The grande dame of Scottsdale resorts, remade. A mother-of-pearl pool, a three-story spa and a championship course at the foot of Camelback Mountain.
The verdict: The Phoenician is Scottsdale's grande dame, best for travelers who want a full-service desert resort that covers golf, spa, family and fine dining in one place. Spread across 250 acres below Camelback Mountain, it pairs 645 renovated rooms and casitas with a multi-pool complex, a three-story spa, a rerouted 18-hole course and a two-acre cactus garden. Book a casita for space and quiet; expect a large, busy property at peak season.
Scored on our six-point framework. See our methodology for how the criteria are weighted.
Because it is the resort that does everything, at the address every other Scottsdale hotel measures itself against. The Phoenician opened in October 1988 as the most ambitious resort in Arizona and remains a landmark, set on 250 acres at the base of Camelback Mountain with a two-acre cactus garden of some 250 species, a multi-pool complex and the famous swimming pool finished entirely in mother-of-pearl tile. A three-year renovation between 2016 and 2018 modernized the guest rooms, the lobby, the pools and the golf course, so the grandeur now comes with a contemporary feel rather than a dated one. That combination of scale, setting and range is why The Phoenician earns the number two spot on our best hotels in Scottsdale guide.
Be clear about what the scale means. With 645 rooms, suites and casitas across a large property, this is a full-service destination resort rather than an intimate retreat, and part of a Scottsdale stay is walking or shuttling between the pools, the spa, the golf course and the restaurants. For a family or a group that wants a resort to be the whole holiday, that breadth is the appeal; for a couple after a small, hushed hideaway, a smaller Camelback property will suit better.
Book a casita if you want space and privacy, and otherwise a Camelback-view room in the main building. The casitas sit slightly apart from the central resort, which gives couples and small groups a quieter base with more room, while the renovated main rooms deliver Italian linens, generous bathrooms and desert or mountain outlooks. The rooms worth paying up for are the ones facing Camelback Mountain, since the view of the mountain at sunrise and sunset is the single most memorable thing about waking up here.
For a family, connecting rooms and suites make the practical difference, so confirm the configuration at booking. For an anniversary or a couples trip, ask about the casitas nearest the spa and the adult pool areas, which keep you closer to the quieter side of a resort that is genuinely large.
These three amenities are why The Phoenician functions as a destination rather than a place to sleep between rounds. The Phoenician Spa is a three-story facility that opened in 2018 with a rooftop pool, a Drybar and hydrotherapy circuits, and it is a serious wellness draw in its own right. The golf is an 18-hole championship course that was completely redesigned and rerouted, reopening in 2018 as a single par-71 layout in place of the earlier three nine-hole configuration, with the desert and the mountain framing the play.
Dining spans several rooms, anchored by J&G Steakhouse for prime cuts, seafood and a deep wine list and by Mowry & Cotton for a more relaxed, wood-grilled American menu and inventive cocktails, with the Thirsty Camel Lounge and an afternoon tea rounding out the day. Between the spa, the course, the pools and the restaurants, guests rarely need to leave the grounds, which is precisely the point of a resort at this scale.
It is best for travelers who want one resort to cover several trips at once: a golf-and-spa weekend, a family holiday and an anniversary can all happen here without changing hotels. It makes a strong case for an anniversary, a multigenerational family holiday or a golf getaway, because the pool complex, the kids' program, the spa and the course each stand on their own rather than feeling like afterthoughts. The convenience of being 15 minutes from Sky Harbor while sitting under Camelback Mountain is a further point in its favor.
It is less suited to couples who specifically want an adults-only, design-forward retreat. The Phoenician is large and family-friendly by design, and that energy is different from the quiet of a small boutique. For that trip, a more intimate Camelback property will serve better.
The Phoenician wins on range, pools and one-stop convenience; the alternatives win on intimacy, desert seclusion or a specific golf focus. The table sets it against three Scottsdale resorts travelers most often weigh against it.
| Resort | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| The Phoenician | All-in golf, spa, family and dining | Large and spread out; busy at peak |
| Sanctuary Camelback Mountain | Adults, design and a destination spa | Less built for young families |
| Four Seasons Troon North | Desert casitas and serious golf | Further out in the north desert |
| Andaz Scottsdale | Relaxed mid-century bungalow style | Less grand, no championship course |
Guest sentiment is strongest on the setting, the pools and the post-renovation rooms, and most critical on the scale and the cost. Reviewers consistently praise the Camelback Mountain views, the mother-of-pearl pool, the refreshed rooms and casitas and the range of dining, and the spa and golf course draw repeat visits on their own merits. The steadiest criticisms follow from the size: the property is large and involves walking or shuttling between amenities, service can feel stretched at peak season across so many rooms, and the real cost climbs once the resort fee, parking and dining are added to the rate. For a guest who wants a full-service desert resort, these are accepted trade-offs; for one after a small, quiet retreat, they point toward the smaller Camelback hotels.
From about $400/night. Independent review; we may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Off peak pricing, suite upgrades, and subscriber only offers, flagged only when the value is real.