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How to book the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

Room rates at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess start at about $420 per night for a standard room during the warmer summer months and can rise between $800 and $1,000 in the spring and fall. In addition to standard rooms, you can book a private suite at Fairmont’s Privado Villas. Rates at this “hotel within a hotel” start at around $950 per night and go up to $1,700 per night.

Convenient location in the heart of Scottsdale

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is in North Scottsdale. The resort is just six minutes by car from Scottsdale Airport (SCF), although most travelers arrive at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), which is a closer 25-minute drive away. The resort is located outside the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, close to some of the area’s best hiking trails and panoramic desert views.

From the hotel, it was only a 12-minute drive to the preserve. But we were less than a 20-minute drive from other local attractions like Old Town Scottsdale, the Desert Botanical Garden, and the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park.

Upscale rooms with thoughtful amenities

My family stayed at the Privado Villas, Fairmont’s “hotel within a hotel” that allows access to all resort amenities, plus a private lobby with complimentary breakfast and beverages, complimentary valet parking, chauffeur service, a private pool, and spa fitness and relaxation facilities. Complimentary access to.

Our 850 square foot, one bedroom villa had a bedroom with two queen beds, a large living area with a sofa bed, and a furnished balcony. The kids were especially excited that the sofa bed faced the gas fireplace, which we were able to turn on and off with the flip of a switch.

I can’t speak to the comfort level of the sofa bed, but the crisp sheets, lightweight comforter and fluffy pillows made my bed feel like sleeping on a cloud.

Our room felt bright and airy, not least because of all the natural light pouring in from the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room. Furniture and sophisticated Southwestern decor integrate light colors, natural materials, and minimalist design to create an open and inviting space.

The bathroom featured natural materials such as marble and quartz, the latter of which comes from the Sonoran Desert.

I appreciated the dual vanities, which gave us more room to get ready than a standard side-by-side double vanity. We enjoyed the Le Labo toiletries, true to Fairmont form.

Bath amenities include travel essentials that many properties neglect to offer, such as lip balm, shaving kits, and dental kits. I’m very particular about bath products and don’t usually take hotel toiletries home with me, but what was left of the Eucalyptus Shower Mist definitely made its way into my suitcase.

What impressed me most, however, were the thoughtful touches and amenities throughout the villa. The space includes complimentary boxed water (and glass bottles for an additional fee), as well as Nespresso pods to make my morning espresso. A minibar was also available with a selection of snacks and drinks.

There was also a walk-in closet with plenty of space to store our belongings in an organized manner. The bathroom housed a hamper and a full-sized clothes steamer.

Fine dining to poolside cocktails

The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess has five on-site restaurants plus a grab-and-go shop that serves Starbucks coffee.

Toro Scottsdale

Most of the restaurants are located on site, but Toro is on the 18th hole at TPC Scottsdale. If you are staying in the Privado area you can access Toro by resort shuttle or private car transportation.

Toro serves Pan-Latin dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. During our visit, we tried a little bit of everything. We started with Tuna Ponzu Guacamole with Plantain Chips ($22), which the kids also enjoyed.

We shared a few more dishes for our meal, including the Churrasco ($125), which consists of New York strip steak, lamb chops, chicken and chorizo ​​and is made to serve two to three people. We added a sushi roll ($20) and half a dozen oysters ($19) and it was more than enough food to feed our family of five.

Everything we ate was expertly cooked, and the service exceeded my expectations.

Other on-site dining options

Closer to the hotel (within walking distance or a golf cart ride away), you can also dine at Bourbon Steak, a contemporary American steakhouse; La Hacienda, a Mexican fine dining restaurant; Ironwood American Kitchen, an all-day eatery near one of the main pool areas; and Plaza Bar, an indoor-outdoor lounge.

Although we weren’t on the property long enough to try the other restaurants, we did make a few stops for coffee provisions. This spot serves all your Starbucks favorites, and we were even able to grab breakfast sandwiches and snacks to fuel up before the early morning hike.

Pools and activities for every type of traveler

The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess has six sparkling pools to choose from. During our visit, we spent most of our time at the Sonoran Splash Pool. The pool was huge and surrounded by cabanas (for a fee) and loungers (provided). The pool has two 200-foot twisting slides that I enjoyed as much as my kids.

We also visited the Sunset Beach pool area because I knew my kids would love to play on the sandy beach. During our stay, I learned that the sand is imported from Florida. The 9,000-square-foot pool area also has a splash pad and a zero-entry area for younger children.

If you prefer to swim without the kids (or sneak in a few laps), head to the adults-only Sonoran Landing Pool. The pool has designated lanes for lap swimming, floating bean bags and some much needed peace and quiet.

There is also a private pool for Privado guests, a Princess Pool overlooking the TPG Stadium course and a Well & Being rooftop pool for spa guests.

In addition to swimming, guests also have access to a variety of shops, fitness classes, and the Trailblazers Kids Club. You can pay a daily rate to drop your child off for supervised activities or visit as a family in the afternoon; Activities include arcade games, table tennis and pool.

A spa you’ll want to stay in

Often when I go to a hotel spa, I feel like I just get my spa treatment and then get on with my day. However, this was not the case at the hotel’s 44,000-square-foot Well & Being Spa—which was, without a doubt, one of the best spa experiences I’ve ever had. I felt pampered from the moment I stepped into the space. With interior decor inspired by the Grand Canyon’s Havasupai Falls, I could have spent all day in the gorgeous facilities.

Before my treatment I had just enough time to change into a cozy spa robe and head for the side-by-side whirlpool and cold plunge. I started in the cold plunge and could only walk a few steps into the warm, soothing whirlpool.

For my treatment, I opted for the 60-Minute Desert Oasis Detoxifying Wrap ($215). These include an herbal clay body wrap and turquoise sage arnica body lotion to help with muscle fatigue. The treatment felt pleasant and relaxing, and the therapist was friendly and very helpful when I needed to get in and out of the shower to rinse off my body wrap.

The spa offers a full menu of services including facials, massages, body scrubs, prenatal treatments and salon services such as manicures, pedicures and hair styling.

Along with my spa treatment, I could have stayed at the spa as long as I wanted to enjoy the private rooftop pool, sauna, Swiss shower, inhalation room and café, but, alas, my motherly duties called me back to my family.

Reasons The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess May Not Be For You

As much as I loved my stay, there are a few reasons why the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess may not be right for your Scottsdale vacation:

• Price: Rooms at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess start at more than $400 per night. If you prefer budget-friendly properties, you may choose to look elsewhere.
• If you are traveling with a large family: Standard rooms at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess sleep four guests. If you usually stay in a room with two beds and a sofa bed to accommodate your family, this room may not work for you unless you opt for a suite.

Accessibility

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant property. As such, hotels offer many rooms and room types that are wheelchair accessible. The hotel’s public areas – including the lobby, restaurants, pool areas, spa, fitness center and meeting rooms – are also wheelchair-friendly.

The only area of ​​the hotel that is not wheelchair accessible is the Privado section. You need to climb stairs to get to the Privado Villas.

Checking

I think I can safely speak for my entire family when I say that we enjoyed our time at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess and we hope to return in the future. It’s the type of resort where you feel completely pampered from the moment you step through the door.

When I can never be real Princess, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess sure makes me feel like royalty.

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