Phoenix Hotel Scene Gets an Update

Sponsored content by Visit Phoenix

Author: Sarah Beauchamp       

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A renovation at the The Phoenician included the addition of VIP Pools on the north side of the property. (Courtesy Visit Phoenix)

The Phoenician in Phoenix recently completed a multi-year renovation; the largest in its 30-year history. The iconic property — which offers more than 160,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space — transformed its three-meal-a-day restaurant into Mowry & Cotton, featuring bold, modern American cuisine; introduced a new grab-and-go venue, The Marketplace; added the The Phoenician Tavern, serving craft beer and cocktails with views of the redesigned Phoenician Golf Course; and opened a brand-new two-story Athletic Club and three-story Phoenician Spa, with rooftop pool, a Drybar, and nail salon.

“Since opening its doors on October 1, 1988, The Phoenician has curated the exceptional in luxury travel,” said Mark Vinciguerra, general manager at the Phoenician. “With this resort-wide transformation, we have created a more approachable, relaxing style that blends contemporary inspiration with our natural, Sonoran legacy.”

The Phoenician isn’t the only property in the city that’s embracing change. Several hotels in the Phoenix area are undergoing or have undergone massive renovations, with two new properties set to open next year.

The JW Marriott Camelback Inn in Scottsdale, for instance, saw major upgrades last year, adding 35,000 square feet of event space, bringing the total to 95,000 square feet. The new meeting space includes the 15,000-square-foot Paradise Ballroom — with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the mountains surrounding Paradise Valley — along with an additional 20,000 square feet of outdoor and pre-function space.

“The addition of the Paradise Ballroom to our extensive repertoire of meetings and events offerings will allow us to accommodate even more special occasions, meetings, and conferences,” said Jim Rose, general manager of the JW Marriott Camelback Inn. “Camelback Inn prides itself in being a market leader in the meetings and events space, and we are excited to provide a product that helps meet the high demand in the industry.”

With a $40-million renovation, the Carefree Resort and Conference Center has transformed into the wellness resort CIVANA. Offering 23,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting space, CIVANA is the first sustainable wellness resort in Greater Phoenix. Focused on sustainability, the 189-room property has two onsite dining spots, Terras, serving healthy vegetable-forward dishes, and the outdoor Café Meto, plus the 22,000-square-foot Spa. Event attendees can also take classes, like sunrise yoga, or participate in wellness retreats.

“Our goal at CIVANA is to offer guests options and flexibility in all aspects of wellness, including at the Spa,” said CEO Maggie Lang. “We invested a lot of time in thoughtfully curating a wide-ranging menu of distinct and customizable treatments to allow each guest to uncover their own wellness journey. Wellness means different things to each person, and the addition of our new innovative Spa allows our guests to customize an experience that is right for them.”

In addition to these hotel renovations, Phoenix expects to see two new properties opening in the downtown Roosevelt Row Arts District, including the unique hotel and immersive art venue Meow Wolf. The arts-concept property will offer event space — including a 75,000-square-foot art exhibition and a 10,000-square-foot music and performance venue — and 400 rooms all designed by local artists and each offering different overnight experiences, including capsule rooms, faux “glamping” opportunities, and over-the-top luxury suites.

“Our intention for this venture is to collaborate with the creative community in Greater Phoenix to produce an authentic, local statement of expression which will bring further excitement and creative energy to the Roosevelt Row Arts District,” said Vince Kadlubek, Meow Wolf’s CEO and co-founder. “This project is going to be truly monumental on so many levels.”

Construction has also begun on the $26-million Cambria hotel. The seven-story, 127-room property will offer event space, a ground-floor cafe and onsite restaurant, and a rooftop pool and bar. This will be the third Cambria property to join Greater Phoenix’s growing meetings hotel offerings, including the Cambria Hotel Phoenix Chandler-Fashion Center and Cambria Hotel North Scottsdale Desert Ridge.

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More seating around the Paradise Ballroom at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn adds to the ballroom’s large amount of pre-function space. (Courtesy Visit Phoenix)

 

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