THE RED ROCKS RETREAT

SEDONA HAS GROWN SINCE WE WERE LAST THERE, BUT THE SCENERY IS STILL WONDERFUL. WE DROVE TO PRESCOTT TO CHECK OUT REAL ESTATE, UP TO SEDONA, OVER TO MONUMENT VALLEY, WITH AN OVERNIGHT STAY IN "MEXICAN HAT", TO THE VALLEY OF THE GODS, AND THEN TO THE PETRIFIED FOREST IN THE PAINTED DESERT. IF YOU LIKE ROCKS, YOU'LL LIKE THESE PLACES!

WE ALSO STOPPED AT MONTEZUMA'S CASTLE - INTERESTING BUT NOT EXACTLY A MUST. THE SHOPPING AREAS HAVE REALLY EXPANDED, AND IF JEWELRY AND ART GALLERIES ARE YOUR THING, AND YOU HAVE MONEY TO BURN, YOU'LL HAVE PLENTY TO DO AND SPEND IN SEDONA. YOU MUST TAKE THE DRIVE UP TOWARDS FLAGSTAFF THROUGH OAK CREEK CANYON. THE TREES WERE TURNING COLORS, THE CREEK WAS RUNNING, AND IT MADE FOR PLEASANT HIKING.

NATURE IS AT IT'S BEST IN SEDONA AND OAK CREEK CANYON.

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NOT A HUGE COMPLEX - SMALLER AND QUIETER.

Resort Experience:
THE ONE BEDROOM IS A VERY GOOD SIZED UNIT WITH A FULL KITCHEN (SMALL, BUT VERY ADEQUATE) FIREPLACE, AND A GOOD SIZED BATHROOM WITH JACUZZI TUB. THE SUMMIT IS NOT A LARGE COMPLEX AND ONLY TWO FLOORS HIGH (WHICH IS TO OUR LIKING). IT'S SET OFF BY ITSELF, WHICH ADDS TO THE QUIET AT NIGHT. WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH OUR ROOM THOUGH - THE BALCONY FACED THE HIGHWAY. I HAD REQUESTED A "VIEW ROOM" A FEW DAYS BEFORE CHECK IN, BUT WHEN WE GOT THERE WE WERE TOLD IT WAS GONE BECAUSE IT'S FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE - CHECK IN STARTS ON FRIDAY AND OUR CHECK IN DAY WAS SUNDAY, SO EVERYTHING GOOD WAS GONE.

ANYWAY, SINCE IT WAS SO QUIET, THE ROAD NOISE BECAME MORE INTRUSIVE AND IT DISTURBED OUR SLEEP - PLUS THE VETICALS WERE BROKEN AND COULDN'T BE CLOSED ALL THE WAY - LIGHT CAME IN. WELL, AT ABOUT 4:30AM, I WENT DOWN TO THE FRONT DESK AND POLITELY SAID THIS WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE. SHE WAS VERY UNDERSTANDING ABOUT OUR SITUATION AND DILIGENTLY SCANNED THE COMPUTER FOR ANOTHER ROOM. SHE FOUND US ANOTHER ROOM - FROM THIS BALCONY, WE OVERLOOKED THE POOL AND COULD WATCH THE SUN SET AS WELL - NOW EVERYTHING WAS FINE (WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHECK IN PERSON TELLING ME NOTHING WAS AVAILABLE???). I WAS TOLD THOUGH THAT THERE ARE NOT MANY ROOMS WITH VIEWS AND I WOULD BELIEVE THAT STATEMENT.

MAID SERVICE ONLY COMES ONCE A WEEK, UNLESS YOU REQUEST MORE SERVICE. THEY CHANGE LINENS, TAKE OUT THE TRASH, AND VACUUM - THAT'S IT. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF LAUNDRY ROOMS AROUND THE COMPLEX, BUT ONLY HAVE TWO WASHERS AND TWO DRYERS IN THEM. THEY ONLY CHARGE $.75 A WASH AND $.50 TO DRY (AND THE CLOTHES DRIED FOR THE $.50!). THE POOL ISN'T THAT LARGE, BUT I DOUBT IF THAT'S A PROBLEM AS MOST PEOPLE AREN'T THERE DURING THE DAY ANYWAY. ALL IN ALL, WE LIKED THE SUMMIT.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Not Available
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Good
• Service: Good

WE WERE GIVEN A DISCOUNT COUPON FOR THE HIDEAWAY AND SINCE WE WERE NEAR BY, THOUGHT WE'D GO THERE FOR LUNCH. IT IS A VERY SMALL ESTABLISHMENT - MAYBE TEN TABLES INSIDE. IT HAS A SPORTS BAR TYPE ATMOSPHERE WITH A COUPLE OF TVS AND BEER SIGNS ON THE WALLS! THERE IS A DECK ON THE OUTSIDE THAT SITS JUST ABOUT IN THE TREES FOR OUTSIDE EATING AND HAS A VERY NICE VIEW OF SOME RED ROCKS. THE LUNCHEON MENU IS SMALL AND CONSISTS OF SANDWICHES - PASTRAMI, TUNA MELT, TURKEY CLUB, ETC. THERE'S HAMBURGERS AND PIZZA ALSO. MOST ITEMS WERE $7.95 AND INCLUDED A SMALL PORTION OF POTATO SALAD.

IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE IN THAT AREA AND HAVE YOUR JEANS AND SWEATSHIRT ON AND WANT TO SIT A SPELL AND HAVE AN OK, INEXPENSIVE BITE TO EAT, IT'LL DO.

THERE ARE SMALL DINING AREAS OR ROOMS WITHIN THE RESTAURANT, CREATING A MORE QUIET AND INTIMATE SETTING. THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WERE DRESSED MORE UP THEN DOWN - MEN WORE SLACKS AND JACKETS AND THE LADIES WORE DRESSES OR DRESS PANTS. IT'S STILL SEDONA, AND IF YOU WANT TO WEAR JEANS AND A SHIRT AND YOU HAVE THE MONEY, YOU WON'T GET TURNED AWAY! (A COUPLE OF MEN WORE DRESS JEANS WITH A JACKET).

THE MENU VARIED FROM STEAKS AND CHOPS TO VARIOUS FISH DISHES WITH VARIOUS SAUCES - (EX. - ALASKAN HALIBUT WITH WASABI SOY BUTTER SAUCE). THE SELECTIONS WERE PRICED FROM $22 TO $30. JOHN HAD "RACK OF LAMB AND SALMON". THE RACK CONSISTED OF TWO SMALL CHOPS! - BUT THEY WERE VERY GOOD AND SO WAS THE SALMON. THE SERVICE WAS EXCELLENT, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM THIS TYPE OF RESTAURANT (I PREFERRED THE BUS BOY TO THE WAITER - NOT AS SNOOTY!).

EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T DRINK, THE WINE LIST IS EXTENSIVE AND I'M SURE SUITABLE TO EVERYONE'S TASTES (THEY DO HAVE A STEAK SPECIAL ON MONDAY NIGHTS FOR $15 AND THEY ARE VERY BUSY ON THAT NIGHT).

THE "STICKS" PART OF THE RESTAURANT IS ANOTHER ROOM CONSISTING OF POOL TABLES, BAR/LOUNGE, AND FIREPLACE. AFTER YOU EAT, YOU CAN TAKE LEAVE TO THIS ROOM, TAKE OFF YOUR JACKET, ORDER A COGNAC OR ASNIFTER OF BRANDY, BUY AND LIGHT UP AND EXPENSIVE CIGAR, AND PLAY POOL. THE FOOD WAS VERY GOOD AND A PLEASANT DINING EXPERIENCE.

WITH THE WORLD SERIES BEING PLAYED WHILE WE WERE ON OUR TRIP, WE WANTED A PLACE TO WATCH THE GAME. "ON THE ROCKS" IS AN UPSCALE SPORTS BAR WITH 14 TV'S AND ONE 100 SQUARE FOOT SCREEN - PERFECT FOR WATCHING BASEBALL (OR ANY SPORT FOR THAT MATTER).

THE ATMOSPHERE IS OBVIOUSLY CASUAL. MOST PATRONS HAD JEANS ON BUT WERE STILL NICELY DRESSED. THE FOOD OFFERINGS VARY FROM BURGERS AND SPECIAL SALADS TO RIBS AND SHRIMP. WE HAD BURGERS AND FRIES AND YOU RECEIVED GOOD PORTIONS - IT'S NOT INEXPENSIVE, BUT YOU GOT GOOD FOOD AND GOOD PORTIONS. THE WAITRESS WAS FRIENDLY AND ATTENTIVE. SINCE THE ANGELS WON THE GAME THAT NIGHT, OUR EXPERIENCE AT "ON THE ROCKS" WAS AN EVEN MORE PLEASANT ONE!

JUDI'S IS A QUAINT AND VERY NICE RESTAURANT. IT HAS DIVIDED ROOMS, EACH WITH A FIREPLACE. THE DECOR IS COZY AND COMFORTABLE - THERE ARE PIECES OF ANTIQUE FURNITURE HERE AND THERE TO LEND TO THE HOMEY FEEL. THE DRESS IS CASUAL. THE MENU IS VARIED AND PLEASANTLY PRICED. RIBS, STEAK, PASTA, AND FISH ARE AVAILABLE.

JUDI'S IS KNOWN FOR ITS BBQ BABY BACK RIBS SO WE GAVE IT A TRY. LUCKY FOR US, WE WENT ON A SATURDAY NIGHT WHERE THE SPECIAL IS "ALL YOU CAN EAT BBQ'D RIBS" FOR $21. THE SALAD COMES WITH ALL ROMAINE LETTUCE - VERY FRESH AND QUITE TASTY. AS FOR THE RIBS, WELL, YOU DID NOT NEED A KNIFE TO CUT ANYTHING - THE MEAT CAME RIGHT OFF THE BONES! NO PULLING APART THESE RIBS! THE BBQ SAUCE WAS GOOD - JOHN'S ONLY COMPLAINT WAS THAT IT WASN'T SPICY ENOUGH, BUT HE LIKES HIS SAUCE HOT AND SPICY. THIS SAUCE WAS MORE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD FOR MOST TO ENJOY.

THEY ALSO HAVE HOMEMADE DESSERTS, INCLUDING THE ICE CREAM! WE HAD CARROT CAKE AND VANILLA ICE CREAM - ENJOYED THAT VERY MUCH. WE ENJOYED EVERYTHING ABOUT JUDI'S - FROM THE COMFORT AND COZINESS, TO THE FRIENDLY SERVICE, TO THE GOOD FOOD AT A GOOD PRICE!