Canyon Suites at The Phoenician, Scottsdale

100   Recommended
Suite
September 8, 2014 by EXPERT

 Map | 2 Reviews | 100% Recommended
Share
Save
Liked:
Location
 
Service
 
Food
 
Amenities
 
Room
 

{{ oRightNav.heading }}

Canyon Suites At Phoenician
 Map | 2 Reviews | 100% Recommended

Save

Share

Suite

Liked:
Location
Service
Food
Amenities
Room
Stats
Room
Suite

I booked a industry rate at the hotel and was confirmed into a Grand Deluxe room in the Main Building. A few days prior to arrival I was informed by the hotel that we had been upgraded into a 2 bedroom suite in the Canyon Suites. The hotel graciously extended a $50 per day breakfast credit as well. For those who may be unfamiliar of the Resort, The Phoenician is a lushly landscaped oasis at the foot of Camelback Mountain and has some very nice views of the valley. It is comprised of the Main Building which is the hub of the Resort; the Casitas which surround the pool and are closer in proximity, thusly, to the pool and spa; the Canyon Suites, which is a separate facility a short distance away from the Main Building; and the Canyon Suite Residences.

Arrival

As we drove from Las Vegas (a VERY boring drive and given Arizonan drivers I would most definitely elect to fly next time!!) we arrived in the late afternoon. As you enter the resort compound there is a guard shack where you need to stop at first. In our case, we gave our names and the guard directed us to the Canyon Suites. Once at the Canyon Suites Porte Cochere, an Ambassador is standing there to welcome you while the bell men handle your luggage. The Canyon Suites Ambassadors are your one-stop liaison while in Residence -- the check-in was quick and we were escorted to our suite promptly.

Room

Our room was a 2 bedroom suite consisting of a 1 bedroom suite connecting to a room with 2 double beds (since we were a party of 3). The suite is about 1200 sq ft. Upon entry into the suite, to the right is a small hallway with a powder room and ample closet space for an extended stay. It also leads to the doorway which connects to the second room. Straight ahead from the entry way is first a work desk area with a Bose stereo system and beyond that a sitting area. The bedroom and master bath is to the right of the living area. To the left of the sitting area is a dining table and beyond that is the furnished balcony with a view of the gold course and the valley and mountains beyond. The master bath featured double vanities, a separate shower, separate WC and a jacuzzi tub. Toiletries are Remede.

The Living room

The connecting double room featured two large almost queen sized beds and was about 600 sq ft in size. It also featured a large balcony and the bathroom is virtually the same as the suite with deep soaking tub (non-jetted), separate WC and separate shower. Toiletries were also Remede. Combined we had a 1800 sq ft sanctuary. The decor is contemporary "international luxury" which is calming but a may be a little bland for some. It certainly does not have the sense of place that the Four Seasons Scottsdale has (report forthcoming) but does accomplish the aim of creating a restful sanctuary for the guests. The physical plant is fairly well maintained and the resort itself, I thought, was VERY well maintained.

Dining area with Living area in background -- note the beautiful sunset

The Canyon Suites

The Canyon Suites is a separate facility and is, for the most part, a separate hotel with separate check-in/out facilities and its own staff. There is no restaurant on site at the Canyon Suites but it does have its own pool and is a a very nice facility. Staff will drive you within the resort in golf buggies or if available a house Mercedes R class SUV, which can also take you to the Fashion Mall near Old Town Scottsdale, a couple miles away. The Canyon Suites is, however, a bit of a misnomer as not all the room are suites. The largest implication may be when redeeming Star points for reward nights or upgrades. Many of the suite connectors which make up a 2 bedroom suite are regular rooms but are cut a little more generously from that of the Main Building. These are sold separately as rooms in the Canyon Suites.

Master bedroom with dining area beyond

The Canyon Suites are perfect for those who want some R&R. It is tranquil and very restful -- we watched bunnies scurry around on the lawn outside the balcony while listening to the birds chirping in the background in the morning and throughout the day to the cricekts singing in the evenings. It is perfect for those who want to escape and hide in their own sanctuary; it is perfect for multigenerational families who want to be in one place with some privacy but also within proximity to the other facilities.

The connecting bedroom

The Canyon Suites offer some additional amenities for staying there -- complimentary high speed internet, complimentary valet parking, complimentary tea and coffee service every morning; complimentary juices and light snacks during the day in the Lobby and wine tastings during the weekdays in the evenings as well as the car service are the additional perks of staying at the Canyon Suites.

The Main Building

The Main Building is where the main check-in, Concierge, restaurants, conference facilities, and shoppes are located. Here all the rooms are identical -- the only difference is the view. Deluxe rooms offer views of Camelback Mountain and the Cactus Garden (of which there are complimentary guided tours at 9am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and must be booked with the Concierge) whilst Superior rooms offer no views and the Grand Deluxe rooms of the pools, resort and the valley and mountains beyond. Each room has a balcony, king or 2 doubles, a seating area and a large bath with deep soaking tub, separate WC, separate shower, vanity and Remede toiletries. They are, it feels a shade under 600 sq ft. The Casitas are cut a little smaller and basically are in clusters surrounding the pool and have their own parking area close to the casitas. Many regulars often request their favourite casitas time and time again. The Suites in the Main Building are pretty ordinary and for the price differential it is recommended to book the Canyon Suites instead.

Dining

On our first night we ate the Relish Burger Bistro at the hotel which features an extensive menu of tequilas and, according to the local newspaper, Scottsdale's best burgers which use American Kobe beef. My friend and I split the Big Bertha, a massive double decker hamburger featuring two half pound patties with their signature chopped salad on top. This came with a side of tater tots. We struggled to finish the burger splitting it. Apparently a 12 year old boy finished it himself!!! The burgers are very good here and highly recommended. The BBQ chicken nachos are also very addicting and very very good -- for us, the Happy Hour half priced, half sized portion was perfect to share between 3 people before attempting to eat their massive burgers.

All in all, a very fun and tasty place to enjoy a moderately priced meal and is perfect for kids. For breakfast we ate once in-suite where the Ambassadors coordinated perfectly the delivery of our breakfast and the morning coffee/tea service. The attendant laid out a table cloth, arranged all the cutlery nicely, served all the food, and even set up a toaster so that we could freshly toast our bread. With the patio door open we ha a lovely breakfast watching the gorgeous sunrise with the birds chirping in the background.

The second morning we had breakfast in Terrazzo, one of two dining rooms at the resort (the other being Jean George Vongerichten's J&G Steakhouse). The Terrazo breakfast was, for some reason, not as tasty as the room service breakfast and the service was quite odd. It started out well and by the end we had lost the attention of our cowboy like waiter and had to repeatedly ask for refills of hot water, coffee, juice, etc.

11 Comments

This review lives in the Canyon Suites at The Phoenician, Scottsdale thread.
11 comments and Y review
Comment In Thread

Hotels you may also be interested in