Category: Arizona Staycations

Imagine spending the weekend in a vintage trailer complete with magazines, games, vinyl records, toiletries and a usable kitchen from the 1950s. You can do that in Bisbee, Arizona at The Shady Dell!

Arriving late in the evening, the key was left for us at the main office. Inquire with the owners because there may be a small fee for late arrival. We had chosen a trailer with two single beds and a bathroom with shower. Not all trailers have full bathrooms but there are full size showers and bathroom facilities in the center of the community for easy access to everyone. Important for Arizona, each “residence” is equipped with air conditioning and a refrigerator. The trailer also had an authentic black and white television hooked up to a (not so authentic – LOL) DVD player so we could watch old movies and shows while we played board games in the front room.

The grounds make you feel as if you are back in time. Fifties music is piped in through speakers creating a fun carefree atmosphere. Artificial grass, plastic flamingos and old metal chairs adorned the front yards and throughout the property.

Venturing in to town takes about 5 minutes along AZ-80. Shopping on the main road offers antiques, clothing boutiques, southwestern jewelry and hand-made trinkets. The town offers many dining options including one that was particularly delicious. Possibly one of the best meals we have ever had was at Cafe Roka. Chef Rod Kass has built an amazing restaurant in an historic building on Main Street with unique four course dishes in an incredibly welcoming atmosphere. A local band provides live jazz on weekends.

A fun site to visit is the Queen Mine, offering tours 1,500 feet into the mine that was operational for over 100 years up until its closure in 1975. You will be guided for an hour through the mine learning about the history, the trials and tribulations of those who worked there, and the various techniques of mining. Adorned with a hard hat and raincoat, expect low doorways, slick floors, cold drafts and dimly lit tunnels — but it is absolutely fascinating! At the time we visited, reservations were required. Also check out the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum which is affiliated with the Smithsonian. It’s open daily 10 am to 4 pm.

After taking the tour, we moseyed on over to the Bisbee Breakfast Club. It offers your main breakfast and lunch selections with a few special dishes. A great way to fill your stomachs for the ride home. I picked up a souvenir!

We’re very fortunate in Arizona to have so many top-rated resorts with beautiful views and noted chefs. The JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa is a Four Diamond option with golfing, restaurants, a spa, five pools and a lazy river. We love this place so much that we’ve visited it three times thus far.

On our first stay, we chose a holiday, the Fourth of July, to escape to this oasis fully acknowledging the risk we were taking for feeling burdened with crowds and rambunctious kids. It was surprisingly not bad — oh it was crowded, but this wasn’t their first rodeo and they were prepared with a sufficient number of valets, desk attendants and other staff to make guests’ experiences pleasurable. The expansive grounds also allow for spreading out and claiming space.

If you read my other posts, you’ll quickly realize we love our pools! And this resort does NOT disappoint. We spent the majority of our time on the lazy river but the adjacent pool bar area was also a great place to unwind. Just a Splash Bar & Grill offers fruit smoothies as well as your usual bar drinks. They have regular food offerings with my favorites like loaded tater tots, chicken wings and nachos, as well as salads and sandwiches. Two things make this bar stand out — their delicious prickly pear margarita and the Kokopelli’s Cabana Colada (for a crazy $33!) served in a fresh coconut.

An option to scoping out a spot on the pool deck or lawn by the lazy river is reserving lounge chairs at Griffin Bay within a short walk to the river. If you’re willing to pay, each one is $25-55 and on a crowded holiday weekend, it was awesome! It offers an umbrella for shade, pitchers of ice water and special attention from the servers. There’s also cabana cottages, daybeds and patio suites that connect to some first floor rooms.

We had a blast on the lazy river. Make sure to grab a float as soon as possible and if you’re a couple, the two person floats are a lot fun. We sat facing each other so we could chat and gaze lovingly in each other’s eyes (okay, I know, blech but we still feel like newlyweds!). Strangers became friends as we bumped into each other with a lot of chatting and laughing. One rotation around the river is about 7 minutes (or half a margarita… lol).

Another reason this place is great? The dining! After enjoying a day at the pool, we weren’t ready to return to the room, so we sat in the Stonegrill for happy hour. In the early afternoon we had the place to ourselves enjoying our glass of wine but the place quickly filled up as the sun was setting. We made some friends while watching a hot dog eating competition on the TV — I know bizarre, right?! The energy of the other guests was so fun!

The last time we stayed at the resort was during the COVID pandemic and we were able to snag a spot on the patio at Roy’s Pacific Rim. (If you’re a local and dining on a Monday, ask the waiter about a special they have — it might not be in existence when you go but it was in late 2020.) Walking through the hotel hallway to Roy’s is quite special with its unique architecture and lighting concept.

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We had breakfast at the Revive Spa Bistro (we didn’t partake in spa services but had a delicious meal) but I’ll be honest, it is a tad pricey. Twenty6 is another cute spot to enjoy quiet time and a drink on an outdoor patio, another dining option is the Meritage.

On a personal note, we were impressed with the caring and understanding of the staff at this place. I had lost my father a few weeks prior and my husband wanted to take me away from it all and decompress. He requested roses and a special meat and cheese plate as a surprise afternoon snack for us to enjoy while sitting on our patio, with a card quoting our favorite “poet”, Dr. Seuss. Unfortunately it didn’t come. He politely let the management know he was disappointed and that this had not been an ordinary request. We had reservations for dinner at Meritage that night… Below is what came to our table, which brought me to tears. Some of the waiters came over to express their condolences and one shared that her grandfather loved reading her Dr. Seuss.

This was truly a great weekend. I can’t find something to complain about. The grounds were gorgeous and well-manicured, and the rooms nicely updated and modern. I didn’t feel at all that the compassion they showed us was so I would give a good Yelp review. It was heart-felt and meaningful. I hope you have a great experience there as well! (And the golfing is pretty awesome too 😉

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Sometimes “getting away” can be right in your own backyard. Arizona is full of hidden gems like this one and it’s fun to experience a different environment, meet new people, and be catered to your every whim. The Scottsdale Resort has a very enjoyable and relaxing atmosphere at a reasonable cost. It’s tucked away in a charming area of Scottsdale called McCormick Ranch which has plush landscape in its residential neighborhoods.

The Scottsdale Resort is a Hyatt property and has been around since 1976 as the first conference resort in the country. The hotel underwent a major renovation in 2015 that updated the pool area, enhanced the guest rooms, and expanded the outdoor common areas.

Upon arriving, a valet welcomed us, offered to carry our bags and assured us we’d have our car available in a bit for going out to dinner. Walking into the lobby, a friendly face was waiting to check us in. The lobby was open and welcoming, with patio seating to the left and a bar and restaurant straight ahead. I was really impressed with the service and technology available to us — we received waterproof bracelets that act as room keys and grant access to the pool, and a text message we could respond to 24 hours a day to request something or have a question answered.

The room had nice amenities, with a Keurig coffee machine, separate vanity for primping for a night out, and a double-deep closet complete with several side hooks to hang clothes. This is the perfect space for a week long stay or someone who loves overpacking! A nice touch was the spot lighting over two paintings that gave the room a nice cozy feeling.

One of the special things about this resort is the rooms on the first floor with poolside access. We stayed in the King Bed Pool Side room with a cozy patio separated by vines from the neighboring rooms. That night we sat on the patio in cute white Adirondack chairs watching kids playing in the color-changing pool. Although we could still see people walking by, it felt private. Each patio is separated from each other on the sides with potted plants and a vine growing on the fence.

The next morning, we headed down to the bar called Bar Six40 for a breakfast burrito (big enough to share) and a mimosa. Make sure to sit outside and enjoy the green expanse of the golf course, complete with tall palms and gorgeous bougainvillea. We returned to our room, grabbed a book, and headed for the pool right outside of our room.

The pool was great! We reserved a cabana to allow escape from the sun occasionally and watch TV or read, either on the L shaped couch or on chaise lounge chairs. It had a refrigerator with complimentary water, fruit and an afternoon snack. Electrical outlets let us charge our iPad and laptop (can’t leave home without the technology!). At the time we stayed there (summer rates), the cabana was $160 on the weekend with a food and drink credit. We thought it was definitely worth it! The staff takes really good care of you and are very friendly. A live band played during afternoon hours which added some energy to the day.

We had dinner at one of the two restaurants on site, Kitchen West, overlooking the golf course. The dinner menu is not large but has standard choices, including seafood (salmon, sea bass and scallops), steaks, pork chops and chicken dishes. The ambiance is quaint with a partially open kitchen off to the side. We both had the filet prepared with a peppercorn reduction and a side of chimichurri sauce. Delicious!

The rooms could use refreshing, as evidenced by the sink falling out as I washed out my swimsuit… It had fallen down to the floor! That texting ability to maintenance turned out to be quite handy and they were able to fix it while we were away at dinner. Sometimes things happen…

Overall, a very pleasant experience and I would recommend this resort!