I’ve visited the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess over Thanksgiving for the last two years. I’m in the travel industry and see MANY nice properties in the course of a year, yet, this gorgeous resort is at the very top of my list.
About the Property
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is a AAA Five Diamond resort situated in the Sonoran Desert. The property features 750 guest rooms, six pools, two newly-renovated TPC championship golf courses, five top-ranked restaurants and lounges, an award-winning spa with a salon and a wellness facility, catch-and-release fishing lagoons and the popular Trailblazer’s Kid’s Club and Family Adventure Center.
Top Notch Food & Drinks
Having a solid food and beverage program is something that’s a must for us when staying at a hotel. The Princess excels in both with award-winning restaurants and specialty lounges/bars.
For a casual breakfast or lunch, we like Ironwood American Kitchen which serves classic American cuisine in a casual indoor/outdoor bistro atmosphere. The all-day offering ranges from flatbread pizzas, sandwiches and salads.
Our dinner favorite is La Hacienda, celebrity chef Richard Sandoval’s modern Mexican restaurant. We adore the classic-yet-refined Mexican cuisine and the tequila bar that features 240+ varieties of tequila from 36 different labels presented by a Tequila Goddess – amazing mole, guacamole and margaritas!
My golf-avid husband loves to lunch after playing at Toro Latin Restaurant & Rum Bar located at the Clubhouse overlooking the 18th hole of the famed TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course. The restaurant has a Pan Latin menu and he enjoys lunch of ceviche paired with one of the 151 varieties of rum available.
Another restaurant I’ll be dining at on my next visit is Bourbon Steak, a Chef Michael Mina restaurant.
Well & Being Spa
When my guy’s at golf, I’m at Well & Being Spa. This place is AMAZING and I’ll write about it in more details in a future post, but it includes more than 70 treatments to choose from, has a top-of-the-line fitness center and tons of daily fitness classes. I love starting the day with a yoga class then enjoying a few spa treatments.
Seasonal Experiences at the Princess
One of the reasons I enjoy visiting this property over Thanksgiving is because of its Christmas at the Princess event. The place transforms in a winter wonderland, yes, in the desert, complete with ice skating rink, giant decorated trees and millions of twinkling lights. The place is festive and beautiful and sets the tone for the holidays to come – I highly recommend it.
The resort features seasonal and holiday experiences complete with specialty menus, decadent brunches, concerts and family-friendly activities. Here’s a bit of info about the four main seasonal experiences:
Fall Adventure at the Princess
Note that there’s a daily resort service charge of $30 per room, per night (plus applicable tax). Resort service charge includes half day access to Trailblazers Family Adventure Center for up to three children (ages 5-12, lunch fee additional), self-parking, basic internet access, access to the hotel gym (not the spa fitness center) and more.
Who Should Stay at This Property
The best part of this property is that it truly caters to all: foodies interested in dining at four top-ranked Arizona restaurants, meeting/conference attendees, spa fanatics (like me) looking to partake in the innovative spa and fitness programs at Well & Being Spa, sun worshipers ready to soak in the sun at one of the six sparkling pools, and golf enthusiasts ready to tee off at two newly-renovated 18-hole championship golf courses, including one that’s home to the Annual PGA Tour Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
7575 East Princess Drive
Scottsdale, Arizona
United States 85255
Telephone: (480) 585-4848
Email: scottsdale@fairmont.com
Happy travels!
Veronique