During a surprisingly snowy week in April, Charles and I escaped Chicago and went to Scottsdale with our friends Jenn and Bob. A direct flight to Phoenix and a quick drive to Scottsdale later, we checked into the Omni Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Montelucia, a sprawling oasis at the base of the rocky Camelback Mountain. It was honestly hard to process the drastic change in scenery, but we couldn’t have been happier.
The Omni Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Montelucia Property
Just hours into our stay at the Omni I was already plotting return trips for years to come. The 19 building property, built to look like a village in Spain’s Andalucia region, has lots of discover.
The Omni’s different buildings, pools, fountains, lawns, and gardens each have their own personalities. One moment I was reminded of Marrakesh, and the next I felt like I was in Italy or Spain.
Cactus and Camelback Mountain served to remind me that I was in fact in the Arizona desert.
Our Room
The property has 19 different buildings, and several different room types. We had a poolside room in building 2 with a king bed, couch, desk, private balcony with a sitting area, and a giant luxurious bathroom. We felt like we were right in the center of the action, but at the same time, it was so quiet!
The Pools
The Omni has three pools, one of which is adults only. They were the perfect place to enjoy the sun and take a dip to cool yourself down from the desert heat.
Our spacious room on the second floor of building 2 overlooked the Kasbah Pool, the centerpiece of the hotel property, and our favorite spot to hang out. While we were surrounded by young families, girls weekend groups, wedding parties, and bachelorette parties – groups that certainly tend to be loud – the vibe was so calm. It was as if everyone was breathing in a collective sigh of relief as we all took a break from the Winter that has refused to surrender to Spring.
Bocce Court
We loved that the hotel has its own bocce lawn! Charles and I tend to be a bit competitive and we couldn’t resist playing a quick game of bocce. I think the game ended in a tie, while Charles insists that he won.
Dining
I loved the food at the hotel. The first morning we dined at Prado I had huevos rancheros while Charles devoured three plates from the expansive breakfast buffet. I could happily eat those huevos rancheros for breakfast everyday.
We returned to Prado for dinner, and we sat on the patio with views of the fountains, pool, and Camelback Mountain. We feasted on tapas including wood grilled cauliflower, filet pixchos, spicy meatballs, and lump crab meat.
We washed it all down with ice cold sangria.
Weddings
There were two weddings at the hotel the weekend we were at the Omni, and we loved people watching all of the men in tuxes and women in gowns as they buzzed around the hotel. The hotel has several ballrooms and venues for wedding ceremonies – I snuck a peek at one. If I had been wise enough to take the photo from the other direction you would have seen Camelback Mountain in the background. We expected the hotel to be a little loud and rowdy on a Saturday night with two weddings, but it was so quiet! If we hadn’t seen so many tuxes we wouldn’t have even known that the weddings were taking place.
Amenities
I also want you to know that the hotel has a full spa and fitness center. I was tempted to go to a spin class – but I decided to stay in vacation mode instead.
The property also had so many areas to just hang out outside. There are hammocks, fire pits, and sitting areas and at night they fill up with groups of friends sipping wine.
We only spent a weekend in Scottsdale, and while we would have loved to stay longer, we didn’t feel like the trip was too short. The hotel’s proximity to the airport makes Scottsdale a hassle free destination for a weekend trip. Scottsdale is easy to get to from Chicago and we were thrilled to get out of the snow and into the sun.
My stay was comped, but as always the opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to Experience Scottsdale for arranging the trip!