Scottsdale Escorts

SCOTTSDALE TRAVEL GUIDE              

AIRPORT UPGRADE. At Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, a $26 million revamp of the main terminal is in progress. Plus, more low-fare flights have been added by America West, Jet-Blue, Southwest and Canada's West Jet.
Tel:  (602) 273-3300.

WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT
Flowing water is not the first image that comes to mind when one thinks of Arizona; nevertheless, Scottsdale is trying to create an area similar to San Antonio's River Walk along the northern banks of the Arizona Canal that runs through town.

While the 11-acre site will include several office and residential sections, it also will feature a museum celebrating college football's Fiesta Bowl (held annually at the Sun Devil Stadium in nearby Tempe).

Also part of the blueprint is the SunDial Bridge, to be designed by architect Paolo Soleri, which will connect the canal to other parts of downtown. Dining and retail outlets scheduled to be built include P.F. Chang's China Bistro, the Sur La Table cookwares store, Borders Books & Music, Urban Outfitters and more. Ground was broken on the project in September.
Tel:  (480) 312-7825

LOCAL UPDATE:

A 21,000-square-foot spa is being built at the 493-room Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch. The facility will open next May with 18 treatment rooms, a pool deck and a trellis-covered outdoor relaxation area with fireplaces.

 A $7 million renovation at the 654-room Phoenician finishes up next month. About $1 million was spent on the golf course; among the enhancements is a new global positioning system on the driving range. The property's 65,000 square feet of event space received a $2 million facelift, and the remaining monies were spent on suites, the restaurant and the dining room.

The 200-room James Hotel Scottsdale opened in February. The trendy property offers 10,000 square feet of meeting space.

Starwood Hotels & Resort Worldwide's W brand comes to town in 2007. The 225-room W Scottsdale Hotel and Residences will have 3,800 square feet of meeting space.

The Camelback Inn Resort, Golf Club & Spa is now a JW Marriott property. An $8 million renovation to the spa created a 32,000-square-foot facility with 32 treatment rooms, an updated fitness center and a spa restaurant called Sprouts.

La Posada Resort, formerly a Doubletree property, will close in March for extensive renovations. When reopened in winter 2006, the resort will offer 205 guest rooms, 34 villas, 24 poolside suites and a new spa.

Public and meeting spaces have been remodeled at the 202-room SunBurst Resort. Also part of the $6 million project, a 3,500-square-foot spa with seven treatment rooms, called Spa Terre, was added. Guest room renovations are nearly finished.

Work continues in the restoration of the Hotel Valley Ho. Along with renovations to the 196 guest rooms, the 47-year-old property's original restaurant, Trader Vic's, is being redone. When it reopens in December 2005, the hotel will be full of touches from its original heyday in the 1950s.

The Doubletree Paradise Valley Resort has finished a $2 million renovation. The 378-room hotel offers more than 40,000 square feet of meeting space.

New "Gainey Suite Dreams" beds have been installed at the Gainey Suites Hotel. The 162-suite property offers 5,300 square feet of event space.

Resort Suites of Scottsdale is in the midst of renovating its 336 suites. In addition, upgrades are scheduled for the hotel's fitness center and restaurant. The property also offers 155 hotel rooms and 7,600 square feet of meeting space.

The grand opening of the 248-room Radisson Fort McDowell Resort & Casino has been scheduled for fall 2005. The property will offer more than 23,000 square feet of meeting space, including an 18,000-square-foot ballroom.

The 337-room Marriott Mountain Shadows Resort is being torn down. The site is to become residential property.

MEETING HOTELS:

Scottsdale offers 12,000 hotel rooms. Major meetings properties include the 654-room Phoenician Resort; 650-room Fairmont Scottsdale Princess; 493-room Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch; 491-room Resort Suites of Scottsdale; 453-room Camelback Inn, a JW Marriott Resort & Spa; 404-room Scottsdale Plaza Resort; 387-room Doubletree Paradise Valley Resort; 353-room Carefree Resort and Villas; 326-room Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center; 311-room Chaparral Suites Hotel; 270-room Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountains; 262-room La Posada Resort; 215-room Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa; 210-room Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North; 210-room Sun-Burst Resort & Spa; 200-room James Hotel; 185-room Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas; 162-room Gainey Suites Hotel; 160-room Orange Tree Golf Resort; 125-room Millennium Resort Scottsdale McCormick Ranch; 117-room Royal Palms Resort & Spa, and 98 room Sanctuary on Camel back Mountain.

Taxes: Room tax, 3%; sales tax, 8.67%; total tax on hotel rooms, 11.67%
Large Group Venues: Attractions at the El Pedregal Festival Marketplace include the Heard Museum North, an outpost of Phoenix's famed museum, and an array of jewelry, clothing, art, gourmet and furniture galleries and stores. But the marketplace also offers plenty of meeting space, including a 500-seat theater and space to hold a 400-person banquet.
Tel:  (480) 488-1072.

Build your own cowboy theme party at Brett's Barn at WestWorld of Scottsdale. The facility offers 2,400 square feet, including a stage with a western backdrop and barn doors that open to the desert night. Brett's Barn welcomes 600 for a reception and 450 for a dinner.
Tel:   (480) 312-6802.

Scottsdale is the spring-training home of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants, who play their local games in the 8,200-seat.
 
SCOTTSDALE STADIUM
While the city is considering taking over the nearby Coronado Golf Course to build a new training facility for the team, meeting planners can use the stadium itself for gatherings of up to 11,500 people, or the Press Box and Patio for groups of up to 180.
Tel:  (480) 312-2586.

SMALL GROUP VENUES:
A new dining spot in town is Sassi, which offers a wide variety of specialty Italian fare. The restaurant accommodates private dining for eight to 28 guests. Sassi's event room and garden lawn accommodate groups of up to 150.
Tel:  (480) 502-9095

For groups of up to 24 who want to do their own cooking, arrange classes at the new satellite Jane Butel South-western Cooking School (the original is in Albuquerque) at the 650-room Fairmont Scottsdale Princess.

Larger groups can book the chef to teach a class in one of the property's meeting rooms. The classes are geared for novices and gourmets alike, and they focus on Mexican-inspired cuisine.
Tel:  (800) 472-8229.

GOLF:
Most resorts in the area have their own courses. Public links include
Cave Creek (602-866-8076).
Grayhawk (480-502-1800).
Talking Stick (480-860-2221).
We-ko-pa (480-836-9000).

SPORTS:
Has tennis returned as a favorite among your attendees? Most resorts in Scottsdale offer a full range of tennis amenities, with top-notch instruction, facilities and often match making services. For instance, the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess has a 5,000-seat stadium court, plus six other courts.

The Phoenician's Tennis Garden offers 12 courts in four surfaces; the Scottsdale Resort & Athletic Club, 11 courts; the Boulders Resort, eight courts in three surfaces; the CopperWynd Resort and Club, nine courts; Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch, four courts; Sanctuary on Camelback, the former John Gardner tennis resort, four courts.

CVB SERVICES:
Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, 4343 N. Scottsdale Rd., Suite 170, Scottsdale, Ariz. 85251;
Tel:  (480) 421-1004 or (800) 782-1117.

NOW SHOWING
To find out whose work is on display at local galleries.

NEW MEETING ROOMS
Are being built at the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale. When the 5,630-square-foot Ironwood Ballroom and three breakout rooms open in December, the 210-room property will offer 36,000 square feet of event space. Tel:  (480) 515-5700.

FOR THE THRILL OF IT
Guests looking for excitement can go to the new "adventure concierge" at the Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa in Carefree. Stationed in the Activities Center at the Boulders Tennis Garden, the concierge can set up blood-pumping outings such as rock climbing, guided high-desert hikes, mountain-bike tours, hot-air balloon rides, Jeep tours and more.
Tel:   (480) 488-2570.

TAKEN FOR A RIDE
Give attendees a breath of fresh air in the desert by arranging an outing with one of these adventure companies.

BY HORSE
Morning, afternoon and sunset trail rides along the Verde River are available for groups of 150 from Fort McDowell Adventures. A two-hour City Slicker Cattle Drive can be arranged for groups of 12 to 150.
Tel:  (480) 816-6465.

BY BICYCLE
Desert Biking Adventures offers two-, three- and four-hour rides on mountain, cross-country and paved trails. The company handles small groups of up to seven people.
Tel:  (602) 320-4602.

BY BALLOON
Soar above the desert with Hot Air Expeditions. Each of the company's 12 majestic balloons can hold up to 14 people. Morning flights are followed by a champagne breakfast; evening passengers enjoy hors d'oeuvres at sunset.
Tel:  (800) 831-7610.

BY LUXURY VAN
Four customized, 15-person vans from Detours of Arizona seat just 10 in comfortable leather captain's chairs. Groups can ride in style either to the Grand Canyon, to Sedona or on the fabled Apache Trail.
Tel:  (866) 438-6877.

BY JEEP
Adventure Jeep Tours sends four people (or three and a guide) off in a Jeep Rubicon on a self-guided tour on four-wheel-drive trails in the nearly three-million-acre Tonto National Forest.
Tel:  (480) 510-5247.

BY HUMMER
Up to 200 people can explore the desert floor with Desert Dog Hummer Adventures' half- or full-day outings. The company even offers team-building trips by Hummer, where two teams use GPS navigation to follow clues.
Tel:  (480) 837-3966.

THROUGH HISTORY
Windwalker Expeditions visits archaeological sites, whether by Jeep (and foot) or on horseback (and foot). A professional archaeologist can tag along with groups of up to 15.
Tel:  (888) 785-3382.