Soaring palm trees and the distinctive shape of Camelback mountain greet you when pulling into the Royal Palms Resort in Phoenix. That and a warm, hospitable welcome along with glasses of bubbly. From the moment you check in to this villa-like hotel, worries melt and you feel completely immersed in an oasis.
Champagne in hand, our painless check-in was followed by a guided stroll through the grounds to our room. A brief history of this fascinating place, which began as a residential estate in the 1920’s, was offered as we meandered our way to our room. After staying in the spectacular but sprawling Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, the Royal Palms felt especially intimate and charming with its weathered stones, hidden paths and alcoves, and bubbling fountains.
Our king room was one of a handful of quiet rooms encircling a lovely outdoor courtyard with a cobblestone floor. Comfortable chairs flanking a table just outside our door invited us many a time to simply sit and enjoy the green growing in the desert and the spectacular mountain view.
Our room was spacious, clean and comfortable. Like the entire resort, it feels like there is some age to it, but in the best possible way—mature and stately as opposed to “old”. Despite not looking cut from a contemporary design magazine, the quiet luxury it offers may somehow be even more relaxing and welcoming than “the latest” look.
The bathroom is a good example of this. The design and materials feel slightly old-fashioned. However, everything is so well-cared for and comfortable, you feel as though you’re being welcomed to a much-loved residence. There’s a personability about the place that you won’t get at the larger, more corporate-minded locations.
A stunning feature of the resort is the desert landscaping skillfully worked in among the tucked-away paths and hidden corners. You’ll find an incredible variety of cacti and bright flowers in bloom. Outdoor fireplaces, intricate mosaic-work panels, and water bubbling from fountains built into walls and trickling into little pools…these are the sorts of things you discover as you stroll around the grounds.
It seems there’s something new to find at every turn.
Of course, the hotel has the usual amenities—an all-purpose restaurant with a great menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner (T. Cooks) and a bar with a lush outdoor patio and happy-hour musical entertainment. The Alavadora Spa is renowned and looked to have a fabulous menu of services, although unfortunately we weren’t able to partake on this stay. There is also a large, picturesque open-air courtyard as well as an indoor hall for weddings and events.
The resort has a beautiful outdoor pool with plenty of seating and helpful attendants offering towels, ice water and full bar service as well. Sitting by the pool under the bright blue sky was very pleasant, although the music seemed needlessly loud (our sole question mark upon our otherwise terrific stay).
The Royals Palms Resort is a true oasis. In our opinion, you could easily settle in here without any need to leave the grounds for days on end. Having said that, you are minutes away from world-class dining and shopping options, and of course from the golf and hiking the area is famous for.
We highly recommend the Royal Palms Resort and Spa for its ambience, personable service and quiet comfort. The only thing that would have improved our stay would have been an additional night or two.
For more information or to make reservations, visit https://www.hyatt.com/unbound-collection/en-US/phxub-royal-palms-resort-and-spa
