Weekend in Arizona

As a long time Chicago Cubs fan, I really enjoyed seeing them play a spring training game for the first time in my life. I also enjoyed seeing Frank Lloyd Wright's Winter home and school, Taliesin West - an amazing place.

Quick Tips:

I went in early spring, so the weather wasn't an issue, but all of the activities I enjoyed would be difficult to do in the middle of the summer. Best to do all outdoor activities in the morning, when it's still cool.

Best Way To Get Around:

Although there is much to see that may require walking, I strongly reccommend having a car to get around. The Phoenix area is very large, and the freeways make it easy to cover large areas in a little time.

The room I stayed in can be best described as a 2 story townhouse - seperate from the main building, it housed 4 seperate units. My room was large and comfortable, clean and well maintained. There was a small pool just outside my porch doors. My only complaint with the room was that the heater was a bit noisy, as was the plumbing; I heard all the water through the pipes from the room above.

The grounds were beautiful, complete with a large, clean pool, tennis courts, and a health club and spa, which was huge.

The hotel featured 2 restaurants, and a micro pub bar. The concierge at the hotel was excellent - friendly, warm, and very smart - she knew where to go and how to get there, and provided free detailed maps.

Finally, this hotel offers free narrated tours of the Scottsdale landscape around the grounds - a nice touch.

Taliesin West is an amazing place - it is both the Winter Studio and an accredited, fully credentialed Architecture School. In fact students live, work and study right here, in tents and outdoor habitats with nature.

Wright blends nature into this amazing campus setting in a way that has to be seen to be believed.

I visited Wright's office, the "living room", the music hall, and other building during my tour - the insights tour, which I highly reccommend.