If you think Phoenix is known for what is known as "Southwest cuisine," you'd be rightand wrong. (By the way, Jillian Michaels does NOT play around, let me tell you.) If you need motivation, you can rely on the many quotes on the walls, from everyone from Muhammad Ali to lesbian WNBA player Brittney Griner. And while the Sheraton's fitness area doesn't have a massage area, it has every bit of equipment one could want as well as something extra: a smaller room with dozens of videos you (or a group of people) can select and follow. The hotel is close to the Phoenix Convention Center as well as an array of restaurants, sporting and cultural venues and amazing nightlife.Īs for dining inside the Sheraton, the spot &More by Sheraton is a spacious area that offers some enticing breakfast, lunch and dinner options. While the Westin provides a feeling of seclusion, the Sheraton gets to the heart of the matterbecause it's in the heart of the city. It has an outdoor pool, a state-of-the-art fitness center, an on-site restaurant and bars. The Sheraton is also relaxing, albeit in a different way. I wasn't really concerned about someone (or something) hiding in the shadows, but it may give someone else cause to pauseso wait until the sun shines on the Westin to exercise. The only caveat I have is that during my usual workout time (4 to 5 a.m.), there was no light between the main part of the hotel and the Agave/fitness studio area. The fitness studio (outside the hotel and next door to Agave) had everything and more that one could want, including something I had never seen in a gym: a station with Hyperice massage guns to help people work through their soreness. I could feel my worries evaporating.Īlso, as you may have gathered, the Westin has a LOT of facilities devoted to athletic pursuits (and hiking is an option as well). The other male visitors I saw were cordial and my masseur, Carl, expertly gave me an athletic massage topped with an application of CBD oil. Everyone seemed so happy the atmosphere was almost Stepford-esqueuntil I realized the smiles were sincere.Īgave is one of the more tranquil spas I've experienced, and that's saying a lot. Everyone seemed happyincluding staffers AND guests. (Also, there's wildlife inside the hotel, as I noticed glass boxes with reptiles inside they included a rattlesnake, racer, king snake and Gila monster.)Īnd as high-end as the Westin seemed, I immediately felt at ease (even though Marcy, a part of the welcoming committee, made me feel I might not survive if I didn't take a cookie). There's even a scotch library in which, during weekly lessons, "ambassadors" guide guests through more than 300 whiskey labels. The resort experience continues with luxurious treatments at Agave, The Arizona Spa 27 holes of championship golf at Kierland Golf Club various dining establishments eight dining venues tennis courts an adventure water park and much morelike a 25,000-square-foot. Located in the heart of Scottsdale (which some call "the Beverly Hills of the Phoenix area") and set against dramatic landscapes of the Sonoran Desert, The Westin Kierland offers 732 guest rooms, 55 suites and 32 casita units. Both had its assets that made the stays comfortableand, with the former, the amenities almost seemed indulgent.
) and the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown (340 N. Please check COVID policies for any place you visit.ĭuring my visit, I was fortunate enough to split my time between Scottsdale's The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa (6902 E. NOTE: At the time I visited, COVID restrictions were relatively loose, as masks were only required in the Phoenix Art Museum and Uber vehicles. (And again, why not? It was 75 degrees.) This visit showed exactly why everyone seemed so happyfrom the options at two hotels to the vibrant food scene.
I was actually in Phoenixand, although it's only a four-hour plane ride away, the city (with some exceptions) offers an entirely different scenario than what many live through in the Windy City.
Obviously, I wasn't in Chicago, although there's something to be said for the charm of the season's first snowfall. This article shared 1457 times since Sun Jan 2, 2022