Originally Posted by
vuittonsofstyle
I have stayed at FS Scottsdale twice now and have been horrified twice - not just by the boring rooms and suites, but by the slipshod service and frightful food. I gather that they have embarked upon a major, much-needed refurbishment, but even if they re-do the rooms, the layout of this resort, despite the nice external adobe constructs, is very disappointing. The fenced-off pool feels really small and restricted and the views are not great either.
The Spanish style Royal Palms makes you sigh with pleasure as soon as you walk into it. The organic gardens are filled with wildlife and beautiful trees and plants. The pool is enveloped by trees and Spanish whatnots and I have never seen it full (you see very few kids here).
Staff seems to care whether you live or die and the accommodation, especially the casita suites, is really in tune with the place and is wholly individual. The food, too, is superb, from the best Sunday brunch in the State to really elegant dinners and lunches.
No contest.
Did you go during high - low or shoulder season? Last time we went to the FS was dead low season - summer monsoon season - during the renovations - and it was hard to complain since we were paying about $100/night. Curiously - the food wound up being better during the renovations than previously. The high end restaurant was closed - but the more casual dining room served a mix of low and high end stuff - but at lower price points than the high end restaurant. And all the spa services were on sale - big discounts. Guess one's degree of satisfaction depends on what one is paying - and getting for one's money. I have to disagree with you about the staff. I've always thought it was professional and friendly - albeit young - like in ski resorts (OTOH - perhaps our fluency in Spanish doesn't hurt).
Regarding food in general - there are much better places to eat than the hotels in this area - so I consider the hotel dining more of a convenience than a destination.
I've not stayed at Enchantment - but we had brunch there one day - and - if the hotel in general is as dreary as the brunch and dining room in which it was served - I wouldn't find it attractive.
It has been too many years since I have stayed at the Sanctuary to have anything meaningful to say about it in its current incarnation.
I am thinking that perhaps the way you look at various places in an area like Scottsdale is the contrast between the older water wasting properties (which contrive to make the desert look like something it isn't - all the lush landscaping - etc.) - and the newer places - like the FS - which is in a quite frank desert setting. I am not that familiar with water rules in Arizona (although I know that newer properties can't landscape like older ones did) - but I do know that here in Florida - everyone will have to get used to less water intensive landscapes as a result of permanent water restrictions (which vary from medium to draconian these days depending on the part of the state you're dealing with). Robyn