I booked our stay at the Preferred Partner rate for a Premium Casita room. This included the following Preferred Partner amenities: daily breakfast credit of $66 per room; an upgrade upon arrival subject to availability; a welcome note and amenity; and a $85 USD lunch credit redeemable at Crescent Moon. In addition, as a Virtuoso we received 50% off Valet parking bringing a nightly $27 charge down to $13.50. I was also able to negotiate with the hotel for complimentary internet access. Premium Casita: http://www.fourseasons.com/scottsdal...r_casita_room/ Prior to our stay I checked online to see if the Reata Pass 1 BR suite, and the Desert Garden suites, the next two room categories, were sold out for my dates so I was not hopeful for an upgrade.

Arrival

We drove from the Phoenician to the Resort and did not realize how far removed this resort was from the Phoenician and Old Town Scottsdale area. I also did not realize how much farther we seemed to have gone up in elevation either!! The entry to the Resort is very discreet and blends in very well to its surroundings -- so much so we drove right past it the first time as our GPS started chirping "recalculating" a few times. The driveway takes you to a circular entrance way and we were greeted (read: not welcomed) to the resort. The formalities of unloading luggage were promptly handled and the check-in was quite easy. Again, it was perfunctory but not necessarily warm and fawning at other Four Seasons. Some prefer this style of service; others may not. Our room was not ready yet so we went off to Crescent Moon for lunch to use our lunch credit up.

Room

To our surprise (and delight!!) we were upgraded to a 1 BR Oasis Suite which is a ground floor unit with a large terrace and small plunge pool. The specifics of the suite can be found here:http://www.fourseasons.com/scottsdal...bedroom_suite/

Our suite had a view of the Crescent Butte mountain and the pool area which had adequate privacy for us (though it may be too exposed for others) and was located near to the main building, fitness center and spa.

Our suite was equipped with two twin beds in the bedroom and the living room featured a pull out sofa. The living room also had a lovely gas fireplace and the terrace a sitting area in front of a wood burning fire oven and a large table with chairs closer to the pool. Surrounding the pool were a couple of loungers. Engineering also cranked up the heat in the pool so that it was almost like a large hot tub. This was most definitely the highlight of the suite and to be able to soak in the pool at your convenience was absolutely fantastic. If there were only a clear sky to gaze at the stars, soaking in the pool and sitting in front of a roaring fire in the cool evening would have been absolutely perfect.

The outdoor shower is accessed from the large main shower in the Master bath. It was too cold to use the outdoor shower as the air cooled down the outer spray of hot water making the shower rather luke warm -- the shower must be lovely in the Spring and the Fall!!

We received a carafe of hibiscus fresca and salsa and chips as our welcome amenity courtesy of the Travel Network and Four Seasons and a bottle of Spanish Cava and some petit fours from the hotel.

Location

The rooms and suites at the resort are clustered in two story adobe style casitas with, on the whole, the better rooms (Premier) on the upper floors and the better suites on the ground floors. There are stairs and the resort is built into a hill so there are elevation changes throughout the resort. Even ground floor casitas. This is of importance for those who are of limited mobility. The resort was very beautiful and its isolated location felt like we were in the middle of the desert in an oasis. The grounds are tended for and landscaped very well and the resort is very indigenous to its surroundings without becoming Disney-esque when overdone. There is golf cart service throughout the resort as some of the casitas are quite far away from the main building

Dining

As a part of the Preferred Partner amenities a $85 lunch credit is included which can be used at Crescent Moon, the resort's all day dining venue, or Saguaro Blossom, the pool-side restaurant. We elected to dine at Crescent Moon featuring contemporary mexican fare with a southwestern touch. All the food, from the nachos, salsa and guacamole; salads; sopa de tortilla; flatbread; and my lobster enchilada were fantastic. Perfectly seasoned and executed it was a great meal outdoors on the terrace with a great view of the surroundings. My one minor complaint is that service was not to Four Seasons standards -- the staff were reactive only when a request was made so we had to continually ask for refills of our lemonades, water, etc.

We were invited to dinner at Talavera which was a definite treat. Certain of the tables have fantastic views of the shimmering lights of the valley below and it is only then you realize the elevation difference between Old Town Scottsdale and the Four Seasons. Here the menu is eclectic and is executed very well. House bread is poppyseed topped pan bread which comes in a small cast iron pan. Absolutely delicious, a little sweet and light and fluffy, with the contrast of the salty butter. We ate WAY too many of the bread!!

Our table shared the langoustine, beef and crab roulade, and beet salad to start. Two of us were still full from lunch so one had a tomato trio while the other nibbled on the sides (asparagus and the mashed potatoes) while I had the Maine lobster. The food was fantastic though on the rich side. We were stuffed after dinner so we had NO room for dessert. As per all Four Seasons Hotels I have experienced the food quality is very high and I can highly recommend the restaurants here.

Service

We elected to eat on our terrace for breakfast in an effort to save some time so we could spend as much time in our plunge pool. In room dining was prompt as usual and the quality of the food again very high. Very solid breakfast fare and no complaints. All breakfast charges were removed from our final bill as a Preferred Partner benefit. We also ordered two box lunches to go to eat on the drive back to Las Vegas. These featured a large sandwich or wrap, fruit or vegetable salad, chips, cookies, fresh fruit and a beverage. Perfect for the long and boring drive back to Las Vegas. These were waiting for us at the Bell Stand as we checked out.

Spa

The Spa and Fitness Center is located below the lobby and faces a grassy courtyard where the conference facilities are. The gym is very well equipped with the usual torture machines. Complimentary water and fruit are on offer and many of the machines have personal tv's and iPod hookups. The Spa is a tranquil facility with a unique offering of treatments. The locker rooms are outfitted well with steam rooms, sauna's, shower, toilets, lockers and a relaxation area. The Spa has for sale basic products should you wish to purchase anything. Of note, the Spa is running a promotion with AMEX -- book and pay for a 50 minute massage with an AMEX card and get a complimentary upgrade to an 80 minute massage. There may be day and time restrictions but I believe this is an ongoing offer here.

Overall

On the whole I was very impressed with this property. I think the property is perfect for a 3-4 night getaway but beyond that cabin fever may set in due to its remote location. The resort has a strong sense of place without being to Disney-esque and has great food and beverage on offer. Service was good to very good on the whole but I felt it lacked the polish of other Four Seasons properties. Of course, this may also be due to the "uniqueness" of the Scottsdale area. Some may find the service a little detached, rough around the edges, and perhaps a little too reactionary instead of anticipatory. However, this is a great property to unwind at and I look forward to returning, perhaps in slightly warmer weather.