A cornerstone of Scottsdale for nearly ten decades, the Royal Palms Resort & Spa is one of my favorite, and more luxurious hotel stays to date.

The resort was founded in 1929, as a private winter home of Delos Cooke’s family (any Westworld watchers out there? *cough* Delos *cough*). The home was created after Delos’ retirement, which he romantically said he was retiring to, “devote most of my time to the welfare and happiness of my wife from now on. She has first claim on me.” The style and architecture of the resort were inspired by Spain’s Andalusia, with flourishes of Mexico’s hacienda and Spanish Colonial styles. The final result was a beautiful Spanish Revival villa with white plaster over brick, Granada-tiled roofs, elaborately grilled windows and doorways, and elegant archways.

Over the years, the Royal Palms Resort has had several owners and now stands as one of the most well-regarded resorts in Scottsdale. If you are looking for a romantic winter getaway, a pool-side staycation, or just want to taste some delicious food, the Royal Palms has it all.

Rooms

We stayed in a 560-square-foot Estate Suite featuring a master bedroom with a king size bed and a separate living area. However, the bathroom was the area I found unique!

The bathroom had a standalone bathtub to soak and relax in. The shower had a steam featured which turned an ordinary shower into a full-blown sauna. The mirror also made me look fabulous. Not sure where they buy those, but I’ve gotta get one for my house . . . it was an instant self-confidence booster!

We were also fortunate to stay in room 317 with a fantastic balcony view of a quiet pool and Camelback mountain. When you book your stay, try to reserve either 316, 317, or 318. All three are on the top floor with breathtaking views!

When we weren’t in the sauna, tub, or on the balcony, the king size bed was too comfy to leave. Lucky for us, they have a TV in both the bedroom and living area, so we were able to watch countless TV shows and have a movie marathon.

Royal Palms Hotel Phoenix
Royal Palms Hotel Phoenix
Royal Palms Hotel Phoenix
Royal Palms Hotel Phoenix
Royal Palms Hotel Phoenix
Royal Palms Hotel Phoenix

Property

Several additions have been made since the Cooke family’s original home was built. The resort has enough amenities, so you never have to leave the property.

Boasting Scottsdale’s most romantic restaurant (T. Cook’s), a poolside bar and grill (Cabana Cafe), and a more upscale resort bar and grill (the Mix Up Bar), you will not be wanting for food. The Royal Palms Resort also has fantastic room service as well. If you are hungry, you will be hard-pressed to find better dining options in the entire city.

If you want to work off those extra calories, Royal Palms has a 24/7 two-story fitness center at your service. If you want to continue to pamper yourself, the Alvadora Spa is the place to go for all your massages, facials, pedicures, and manicures.

Since it was June in Arizona, the pool was by far the most popular area of the resort. Of course, the best way to cool down is lounging by the pool with a frozen drink in hand.

Royal Palms Hotel Phoenix
T. Cooks, Royal Palms Hotel

T. Cooks Restuarant 

T.Cook’s is the “main” restaurant on the property. They serve breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, featuring both an indoor seating area and two outdoor patio options. We did our best to explore all the restaurant had to offer!

For breakfast, we tried the assorted fruits and croissants. Both were light, refreshing, and delicious.

For brunch, we went a bit heavier and dove into the Avacado Toast and Sticky Bun. While the Avacado Toast was delicious (and much healthier), the Sticky Bun was the real winner. I’ve never tasted such a sweet and scrumptious delight in my life!

For dinner, we started with a few cocktails, as everyone should on their birthday weekend. (Oops did I forget to mention it was my birthday??). The charming waitstaff brought out some complimentary delicious bread and pesto, which we easily finished and requested more of! After our second round of bread, we dove into the main courses: Handmade Forest Mushroom Lasagna and their Grilled All Natural Mary’s Chicken. Both exceed our expectations. However, we weren’t done yet.  Onto dessert! While we could barely move from all of the food, we had to try the cheesecake, which we quickly demolished because it was so tasty. You can guess, at the end of the meal we were beyond full and well beyond satisfied.

Alvadora Spa

There’s not much else that takes you out of the ordinary and into full-blown vacation mode than a massage. The Alvadora Spa is well known in the valley (and nationally, it was recently honored with the 2018 Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Award) for their focus on the details that make up your spa experience.

We went for the couples massage. Our masseuses were Rachel and Hannelore. They did a fantastic job getting both my husband (it was his first massage) and me relaxed and into the vacation mood.

What blew me away was the atmosphere of the spa. We were lucky to have been in a room featuring a tub, french doors to a private jacuzzi, and beautiful interior stonework. It was a dream relaxation space.

Alvador Spa, Royal Palms Hotel Phoenix

If you’re looking for an intimate, relaxing, luxury stay in the heart of Phoenix, you’ll find it at Royal Palms Resort & Spa!

To book a night click here!

This post is written in partnership with Royal Palms Resort. As always, my thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you so much to everyone who made my birthday special!

Angie xoxo