Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North

This is my favorite Scottsdale resort because it gets Southwestern style down without being kitschy or over-done. There are no cheesy dream catchers or Kokopelli statues here – just a color palette as bright and breathtaking as a desert sunset. Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale is perched in the city’s northern half, and surrounded by miles of Saguaro cacti and rugged rocks. Its location adjacent to Pinnacle Peak Park is perfect for hikers and if you crave more of an adrenaline rush, check out the high-octane tours from Arizona Outback Adventures. At Proof, the resort’s American canteen, dinner is practically a cross-country road trip with home-style comfort food inspired by, and sourced from, the 50 states. Plus, there’s a hearty list of wine, microbrews, and small batch and craft distilled American spirits. The Spa at Four Seasons also celebrates the resort’s sense of place with treatments like the Sonoran Honey Body Polish and Jojoba and Prickly Pear Polish.

A sprawling brown adobe-style resort situated on mesa outskirts of Scottsdale, Four Seasons Troon North is so kid-friendly you could leave mom at home. When we took Erika here, we were surprised at the welcome amenities we found in our hotel room: a plush crib, bib and a tray filled with Johnson & Johnson lotions, creams and baby oils which made us instant fans (quality meals gratis for toddlers is an added perk). The 210 beautifully-appointed rooms are spacious and command a view of the rugged beauty of the Sonoran Desert: you’ll see too many Saguaro cacti to count, most well over 100 years old. You’ll walk on a long, well-paved pathway through a desert landscape studded with prickly photosynthetic plants that look Martian in their exquisite beauty. The property at Troon North is a brilliant way to stay in a fine hotel while receiving an immersive lesson in desert vegetation. While Scottsdale does have a Desert Botanical Garden filled several hundred spiny succulents, Four Season Troon North could rival this collection with desert plants pixelating almost every square inch of the property, an aspect which makes it ideal for budding naturalists. The hotel with its soothing spa, two noteworthy restaurants (the casual-style Proof Canteen and the more elegant Talavera) is situated at the base of Pinnacle Peak and is sun-clad during the day and boasts brilliant blood-orange sunsets in the evenings.