross heat wave weren't proof enough, we are in the throes of summer. To take full advantage of the sizzling sun, the W Scottsdale has offered some tips on how to get a burn-free bronze.

The hotel's complimentary on-call tanning concierge will do everything from book you appointments for an airbrush tan in your room to give you advice on what to pack for your Arizona trip. Below are the tanning concierge's Top 10 tips to safe summer skin:

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Hotel Rebrandings / Hotel Renovations / Joie De Vivre Hotels / JDV Hotels / Scottsdale Hotels / → All Tags

Joie De Vivre Will Open The Drinkwater in Scottsdale This Fall

The old Hotel Theodore formerly known as The Mondrian Scottsdale nee James Scottsdale has finally gotten a new identity, The Drinkwater, which comes from the hotel's location on Drinkwater Boulevard. (That name came about in honor of Scottsdale's former four-term mayor, Herb Drinkwater.)

If you recall, the hotel was snapped up by Joie De Vivre Hotels back in February and when it reopens in the fall will actually be JDV's first hotel outside of California.

Right now, the place is undergoing some "reimagination" to showcase the spirit of the Southwest as envisioned by architects Peter Stamberg and Paul Aferiat of Stamberg Aferiat Architecture.. The hotel is not closed but there is limited availability.

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Hotel Hype / Hotel Rumors / Ace Hotels / Joie de Vivre Hotels / JDV Hotels / Phoenix Hotels / → All Tags

Is An Ace Hotel Opening in Scottsdale? No, It's Not

We got a tad too excited when we saw some internet chatter saying the hipster hotel brand du jour, Ace Hotels, would open in Scottsdale but upon closer look, it was just wishful thinking.

The Phoenix New Times reports that the James Scottsdale, Mondrian Scottsdale, er the Hotel Theodore could turn into an Ace Hotel now that The Sydell Group (the owners of the Ace NYC and Ace Palm Springs) have purchased the property with plans for a renovation and a rebranding.

We agree--an Ace Scottsdale is an excellent idea. Why have a random boutique hotel like the Theodore when you could capitalize off the success of the fun Ace brand?

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Scottsdale's Hotel Theodore Will Become Joie De Vivre's First Non-Californian Conquest

Where: 7353 East Indian School Road [map], Scottsdale, AZ, United States, 85251

Relationships: they don't last long these days, do they? Just 11 months since the Mondrian Scottsdale became the Hotel Theodore, it’s been dumped by its owners GF Hospitality, and, just in time for Valentine's, sparked up a new relationship. The new owner is the Sydell Group (which formerly brought you the Aces New York and Palm Springs, and the Nomad in NYC), and the hotel will be managed by Joie de Vivre – making it the first property outside of California for JdV.

The hotel will be “reconceived and relaunched” as a Joie de Vivre hotel this Fall, and they’re promising a “significant renovation” including a “new restaurant concept”. What to expect? Something pretty traditional by the sounds of it:

Sydell Group and Joie de Vivre will focus renovation and rebranding plans on embracing the property’s Southwestern roots in order to give the hotel a true sense of place.

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Hotel Rebranding / Hotel News / Hotel Name Changes / Scottsdale Hotels / Morgans Hotel Group / → All Tags

The Mondrian Scottsdale Is Now The Hotel Theodore

Where: 7353 E Indian School Rd [map], Scottsdale, AZ, United States, 85251

Forget trying to accumulate Virgin America points at the The Mondrian Scottsdale. Morgans Hotel Group ran the hotel up until Tuesday but since they foreclosed on the property back in December, Bank of America has taken over the unwanted property and replaced the brand with an independent management company, GF Hospitality. The hotel will now be known as The Hotel Theodore.

Dawn Gilbertson at the Arizona Republic reports that most of the Mondrian's staff remains although the hotel will have a new general manager. Additionally, the hotel's far-out trippy design might get toned down a bit:

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Hotel Closings / W Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Disputes / → All Tags

Hold The Phone: W Scottsdale NOT Closing at End of 2009

Where: 7277 East Camelback Road [map], Scottsdale, AZ, United States, 85251

This morning things looked positive that the W Scottsdale would be closing at the end of 2009 but K.C. Kavanagh, VP of public relations for W Hotels, has told us that the hotel has no intention of reflagging (in which the W brand would move out of the hotel) and that guests can now book well into 2010 at the hotel. We tried a weekend in February of 2010 and it worked, although the rate was $749 a night.

The hotel is still in foreclosure but Kavanagh wants to assure future guests that this will not impact their hotel stay:

While there is a dispute between Triyar ( the developer of W Scottsdale) and the hotel's construction general contractor which has generated headlines, this is expected to have little or no impact on the day-to-day operations of the hotel or the service we provide our guests. W Hotels, which is not involved in this business dispute, continues to manage and operate the hotels, and it is business as usual on property.

Kavanagh went on to say that the hotel has been sold out "several times over the last few weeks" and that she is confident W will have a "successful future" in Scottsdale.

Well, that makes us hotel geeks happy. We never like to see a W close down. But still we'd like to hear from you. Have you stayed at the W Scottsdale? Wanna give us your review? Put it in comments below. Got any more gossip on the closing? Let us know.

Hotel Closings / W Hotels / Scottsdale Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags

W Scottsdale Is Definitely Closing at the End of 2009

Where: 7277 East Camelback Road [map], Scottsdale, AZ, United States, 85251

[UPDATE: The W Hotel Scottsdale is NOT CLOSING at the end of 2009. Go here for complete update.]

When we heard yesterday that the troubled W Scottsdale was closing at the end of 2009, we wanted to give the less-than-a-year-old property the benefit of the doubt by wondering if Starwood would step in and save the W before 2009 was out. But a W source tells us that's not likely:

Hopefully Starwood will intervene, but in times like these I dunno know if there's much they can (or will) do.

Another tipster tells us that you definitely cannot make a reservation on the W Scottsdale website past Dec. 31, 2009. And since Starwood Hotels allow you to make reservations 550 days in advance, that's a sure sign the property is closing.

Lastly, Suge Knight could have been the thug that broke the W's back. A third tipster tells us that Suge's recent physical alteration (he was punched in the face twice) took place at the W Scottsdale, as was reported in the Arizona Republic.

Seriously, we aren't so sure if we've ever heard of a hotel so cursed within a year of opening. At this point, it's definitely better for karma purposes to get rid of the W name. The neighbors may be happy the noisy parties will be gone but it sucks that the Phoenix-Scottsdale area loses out on the W. Thankfully, the Mondrian is still around.

Have you stayed at the W Scottsdale? Wanna give us your review? Put it in comments below. Got any more gossip on the closing? Let us know.

[Photo: *wood]

Hotel Closings / W Hotels / Scottsdale Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags

W Scottsdale To Close At the End of 2009?

Where: 7277 East Camelback Road [map], Scottsdale, AZ, United States, 85251

The writing has been on the wall for quite some time for the W Scottsdale. From several opening delays to noisy parties that pissed off the neighbors to disputes between the developers and the owners over money, the W hotel has been cursed from the start.

And now it will be put out of its misery. According to a source inside W Hotels:

So, apparently the W Scottsdale won’t be able to recover from its issues in time to keep their flag. They are officially closing at the end of 2009. Sad...it’s such a nice property.

No surprise here but it's such a shame that the developer and owner could not pull this project together. However, if the W is closing at the end of 2009 you still have almost a year to redeem or earn SPG points for staying there. No word yet on what type of hotel will take its place. Since we're in a gossipy mood today, if anyone has more dirt on the hotel closing, please email us.

[Photo: *wood]

Snapshot / Hotel Indigo / Scottsdale Hotels / → All Tags

The Hotel Indigo Scottsdale Has Interesting Wallpaper

Where: 4415 N Civic Center Plz [map], Scottsdale, AZ, United States, 85251

As we mentioned last week Hotel Indigo is planning an aggressive expansion, meaning that everywhere us guests turn we might find a new Hotel Indigo. If you aren't familiar with the philosophy behind HI, it's to be a personalized hotel experience for the frequent business traveler, and not every hotel is alike.

Personalization is achieved through amenities and services like oversized beds and pillows, free wireless and lobbies that are conducive for post-work socializing, but also by incorporating much of the hotel's local flavor into the design. Some of this stuff makes sense, like artwork from local artists displayed in the lobbies and rooms. Some of it does not make sense, like the giant hanging floral basket at the just-opened Hotel Indigo Paddington in London.

Anyways, since we might be seeing more of Indigo in the future, we thought we'd show you this Flickr shot of a room inside the Hotel Indigo Scottsdale. Yes, that's cactus photo wallpaper. Um. Ouch?

Room rates at this hotel start at around $209 a night. The Paddington branch.

Hotel Woes / W Hotels / Scottsdale Hotels / → All Tags

W Scottsdale Still Cannot Get It Right

Where: 7277 East Camelback Road [map], Scottsdale, AZ, United States, 85251

It turns out we might have answer to all those delays that plagued the opening of the W Scottsdale. The hotel's owner, Triyar Hospitality, and the construction company, Hunt Construction Group are embroiled in a lawsuit over $20 million in payments that Hunt claims Triyar still owes. Triyar on the other hand says that Hunt did shoddy work, went $57 million over budget and held up the hotel's opening date over a year.

According to the Arizona Republic, it seems as though Triyar is the reason behind all the delays:

It [Hunt Construction Group] cites more than 215 revisions to the original plan, the latest less than two months before the hotel opened. Its lien says it did $21.4 million in extra work "at the special insistence and request of" Triyar.

Hunt contends the project was behind from the start, with Triyar providing late, and sometimes incomplete or faulty, drawings and other building plans. It said the original design of the parking garage ramp, for example, couldn't accommodate certain types of cars.

Not only that but an additional 30 liens have also been filed by other sub-contractors all claiming that Tryiar still owes some money.

All this legal wrangling has the potential to put the property into foreclosure with the lenders, and Triyar could lose the property, which was their first attempt at building a hotel. Let’s just hope the W Scottsdale doesn’t end up like the W Honolulu-Diamond Head which also went into foreclosure before being purchased, and now renamed.

[Photo: *wood]

W Hotels / Scottsdale Hotels / Hotel Amenities / → All Tags

W Scottsdale Knows That Looks Are Important

Where: 7277 East Camelback Road [map], Scottsdale, AZ, United States, 85251

The neighbors may have some issues with the new W Scottsdale hotel but there is no denying that this place looks very cool. Thanks to Budget Travel, we skipped over to *Wood, an informal blog about Starwood Hotels which has just posted pics and video of the W Scottsdale. From *wood:

With every turn of my head, I found something new begging my curiosity. Let’s start with the living room, which was seductively lit and speckled with design-heavy chairs and couches arranged to facilitate close conversation. Each section of seating had its own unique styles and fabrics. Upon entering the public washrooms, a communal block of sinks broke the divide between the sexes and forced opportunistic co-mingling . . . and that’s just the beginning of the cool factor.

Hahah. "Opportunistic co-mingling"--that sounds just like W speak! *wood also checked out a studio suite which had a computer on the desk as part of the amenities. That's definitely the way to win our hearts. However, we didn't learn much from this post about the service or the pricing. But we do know that W music is thumping in the rooftop pool through an underwater stereo system. We are sure the neighbors loved that.

[Photo: *wood]