Boulders Resort & Spa Scottsdale, Curio Collection by HiltonvsRoyal Palms Resort and Spa
Both properties are rated very highly by writers. Overall, Royal Palms Resort and Spa is preferred by most writers compared to Boulders Resort & Spa, Curio Collection by Hilton. Royal Palms Resort and Spa scores 97 with approval from 16 sources including Fodor's, Hideaway Report and Oyster.
Boulders Resort & Spa Scottsdale, Curio Collection by Hilton Show All Reviews
34631 North Tom Darlington Drive, Carefree, AZ 85377
From $254/night
- Pet Friendly
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Laundry Service
Frommer's
"The adobe buildings blend unobtrusively into the desert, and the two golf courses epitomize the desert golf course experience." Full review
i
For the best views, ask for one of the second-floor units.
Michelin Guide
"The red boulders are just part of the allure of this world class resort, a mecca for spa, golf and tennis lovers just northeast of Phoenix."
Lonely Planet
"Tensions evaporate the moment you arrive at this desert oasis that blends nearly imperceptibly into a landscape of natural rock formations." Full review
Afar Magazine
"As luxurious as any resort in the Scottsdale area, it's also where guests are most likely to feel they are truly in the desert." Full review
Star Service
"Located just off Scottsdale Road, this deluxe standout is one of the more unique hotels in and around Phoenix, and finding a brand fit has been something of a chore." Full review
i
Families have a variety of suites and connecting rooms to choose from.
Hideaway Report
91.0
"Imaginative resort and spa blending into dramatic outcrops in Sonoran Desert foothills, 30 minutes north of downtown Scottsdale." Full review
Gayot
"A private desert hideaway known for its pervasive luxury and refined recreation."
Travel + Leisure
"The 1,300-acre Boulders golf and spa resort, gets its name from a massive prehistoric rock formation where nature lovers can spot quail, jackrabbits, lizards, and javelina. " Full review
i
Choose from the Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, Ayurvedic massage, meditation tipi, and treatments inspired by desert botanicals and Native American traditions.
Condé Nast Traveler
Readers' Choice Award
"Rustic-elegant casitas with wood-burning fireplaces beckon, as do the award-wining golf courses." Full review
Fodor's
"One of the country's top resorts hides amid hill-size, 12-million-year-old granite boulders and the picturesque Sonoran Desert" Full review
Royal Palms Resort and Spa Show All Reviews
5200 East Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85018
From $322/night
- Pet Friendly
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Laundry Service
Concierge
"Drive up the cobblestone driveway to the hacienda-style buildings, and the feeling of seclusion makes it hard to believe that the center of Scottsdale is only minutes away."
Insight Guides
"The Royal Palms is especially atmospheric, with towering palms, Spanish mission-style rooms, and an open-air spa."
Jetsetter
"The Sonora Desert stretches out in every direction from the Royal Palms Resort and Spa, but the property itself bears a closer resemblance to a Mediterranean mirage."
i
If you’re looking to go above and beyond, the resort employs a Director of Romance who can produce flamenco guitarists or flocks of white doves upon request.
Fodor's
"This Mediterranean-style resort has a stately row of the namesake palms at its entrance, courtyards with fountains, and individually designed rooms." Full review
Lonely Planet
"It's a hushed and elegant place, dotted with Spanish Colonial villas, flower-lined walkways and palms imported from Egypt." Full review
Star Service
"This second-tier temptation actually sits at the top of many visitors' Top 10 lists, its small room count, deferential service and deluxe desert mien a magnet for knowledgeable travelers." Full review
i
For travelers able to avoid the latter trio and stomach the annoying resort fee, this very well may be the answer to affordable bliss in this desert destination.
Gayot
"This boutique resort is so luxurious and tastefully designed that it makes you feel as if you've been dropped into the middle of an Architectural Digest photo shoot."
Zagat
4.5
"Midway between Old Town Scottsdale and Biltmore Fashion Park, this "elegant", "luxurious" Arcadia hideaway with "Mediterranean styling" is "perfect" for a "romantic getaway"."
Forbes Travel Guide
Recommended
"Intimate and tranquil, the Royal Palms Resort and Spa is a boutique hideaway with quiet pathways." Full review
Condé Nast Traveler
""The epitome of romance," this cruise line executive’s former summer retreat, at the base of Camelback Mountain in an area once populated by citrus groves, centers on a 1929 Spanish Revival villa." Full review