Christmas in Scottsdale

The most memorable parts of the trip were going to see the luminaries (southwest holiday lights) at the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden and listening to all the musical performers and going to high tea at the Ritz Carlton Hotel down the road from the resort.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

You need to rent a car to get around. There are some good bus tours for day trips up to Sedona or around the Phoenix area.

Best Things Nearby:
Fashion Square Mall and Camelback Mountain are within walking distance; Old Town Scottsdale, Taliesin West, and Phoenix are less than 30 minutes away; and Sedona and Tucson are 2 hours away. To learn more about the resort, check out their website at www.scottsdalecamelback.com

Best Things About the Resort:
The room was the best I have stayed in in my five RCI trips so far. The grounds were immaculate, and they went all out decorating the place for the holidays.

Resort Experience:
The resort is nestled in by the base of Camelback Mountain, next to the famous Phoencian Resort, a short walk from downtown Scottsdale. The resort is well-maintained in a wonderful location, with plenty to do on site (miniature golf, a pool, a spa, a fireplace in the room, a restaurant, etc.). There is plenty to do in the area: golf, horseback rides, desert jeep tours, etc.

My favorite things were the day trips to Tucson and the Desert Museum and a day trip to Sedona to see the famous red rocks. I also highly recommend going to Taliesin West, which is Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture studio/school in Arizona—a one-of-a-kind experience, and the Heard Museum in Phoenix—the best Native American art museum in the world.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

We went to high tea (3pm) at the Ritz for a special holiday meal. The hotel was decorated for the holidays with a 15-foot tree with all the trimmings. For $29, you get all the tea you can drink from tuxedo-clad waiters in their tea room and a three-course meal of finger sandwiches, scones, and desserts.

The service was excellent and the surroundings were very refined. It added up to a low-cost meal in a high-class place. The added bonus was watching celebrities walking in and out of the lobby. We saw the Memphis Grizzlies NBA basketball team in the lobby getting ready to head over to the arena for a game with the Phoenix Suns.