There’s a kind of family vacation magic that happens at a big resort. Not the scheduled, counselor-led kind, but the old-fashioned kind, where children disappear around a corner and return an hour later flushed and breathless with stories about what they found; a hidden courtyard, a back staircase, a game room nobody told them about. That kind of magic requires space, and The Scottsdale Resort & Spa (a Curio Collection by Hilton property that recently completed a sweeping $40 million renovation) has space in abundance.
Set against the sun-burnished landscape of North Scottsdale, the resort spreads across lushly landscaped grounds that beg to be explored. Rent a bike and you might spend a happy hour navigating the property’s winding paths. Wander on foot and you’ll stumble upon tucked-away courtyards, shaded patios, and nooks and crannies. For families traveling with curious kids — especially the ones who, like many of us, grew up poking around the back corridors of large resort hotels — this is the stuff of fond memories in the making.
A Game Room Worth Finding
Let the kids lead and they’ll eventually find their way to the third floor, where The Social Boardroom awaits. It’s the resort’s answer to the question every parent hears by day two: But what is there to do? The answer here is satisfyingly analog: a golf simulator for aspiring pros, a proper pool table, table shuffleboard, and a big-screen TV reliably tuned to whatever game is on. Sink into the cozy seating area and it becomes immediately clear that this is a room designed for gathering. Teenagers will colonize it happily. Younger kids will need a little parental supervision, which is easy enough when the seating is this comfortable.
The Pool Scene
The main pool is the resort’s social heartbeat, and on a warm Arizona afternoon — which is to say, most afternoons — it delivers exactly what a family needs: enough room to spread out, enough activity to keep everyone occupied, and enough sun to guarantee everyone sleeps well. For adults who’d prefer a quieter dip, a more secluded pool sits removed from the main scene.
Between swim sessions, the central patio serves as the resort’s communal living room. Meals here (breakfast, lunch, or dinner) are al fresco and served via either the resort’s La Fogata restaurant or Barnaby’s Café & Wine Bar, which can handle everything from morning coffee to lazy afternoon pours. Kids can roam the patio while adults relax, which is the dynamic every family vacation requires.
Wine Wednesday (Parents, Take Note)
Wednesday evenings at the resort have become something of a local institution. Wine by the bottle and by the glass is half off, live music drifts across the patio, and the atmosphere is festive. In one of the interior courtyards, a game of cornhole is always an option, which means the kids have something to do while the adults enjoy the kind of evening that doesn’t happen often enough at home.
The Rooms
After a day of exploring, biking, and pool time, the rooms deliver comfort. Spacious and thoughtfully appointed, they feature the plush Hilton Serenity Collection bedding and oversized flat-screen televisions; a genuine luxury when the kids are wound up and you need a 9pm movie to seal the deal. Many rooms offer private patios with views of the pool, golf course, or desert landscape, giving families a private perch to start the morning or end the evening. For larger groups or multi-generational gatherings, the Stillman Villas accommodate up to 14 guests and come with the aforementioned quiet pool, gourmet kitchen, and sprawling living areas. (The resort will offer a Sleepover Suite experience in these villas this summer, a turnkey solution for slumber parties, birthday events and more, allowing parents to enjoy the party just as much as the children!)
For the Adults, After Hours
Here’s a secret the resort keeps well: behind a set of bookcase doors in The Social Boardroom lives The Madame Speakeasy. Tiny, softly illuminated, and deliberately sultry, its cocktails are serious and the sort that take a minute to craft and a while to drink. It’s the ideal destination once the kids are otherwise supervised and preoccupied, and a reminder that a great family vacation doesn’t mean suspending adult pleasures entirely.
The fitness center is similarly well-equipped for those who prefer their post-bedtime ritual to involve a treadmill rather than a barstool. It’s large, modern, and mercifully uncrowded. And for something more restorative, the Luna Spa is steps away, offering the full range of treatments to unknot whatever the day left behind.
Out the Front Gate
The resort’s position in North Scottsdale means golf is essentially next door, a point of interest for parents who want to sneak in a round while the family sleeps in. The broader Scottsdale area offers the full complement of desert diversions: Camelback Mountain for hikers, Old Town for shoppers and gallery-hoppers, and seemingly endless restaurant options for the evenings when you venture off property.
The Scottsdale Resort & Spa isn’t a boutique hideaway or an intimate retreat. It’s a big, handsome, well-run, exceedingly friendly resort with the breadth of offerings that large properties, at their best, provide: something for everyone, enough space to breathe, and the kind of infrastructure that ably handles the logistics of family travel. Here, they make it look easy.
Photos courtesy of The Scottsdale Resort & Spa
