Royal Palms Resort and SpavsFairmont Scottsdale Princess
Royal Palms Resort and Spa and Fairmont Scottsdale Princess are both recommended by travel writers. Overall, Royal Palms Resort and Spa ranks significantly better than Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. Royal Palms Resort and Spa is ranked #1 in Phoenix with praise from 16 reviews like The Telegraph, Afar Magazine and Travel + Leisure.
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
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Show All Reviews
7575 East Princess Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85255
From $379/night
- Pet Friendly
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Shuttle Bus
Concierge
"This pink palace covers more than 450 immaculately landscaped acres and has a series of pools and waterslides that attract an eclectic mix of couples, families, and guys on bachelor weekends."
Fodor's
"Rooms are done in a chic blend of contemporary styles, as are the Fairmont Gold hotel-within-a-hotel boutique rooms." Full review
DK Eyewitness
"This relaxed resort features Spanish Colonial architecture, with a tiled roof, arches, pink stucco, and fountains."
Zagat
4.2
""An awesome place to relax", this "sprawling", "family-friendly" North Scottsdale "vacation getaway" features "beautiful" grounds and "spacious, quiet" accommodations."
Lonely Planet
"Beautiful, well-appointed rooms, excellent service and dining that's basically par for the course at Arizona's luxury resorts." Full review
Gayot
"Set against the backdrop of the McDowell Mountains, this sprawling resort still has what it takes to wow guests twenty years after its opening in 1987."
i
To round out your experience, be sure to schedule a dinner at chef Richard Sandoval’s opulent Hacienda Mexican restaurant.
Condé Nast Traveler
96.1
"As far as royal titles go, Princess will do, but consider this the Queen of the Desert." Full review
Jetsetter
"A high-end desert oasis with star chef-helmed restaurants, five swimming pools and two championship golf courses." Full review
Star Service
"Located 12 miles north of the town center, this is a tremendous team effort that takes a few cues from its successful San Francisco sibling." Full review
Travel + Leisure
"Located a stone’s throw from the 18-hole Stadium Course, which hosts Phoenix’s only PGA tournament, this Fairmont hotel is popular with golf enthusiasts as well as families and couples." Full review