mauld

I'm taking a quick weekend trip to the Phoenix area in early Dec and was looking to stay at one of the 'top' resorts (Phoenician, Hyatt Gainey Ranch etc.) -- with all the travel problems lately I was hoping to find some discounted rates, but all I'm finding are $300+ rates for a Friday/ Sat stay. Does this seem cheap for this time of year??? Or should I wait a bit and book later on in November for Dec 7-9???

ldsant

Seems reasonable - December is PEAK season (actually starts end of September). You can find less expensive hotels. The ones you have mentioned are luxury places. If you want to stay at those places and get a great rate, consider going in the summer.

LLL

What are your desires in your resort of choice, mauld?
First off, rates in PHX from November through April have gotten out of control the past 4 years. $300 at, say the Phoenician (if you book a mountain view room) is typical and not a good deal. Will rates go down? I rather doubt it. Unless more terrorism or bad economic news emerges.
If you don't need a golf course and simply want a very nice hotel and access to shopping/restaurants and the weather in PHX, the Ritz Carlton is actually one of the best deals in town. They can't match the rates of the best resorts because the RC is not a resort. Just a hotel, within blocks of the Biltmore. I often stay there for business and always find the rates much more competitive than the resorts.
Phoenician is the nicest resort in the metro area, but there are MANY rooms with poor views there, and I will check into a different hotel rather than get stuck in a bad room there for an exorbitant price. The key rooms are 3rd and 4th floors in the main building, city/pool view, as close to the center of the hotel as possible. These are some of the nicest views in PHX (Tapatio Cliffs notwithstanding) from a hotel.
Hyatt's rooms are very average, but the grounds are beautiful.
Biltmore's rooms vary a lot. Some are nice, some very dated and plain.
The Four Seasons is new with very nice SW style rooms, but the place is quite a distance out, and grounds not attractive at all IMO. Smallish pools.
Princess has some nice rooms (the Cholla Suites are a nice deal if available), but a full cut below Phoenician and Boulders.

emily

Here's a trick that I have used when I am on business in Phoenix. I stay at the Marriott Mountain Shadows - rates vary from 119 - 199 in the last 2 years.While there, you can use all of the facilities at Camelback which is across the street and about twice the cost.
Mountain Shadows is a somewhat older resort, but still a very nice property.
Good luck with your trip!

kim

The Mountain Shadow is VERY dated and needs a huge renovation. I really like the Scottsdale Princess. It is a ways out but the grounds are beautiful and the food is some of the best you will ever have.