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Condé Nast Traveler picks
 Best of Phoenix
Phoenix is on the move. The most populous state capital in the United States, it became the fifth-largest city in the country in 2005. For the traveler, however, the fact that the area is thriving and growing is probably less important than other distinctions that make Phoenix (and Scottsdale, which lies within its borders) stand out. What's the appeal? Because of the mild and dry climate (less than eight inches of rain per year on average), this is paradise for golfers—or anyone fleeing the cold of winter in points farther north. A variety of lodging options, from trendy to elegant, promise a resort to fit every taste. And the desert landscape, with its surreal boulders and sherbet-colored sunsets, is a startling contrast to other resort destinations.
Attractions & Activities Like every major metropolis, Phoenix has a world-class museum. Given the area's history, it's appropriate that the Heard Museum focuses on the cultures of the Native Americans of the Southwest. The main location has more than 130,000 square feet of displays of handicrafts and artwork, while a smaller satellite in Scottsdale, the Heard Museum North, hosts temporary exhibitions on subjects ranging from Navajo blankets to the intersection of Native American design and mid-century modernism. The Heard Museum West, scheduled to open in the summer of 2006, will have permanent exhibitions on Arizona's Native American communities, an outdoor space for festivals, and an area designed for children (602-252-8848; heard.org). One of the oldest resorts in the region, the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa, deserves a visit even if you aren't spending the night. The Biltmore's design was a collaboration between architect Frank Lloyd Wright and his student Albert Chase MacArthur, and its low-lying gray buildings, constructed with the distinctive "Biltmore Block," make up the world's only existing Wright-influenced hotel. An extensive restoration, completed in 1996, returned the landmark to its original state. The Biltmore makes a good introduction to Wright's design before the main course, his Taliesen West. Wright established the Taliesen school of architecture in 1932 and created two campuses for the community of architects and designers, one in Wisconsin and another here in Scottsdale. Reservation-only docent-led tours provide a fascinating look into the work and life of an American master (480-860-2700; franklloydwright.org). The Biltmore resort shares two golf courses with the adjacent Arizona Biltmore Country Club, where the greens fees are $48 for twilight play (602-955-9655; azbiltmoregc.com), but that's just the beginning for travelers looking to tee off in the desert. Greater Phoenix has nearly three dozen golf courses. Among the most famous are the two at the Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa, designed by Jay Morrish and with stunning desert panoramas. Twilight greens fees start at $55. While the Arizona Biltmore Country Club welcomes anyone who has a reserved tee time, the Boulders courses are open to players who are not resort guests on a space-available basis only. Another course at the top of any list of Phoenix's best golfing options is the Legend Trail Golf Club, designed by Rees Jones. It's located in Scottsdale, and the twilight greens fees are just $42 (480-488-7434; legend-trailgc.com). Any visit to Phoenix would be incomplete without seeing the desert landscape that surrounds it. Hot Air Balloon Company tours depart from the Deer Valley Airport, in northern Phoenix, each morning. The hour-and-a-half flight over the city and the surrounding Sonoran Desert is followed by a pastry breakfast (602-482-6030; arizonaballooning.com; $160 per person). Lodging Many of Phoenix's sprawling resorts are so inviting that once you've checked in, you might be tempted never to leave the grounds. The highest-scoring property in the area on Condé Nast Traveler's annual Gold List is the Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa, on 1,300 acres in the foothills of the Sonoran Desert. All of its casitas have wood-burning fireplaces, Native American artifacts, and local artwork. Unlike some of the properties in Phoenix and Scottsdale, the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, removed from the heart of the city, offers a sense of desert seclusion. The seven-year-old resort has rooms with telescopes for viewing the clear night skies. The Phoenician has 27 holes of golf and landscaped grounds with streams, waterfalls, and grottoes. Its guest rooms are large, and there are eight dining options. Other Phoenix properties included on the Gold List are the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa, the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, and the Royal Palms Resort and Spa. In Scottsdale, options include the Camelback Inn, the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, and the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch. In Paradise Valley, a small town adjacent to Scottsdale, the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain is an elegantly contemporary choice with a minimalist, though colorful, flair. Admittedly, Many of these properties cater to a typical resort clientele—well-heeled, perhaps a little older, and happy to call it a night early (after a day on the greens or lounging poolside). But Phoenix and Scottsdale are now attracting a new generation of visitors, and two options cater to those as interested in a drink at two and a tee time at ten. The first is the Mondrian Scottsdale, a converted motel given a makeover with a Mexican palette of bright pinks and purples. Once a home away from home for Bing Crosby, Janet Leigh, and Natalie Wood, the Hotel Valley Ho, an urban resort in the heart of Scottsdale, is a tribute to Rat Pack style and mid-century modern decor. In June 2006, a Trader Vic's brought a Polynesian touch to the retro hotel, rounding out its restaurant options. Dining Many of the area's best restaurants are at the resorts, and you should consider dining there even if you're not a guest. T. Cook's, at the Royal Palms Resort, frequently tops the "best of Phoenix" lists. The menu features innovative Tuscan and Spanish fare with American accents, fitting for the historic mission–style setting. Standouts include the pan-roasted duck breast with duck confit and orange-cranberry gratin and the grilled beef tenderloin with black truffles and Parmesan white polenta (602-840-3610; entrées, $24–$33). The most elegant option at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, the Marquesa is a local favorite. Spanish dishes are well represented on the menu—the paella Valenciana is one of chef Jorge Gallardo's specialties—although French and Italian options are also served. The Sunday brunch on the patio could be the highlight of a weekend in Scottsdale. Men are requested to wear jackets (480-585-4848; entrées, $36–$48). Not all the great food in Phoenix comes from the resort kitchens. At Roaring Fork, chef Robert McGrath serves up Western fare in a honky-tonk setting. But this is not your parents' barbecue. Instead of ribs and beans, think roasted rack of lamb with jalapeño jelly and almond-crusted trout in a smoked red bell pepper sauce (4800 N. Scottsdale Rd.; 480-947-0795; entrées, $17–$32). Old Town Scottsdale has shed its western roots in recent years with the opening of new bars and restaurants catering to a younger crowd. At one such establishment, Furio, the food doesn't compete with some of the area's other dining options, but it is solid: bruschetta, pasta and pizzas, pine nut–crusted halibut, herb-crusted chicken. The main draws, though, are the generous martinis and the lively crowd filling the glowing space—which has, appropriately enough as Phoenix joins the ranks of America's biggest cities, a metropolitan feel (7210 E. Second St.; 480-945-6600; entrées, $12–$23). Truth in Travel is the guiding principle for all content published in Condé Nast Traveler. Other travel publications often accept free travel and accommodations. Condé Nast Traveler does not. It is independent of the travel industry. The magazine always pays its way, and, as far as possible, its correspondents travel anonymously. By doing so, they experience the world—both the good and the bad—as other travelers do, and their reports and recommendations are fair, impartial, and authoritative.
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