Scottsdale Weekend Getaway
We had the pleasure of spending a weekend getaway in Scottsdale for a friend’s wedding in May. The weather was perfect as it wasn’t too hot and mostly stayed in the mid 70’s.
It was a relaxing weekend for us where we didn’t try to fit too much in. We stayed local, did a lot of walking around, and kept going back to the same restaurants.
The Scott Resort and Spa
We stayed at The Scott Resort & Spa, and I was very impressed with the design and decor, all the little touches, and their overall customer service.
From the moment you pull in, everything is very well manicured. The whole overall vibe is very relaxing, with a lot of greenery and airy colors.
I appreciated the ample sitting space all throughout the resort. From the lobby to the lagoon, there was plenty of places to find a quiet spot.
Check-in was a breeze, and they quickly sent us a text to welcome us, and let us know we could respond via text if there was anything we needed.
When we checked out and reviewed our bill, there was a pool bar charge we didn’t recognize. The person helping us went to get the original receipt, and it turns out someone else had charged 2 IPA’s and a pina colada to our room. We’ve never had this happen before, but they quickly took care of it for us.
Resort Fee
There is a daily resort fee, but compared to other resort fees I’ve seen, I found it to be a good value.
Some of the smaller things included free water and tea in the lobby, and large TVs in the rooms with streaming apps like Netflix, HBO, Hulu, and casting capability.
My favorite amenity was the courtesy shuttle service that will drop you off and pick you up within a 3-mile radius of the hotel. It’s on a first come first serve basis, and there was only one time we had a slight wait on a pickup. Two of our three drivers were very friendly and helpful in giving us recommendations in the area.
The 24-hour fitness center isn’t big, but it has dumbbells, a few strength machines, and cardio machines. They also offer daily yoga at 9am.
There is free valet and self-parking as well as Tesla charging stations.
And they have a handful of bikes you can check out for free to ride around town.
Pool Area
There are two separate pools. The main one is in the center next to the pool bar and hot tub. There are plenty of lounge chairs along with 3 cabanas that can be rented for the day.
The other pool has a beach walk-in entrance. Unfortunately, the “beach” is made of small pebbles rather than sand, but it was still enjoyable.
Finally, there’s a lagoon and grass area with even more cute sitting areas.
Rooms
I was very impressed with the rooms. They were large, spacious, and well decorated to stick with the theme throughout the resort. The bed felt like a cloud and was extremely comfortable. There was a convenient nook with a cozy couch and table that was a nice touch.
Other Scottsdale Hotel Options
Here are some other hotels in the area if The Scott Resort and Spa isn’t for you:
- Hyatt Regency Scottsdale
- W Scottsdale
- The Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Scottsdale Resort
- Scottsdale Marriott Suites Old Town
- Mondrian Hotel Scottsdale
Restaurants
Postino
I had found this restaurant online and was delighted to see it was just one block from the hotel. We went here twice for dinner, and would’ve went a 3rd time if we didn’t already have a wedding dinner to attend.
Both times we didn’t have reservations and we were seated immediately. The first time it was just the 2 of us, and the second time we were a group of 4.
They are known for their Bruschetta Boards. They have a vast selection of which you can choose 4. Each piece is cut up into 4 slices to make sharing easy. Here is the list of the ones we tried, in order of my favorite to least favorite:
- Prosciutto di parma, fig, and mascarpone
- Sweet n’ spicy pepper jam and goat cheese
- Brie, apple, and fig spread
- Burrata, bacon, arugula, and tomato
- Salami and pesto
- Mozzarella, tomato, and basil
They were all delicious, but the flavors of the prosciutto, fig, and mascarpone was by far our favorite. On our second visit, we ordered another 2 of that one since we liked it so much.
In addition to the bruschetta board, at each meal we also ordered a “select 2” dish. The first night we had a half nine iron panini on focaccia and a half brussels sprouts salad. The panini was delicious, and this salad option was nothing special.
The second night we had a half Tuscan tuna panini on focaccia and a half raspberry chicken salad. This panini I only thought was ok, and I liked this salad option much better. Of all the panini options, the apple and brie looked best to me.
Morning Squeeze
Morning Squeeze is a funky restaurant serving up breakfast and lunch. We enjoyed it so much, we came back for breakfast all 3 days.
On the first morning, we sat out on the patio and enjoyed a four berry smoothie, mimosa flight, classic eggs benedict, and cool beans rancheros (JR’s favorite of his 3 meals).
On the second morning, we went a little later and there was a bit of a wait, so we grabbed seats at the bar. We had the four berry smoothie again along with a breakfast sandwich, and chocolate chip waffles. This was my favorite of the 3 meals. The breakfast sandwich was canadian bacon, a fried egg, Havarti, and avocado on a pretzel bun and it was so flavorful.
On our final morning, we waited about 10 minutes for a table. We had our smoothies, a breakfast burrito, candied cinnamon bacon pancakes, and the sun deviled eggs. I’m a big fan of deviled eggs, but these weren’t anything special.
The Gelato Spot
Post breakfast, we crossed the street to get our gelato fix at The Gelato Spot. They had a great selection of flavors available.
They also serve salads, paninis, and pizza which all looked delicious as well.
Ocotillo
This restaurant isn’t in the Scottsdale area, but rather downtown Phoenix. This is where the wedding reception was which is why we ate here.
The food was delicious. The appetizers consisted of Caprese skewers, lamb chop lollipops, and empanadas.
The main meal consisted of two types of salads, orecchiette pasta, braised beef short rib, halibut, mashed potatoes, and vegetables.
The restaurant is indoor/outdoor. The outside area has a courtyard vibe with different areas, greenery, string lights, and a separate bar.
The food and the ambiance are definitely worth the visit if you’re in that area.
Farm and Craft
We didn’t eat here, but of all the restaurants we passed going to and from the Morning Squeeze, this one looked the cutest and always had a lot of people. They have a wide selection of healthy options that are very reasonably priced.
The Breakfast Club
This was the other breakfast spot recommended by our shuttle driver, Kevin. He said the food here is slightly better than Morning Squeeze, but often has a longer wait. We of course never tried it so we can’t say how it compares food-wise, but the ambiance was definitely lacking here.
Sumo Maya
Another shuttle driver recommendation. It’s Mexican Asian fusion that is a favorite amongst the staff of The Scott. We tried to make a dinner reservation here but it was too last minute.
They have a bottomless brunch deal for $29. That includes as many shared plates as you want, 1 entree per person, sides, and dessert. For an extra $10 per person, you can get all you can drink mimosas, bloody mary’s, margaritas, micheladas, and beers.
We considered doing this, but we ended up back at the Morning Squeeze again as we just couldn’t pull ourselves away!
Activities
Camelback Mountain
Camelback Mountain is a mile and a half from The Scott Resort. The Cholla trailhead is within shuttle range for drop-offs and pickups, which is convenient as parking isn’t easy there. The Cholla trail isn’t as difficult as the Echo trail, but still bring plenty of water and start early before it gets too hot.
Independence Gym
The Scott Resort has a small fitness center, but I needed to do a specific workout with squat racks and barbells. Independence gym was a perfect option. It was only a $12 drop-in fee, open 4am – midnight, and it was very large with a variety of equipment. It was also within the 3-mile radius so we had the courtesy shuttle drop us off and pick us up when we were done.
Topgolf
On the night before the wedding, we had made a reservation for dinner and games at Topgolf. We ended up not being able to make it as there was a welcome event we attended instead. It’s about 5 miles from the hotel, and will definitely be a part of our next visit.
Fashion Square
If shopping is your thing, fashion square is the largest mall in Arizona, and the 19th largest in the US by retail space. It’s within walking distance from The Scott, and right near the main strip of restaurants in Scottsdale.
What did we miss? Share your Scottsdale favorites with us in the comments below!
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