Why it’s worth traveling for…
Once the playground for Hollywood’s glam set: Marilyn Monroe, Liza Minelli and Frank Sinatra (to name a few), the historic Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, has been stunningly transformed. Originally designed by a mentee of Frank Lloyd Wright (Albert Chase McArthur) in 1929, core elements of the hotel’s golden age remain: old photographs, lush (circa 1930s) gardens, stained glass, and the hotel’s signature “Biltmore blocks” – made of desert sand and a variation on a textile block Wright used in his residential projects. The recently updated guest rooms and cottages come with plush beds, a modern and clean neutral palette (creams, blues and whites), generous seating elements and wonderful touches like coffee table books on desert architecture and potted cacti. Experience, too, the incredible new pools, renewed spa and transformed bars, restaurants and event spaces.
THE DETAILS
Address:
2400 E Missouri Avenue, Phoenix Arizona
Website:
Contact:
(602) 955-6600
Social:
Getting there:
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a 15-minute drive from the hotel.
Curated Experience
Up, up and away, soar high above the Sonoran Desert in a private hot air balloon, then return for some down time by the pool before going behind the scenes at Taliesin West – Frank Lloyd Wright’s former winter home and architectural school. Opt too, for a tour of the Wrigley Mansion, set high on a hill overlooking the hotel, built by chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
Style
Design/Traditional Elegance
Vibe
Sophisticated/Romantic
Setting
Desert
Rooms
701 rooms and cottages
Eat
Renata’s Hearth (Evening-only, refined restaurant with an emphasis on smoke and Latin flavors: fresh guacamole, charred Spanish octopus, mole negro rubbed smoked Wagyu brisket, mezcal flights and signature tequila cocktails.)
Frank & Albert’s (Contemporary bistro named for architect Albert Chase McArthur and his mentor Frank Lloyd Wright. All-day dining with a menu inspired by local southwest ingredients.)
Drink
The Spire Bar (Insta-worthy new outdoor bar is the social hub of the resort. A 30-foot spire at the center of the lawn pays homage to Frank Lloyd Wright’s legacy with its scallop-patterned mosaics.)
Saguaro Pool (New, chic, adult-only pool named after the 140-year-old cactus surrounding it; featuring stylish cabanas, a hot tub, light bites and cooling cocktails.)
Paradise Pool (Family pool with a 65-foot triple water slide, children’s splash pad, swim-up bar, private air-conditioned cabanas and classic eats like pizza, salads, sandwiches and desserts.)
Wellness
Tierra Luna (Desert-chic with 12 treatment rooms, the spa focuses on the healing elements of the Sonoran Desert: locally sourced oils, freshly crushed herbs, native scents and crystals.)
Sol Garden (Tranquil outdoor spa space offering stone ritual, hot and cold plunge, outdoor shower, sauna, relaxation area, firepit and ‘well’ bar.)
Standouts
- Famous for its bold Frank Lloyd Wright-influenced architecture.
- Tranquil setting – 39 gorgeous acres spilling with desert blooms, saguaro cacti and orange trees.
- Seven swimming pools including its original ‘Catalina Pool,’ once famed for diving competitions and glimpses of Marilyn Monroe.
- Two 18-hole championship golf courses.
