Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Trip Report Scottsdale AZ and Willow Stream Spa: Not Long Enough

A 4-day medical meeting in Scottsdale for DH, no children at home for me, a quick look at the spa online and I was IN for the trip.

We were supposed to leave for the airport at 6:30, but DH had to round first and I overslept and we needed gas, so we actually left town at 7:27 am for a 9:15 a.m flight during morning rush hour traffic. The trip took us a good hour when it normally takes about 45 minutes. When you're late, that extra 15 minutes counts! We then made a wrong turn into long-term parking and ran to the terminal. I was in backless shoes and wasn't really running but was doing more of a fast shuffle, lol. We got to curbside check-in just 5 minutes after their cut-off. We went inside and stood for 10 minutes in the ticket line and were then 5 minutes too late to check our baggage there. Of course, by that time everyone in metro Atlanta had come to the airport and there we were in a long security line with bags full of big tubes of hair gel, toothpaste, lotion, etc. that were supposed to have been checked.

We were pulled aside and some of our toiletries confiscated, warned by the TSA guards, ran to the gate, checked our luggage, got on the plane. There were our very relieved friends, one of DH's partners and his wife, who were going to the same meeting.

We flew on Delta in coach. I don't remember the plane but it was excruciatingly close. The passenger in front of DH immmediately reclined and stayed that way. Unfortunately, DH's seat wouldn't recline and he was miserable. Southern gentleman that he is, he did not complain or mention it save an occasional eye-rolling:D Our movie was The Queen, and I had been wanting to see it for ages! I am now prepared to admit that I am completely out of step with 99% of the moviegoing public, because after the movie I thought, "Wasn't there ANYTHING else to make a movie about?" It was about as boring a movie as I've ever seen.

We arrived in Phoenix around one pm and decided to rent a car. We got a Ford Explorer--fine in the front seats, less fine in the back---and drove to the Fairmont Princess Hotel in Scottsdale. Our room was ready but our friends' was not; we both had reserved king rooms. The other couple was offered a room with 2 double beds if they didn't want to wait, which they turned down, then were offered an upgrade to a suite for just an extra $100 per night and happily did so.

Since we had the entire afternoon we decided to drive to the Grand Canyon. It was a punishing eight hours (especially in the backseat of an Explorer) and I'm not sure I would do it again. We stopped for a map just past Williams, and outside the convenience store were three men dressed from the Wild West. They all had leather chaps, long leather coats with capes, holsters and guns, long hair, etc. They told us they were train robbers. When we came out of the store they told us that there is a tourist train ride to the Canyon and they are actors who stopped and "robbed" the train. They looked pretty convincing, and said the guns were real, but unloaded. In fact, they said we were probably the only ones at the store WITHOUT guns. (Okay, walk slowly back to the car everyone . . .!)

The Grand Canyon was majestic, huge, wonderful, red, and after a few looks from a few different vantage points, ultimately just a big hole in the ground. We didn't have time to go down and explore (five hours each way on a MULE or 12 miles walking)so after checking out the rim in several places, we headed back to Scottsdale. There was snow everywhere; it had snowed four days previously and everyone was still talking about it.

DH's partner did all the driving, and his driving was enthusiastic. We made it back in record time, lol, and went to bed after a room service dinner that was prompt but unmemorable.

The meeting began at 7 a.m the next day and my spa services started at 8:15. The Willow Stream Spa was delightful: spacious, beautiful, imaginative. The emphasis is on nature and natural materials. Rock waterfalls were everywhere, and one outdoor heated pool has a 10 foot waterfall. One of the indoor jacuzzis has three waterfalls at three different temps and herbal infusions. It's sometimes hard to tell whether you are indoors or out, and small sparrows fly in and out of the atrium. I was a bit worried about this with respect to lunch, but nothing Unpleasant ever happened.

That first spa day, Friday, I had a masaage, a facial, a full-body exfoliation and a hot herbal wrap. And a lavender oil scalp treatment. All the services were rendered very professionally in treatment rooms that were large and well-appointed. The providers were educated and well-spoken, friendly, and very good. I was pleased with everything, and spent time in the sauna and steam room as well. I had books and Sudoku, and enjoyed myself thoroughly. My friend and I met for lunch, and had a mango/papaya grilled teriyaki chicken salad that was mediocre. The Sedona Sunset tea was outstanding, and the pricly pear lemonade in the spa was tart and delicious.

We dressed for dinner and went to The Grill at the golf center just a half-mile away. We used the hotel shuttle as our designated driver and enjoyed several martinis before and with dinner. I had never thought of a martini as a dinner beverage, and was very glad to be set straight on that subject:) I had a nice meal of salad, filet and grilled asparagus, followed by a warm chocolate cake filled with (of course) more chocolate, accompanied by a small scoop of homemade coconut ice cream and garnished with yummy cocoquina (sic?) nuts. These are nuts that look and taste like very small coconuts.

Back to the hotel and our room was turned down, which is a service without a purpose if no chocolate is involved, IMVHO. We did not bring laptops so I checked my email on webtv, which was unwieldy and slow.

Day 2 at the spa was even better than the first. The only service I had booked was a pedicure, but I planned to stay the entire day going from one room to the next. The pedicure was outstanding, and I bought a few products to replace the confiscated ones. I sat in the inhalation therapy room for awhile, breathing in therapeutic essential oils and relaxing. Then sauna, then steam, then the plunge pool, then the waterfall jacuzzi. Outside to the rooftop pool (exclusively for spa clients) to read and sit in the weak sun (66 F). I had ordered lunch for the atrium, a sliced tenderloin sandwich with country mustard on nine grain bread. It was delicious, and followed by an apple and a popover with shredded coconut. More Sedona Sunset herbal tea and gallons of pricly pear lemonade were my only beverages during the day. After lunch I went back on the round of water features and sat by the mesquite woodburning fireplace with my feet up, reading. Heaven! I spent the last hour getting ready for dinner.

La Hacienda is a lovely Mexican restaurant on site at the Fairmont Princess. It is not as lovely if you are allergic to cilantro, which I am. I explained the situation to the waiter, assuring him that if they couldn't make something without cilantro I would just eat bread and drink Margaritas, lol. But the chef prepared a vegetarian dinner for me sans cilantro, consisting of corn pudding wrapped in corn shucks, new potatoes, creamed spinach, and assorted other vegetables. It was great! I had pricly pear Margaritas, which were yummy, and we had some ridiculously wonderful mocha dessert that deserved 5 stars.

The next morning we packed up and checked out, and headed in the car to Taliesin West. Our docent was a true Frank Lloyd Wright disciple, and he shared many anecdotes of the architect's life. We sat and chatted in the living room, which is redecorated periodically with 50's color and materials (and which would improve drastically with about $50,000 and a good decorator. Midcentury is fine, but not like that!) We spent some time in the gift shop and I bought a beautiful FLW scarf for myself and a " blueprint" tie for my former SIL's new husband, who is an architect.

A mention about the hotel: the Fairmont Princess is a nice hotel that is about to undergo a complete facelift. The spa will double in size (from 150 employees to 300) and enough rooms will be added to bring the total to 1000. Our room was spacious, about 500 square feet, with a wet bar and nicely arranged furniture. Our balcony overlooked the lagoon and it was beautiful. The bathroom was spotless, with a soaking tub and nice BIG personal products, but the faucets etc. were dated. These will all be replaced in the coming year of renovation.

The flight home was uneventful; I played In-Flight Trivia the entire way and won several rounds :D Honesty demands that I mention I lost more than a few and ended up in the cellar for one. A phone check with all children and family members revealed no major problems during our absence and we picked up our luggage from the correct carousel, found our car, and left without incident. This was a short, 4 day adult getaway and all thoroughly enjoyed it.