Beautiful Scottsdale Resort

Wonderful restaurant at the resort called Andre's. I most enjoyed sitting by the pool at the cabana bar, relaxing under the mist spray and sipping on some Daiquiris.

Quick Tips:

Arrive early to take full advantage of the numerous ammenities.

Best Way To Get Around:

Getting around Scottsdale should be done by car - mostly because it's always so hot out! It's also pretty spread out, but there's a lot of parking available to get out and walk around the central area.

I recently took advantage of one of IgoUgo’s "Travel On Us" opportunities and had a wonderful stay at the Radisson Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, AZ. Radisson Scottsdale The Resort was beautifully landscaped, filled with desert palms, cacti of every shape and size, and a bountiful selection of vibrant flowering plants. I felt relaxed the minute I entered the lobby of the resort. Refreshingly composed of marble and tile with green accents and a large fountain with a beautiful flower arrangement in its center. In the background you could hear the faint sound of piano music. The staff were all very courteous and we were kindly upgraded to a beautiful suite right near the main swimming pool. The resort was undergoing some construction in another part of their property, so they wanted to make sure we were in an undisturbed area.

Our suite was quite marvelous, split between two levels with a full bath, kitchenette, and living room on the first floor, and the bedroom and another full bath on the second floor. It was complete with all the necessary amenities: coffeemaker, TV, mini-bar, ironing board and bathrobes (which could be purchased if desired). The living room opened out into a small patio area that overlooked the garden surrounding the main pool and cabana bar. The hotel restaurant and bar were located just beyond the pool area (see dining entries for more details).

The resort was also comprised of 21 tennis courts, golf course and separate spa and fitness area. The resort fee (which was waived for us) allows access to all of these amenities, though the Spa services are must be purchased separately (see other activities for more details).

We had a very enjoyable stay at the resort and would highly recommend it to others, and hope to return again soon!

We ate at Andre’s Restaurant twice during our stay – for dinner and for breakfast, and had a wonderful meal on both occasions. It was elegantly designed with a casual atmosphere, and you can choose to sit either in the main restaurant or outdoor patio – we sat outside which was surrounded by a refreshing mist spray – perfect for the hot Arizona weather. The dinner menu had a large array of choices and an extensive beverage listing. The waiters were all very nice and were knowledgeable in the menu selections, which aided us in our meal selections. We finally decided on the Top Sirloin and the Rib-eye (best I’ve had!), and a couple Hefeweizens (wheat beer). We paid $70 for our meal and gratuity, which I thought was quite reasonable. It was most definitely a great meal and a nice end to the day.

Their breakfast selection was also quite large: eggs, omelettes, fresh fruit etc. We elected to go with the breakfast buffet because we couldn’t make up our minds on what we wanted to eat. The buffet cost $10 and included scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, French toast, cereal, fresh fruit, yogurt, juice, and coffee. It was all quite good, my only complaint was that the eggs were a bit on the cold side – most probably because we arrived during the last hour of breakfast.

The Taps lounge was decorated in an elegant nautical theme, with propeller fans and sail-like awnings covering the bar. You enter the lounge from the lobby and first walk through a small gaming area – comprised of two billiard tables, a video game, and a couple TV’s. Down a few steps to the lounge, there was comfy seating at the bar, or small sitting areas to choose from. It seemed to cater to a mostly older crowd, but we did notice a few families there. They offer a full menu and drink selection to choose from which were all reasonably priced: appetizers and salads $4-$8, pizza and sandwiches $8-$12, as well as entrees in the $20 range. They carried a great selection of international beers for around $5 as well as the usual mixed and frozen drinks, which could be ordered in jumbo sizes for about $10. We ordered some Bruschetta ($6) and a couple of drinks, and found everything to be quite good. It was a nice place to just sit back and relax.

The Mist Spa is a featured part of the Radisson Resort, but can also be visited by non-guests of the resort. The Spa and Fitness area was quite large complete with it's own zen garden, and offered a large selection of treatments to choose from. Entry to the area is included in the Resort Fee, but the spa treatments must be paid for separately. They really covered all the bases, offering all the latest massage treatments (stone massage, reiki, shiatsu), wraps (dead sea mud wrap, green tea detoxifying wrap), facials, and back, hand or foot treatments to name just a few. Price ranged from $65 (25 minutes) to $155 (80 minutes). In addition, they had a full salon, which offered haircuts ($30), hot stone manicures and pedicures ($45-$65), makeup ($45) and waxing services ($15-$75). If you wanted to really indulge, you could purchase one of the many spa packages, ranging in price from $150 - $450. The fitness area was nicely laid out with all the latest equipment and provided for a good workout. They also offered several services with their certified fitness trainers (1 hour with a trainer cost $65). Unfortunately, we didn’t have much time to take full advantage of the Spa, nor the funds to really indulge.

The Mist Spa

Scottsdale is a beautiful city comprised mostly of resorts (over 60) and golf courses (nearly 200). I recommend visiting in autumn and winter - as it can get quite hot in the summer - I was there in early June and it was about 100 degrees. HOT! There are tons of art galleries and museums to visit, most notably is Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West - which was designed as his home as well as an architectural school. It has since become an National Landmark and is open to visitors. Shopping in Scottsdale is another reason to visit, there are numerous upscale stores and boutiques lining the main city streets.

Parts of Scottsdale also have a very wild, wild west kind of feel. I enjoyed just driving around the back roads which were lined with cacti of every shape and size. I am looking forward to making another trip back when I'll have more time to really check out the sights.