THOR Advantage
How to Enhance Your Phoenix Escape
by Patricia Kaowthumrong

Sunshine-seekers travel from near and far to Phoenix, Arizona, a city long famed for its more than 325 days of sunshine each year and wide array of unique offerings, including an impressive roster of legendary golf courses, exquisite desert spas and culinary specialties. Get ready to be amazed by “The Valley of the Sun”— and enhance your getaway by making one of these unique properties from the THOR Hotel Program your vacation home base.

Royal Palms Resort and Spa

royalpalmshotel.com

Flanked by towering palms and beautiful gardens at the base of Camelback Mountain, the Royal Palms Resort and Spa is truly a desert oasis. Originally built by New York financier, Delos Cooke, as a romantic winter estate in 1929 for his wife, the Royal Palm Resort and Spa maintains its original intimate ambiance. The historic resort’s 119 guestrooms, casitas and villas are decorated with European furnishings, many of which are antiques acquired by the Cooke family on their extensive travels through Latin America.

Named #1 Spa in Phoenix 2015 by USA Today, Alvadora Spa promotes tranquility with eight treatment rooms, quiet indoor-outdoor courtyards and subtle Mediterranean furnishings. Lounge in the eucalyptus steam room, and try the Mediterranean Wrapture treatment, a refreshing facial for the body featuring an exfoliation and mineral mud mask.

The resort is situated less than 15 minutes from Old Town Scottsdale, downtown Phoenix and the upscale Biltmore area. This prime location makes it easy for guests to explore attractions like Scottsdale Museum of the West, which celebrates the art, history and culture of the American West, and Heard Museum, where award-winning collections tell the stories of local and regional American Indian tribes and other Southwest cultures.

What to Eat & Drink:

Featuring drinks created with local ingredients, the garden-to-glass cocktail movement shines at The Mix Up Bar. Meanwhile, choose a seat on the patio at T. Cook’s for splendid panoramas of Camelback Mountain while you indulge in ingredient-inspired Mediterranean dishes like grilled Spanish octopus and roasted loin of venison.

On-Site Delight:

Alvadora Spa’s daily Yoga on the Lawn is just one of the Royal Palms Resort and Spa’s wellness offerings. The resort also has a two-level, 24- hour fitness facility and offers personal training sessions and a wealth of other classes, including Pilates, meditation, stretch sessions and tai chi.

Hotel Palomar Phoenix

hotelpalomar-phoenix.com

Contemporary amenities complement the welcoming and cozy atmosphere at Hotel Palomar Phoenix, a boutique Kimpton Hotel property tucked in the heart of downtown Phoenix. All of the hotel’s spacious, elegantly decorated guestrooms boast Italian Frette linens, oh-so-soft bathrobes, and coveted comforts like in-room yoga mats with The Yoga Channel on every TV, complimentary Wi-Fi and 24-hour room service.

For an urban retreat, book a treatment with rePose Salon and Spa, which also offers ultra-convenient in-room spa services. The rePose Desert Hydration Spa Package, which includes a 60-minute massage, 60-minute facial, manicure and pedicure, has the power to alleviate travelers’ worst stresses.

The fleet of customdesigned bikes at the Hotel makes it simple for guests to get around town and explore the surrounding area. The property is steps away from Talking Stick Resort Arena, Chase Field (home of the Arizona Diamondbacks), Phoenix Convention Center and the Phoenix Symphony. Plus, the Hotel Palomar Phoenix is tucked within CityScape, a bustling area packed with shopping, dining and entertainment options.

On-Site Delight:

For gorgeous views of the city, look no further than the hotel’s LUSTRE Rooftop Bar, the perfect pit stop for an ice-cold brew or cocktail before a night on the town. The adjacent pool amplifies the rooftop’s chic ambiance and offers cabanas and lounge chairs for kicking back any time of day.

What to Eat & Drink:

One of Phoenix’s largest selections of bourbons, scotches and gins, and small plates loaded with lovingly prepared free-range meats and seafood, highlight the menu at the Hotel’s Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails. Pair the Bourbon Smash — a concoction of bourbon, lemon, sage and honey — with fried green tomatoes served with spicy remoulade and jumbo lump crab.

The Scottsdale Plaza Resort

scottsdaleplaza.com

Festooned with Spanish-Mediterranean architecture and gardens peppered with towering palms, eucalyptus plants and indigenous flowers, The Scottsdale Plaza Resort embodies the spirit of Arizona. While the sprawling resort has 404 rooms, suites and lodges, the spaces are arranged in one-or two-story clusters — ensuring quiet and privacy for all guests.

Gentle lighting, warm wood accents and cool stone tiling heighten the Zen-inspired environment at The Salon & Day Spa at The Scottsdale Plaza Resort. Book a couples’ massage, customized facial or the spa’s signature Orange Blossom Honey Wrap, which enriches immune systems, increases circulation and purifies the skin.

Scottsdale has some of the country’s toprated golf courses, and links lovers will delight in the resort’s proximity to some of the best. Two McCormick Ranch Golf Club championship courses are just steps away from The Scottsdale Plaza Resort, while other courses in North Scottsdale are nearby. The resort’s staff will happily hook you up with tee times and transportation to courses, and there’s even a private putting green onsite.

On-Site Delight:

Five sparkling pools at The Scottsdale Plaza Resort beckon swimmers, sunbathers and relaxationlovers. The poolside Cabana Restaurant offers icy drinks and cocktails and light snacks to keep you fueled up for a day of fun in the sun.

What to Eat & Drink:

The resort has several great dining options: Remington’s, JD’s Sports Pub & Lounge, Garden Court Restaurant and Café Cabana Restaurant. The breakfast buffet at Garden Court is a must, while views of Camelback Mountain, live jazz at the piano bar and mouthwatering steaks facilitate lovely experiences at Remington’s — perfect for lunch or dinner.

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