A desert classic: Camelback Inn, the first Marriott resort, shines brightly in Arizona's Valley of the Sun

Travel America, Sept-Oct, 2005 by Randy Mink

SPRAWLING ACROSS a hillside overlooking E Mountain, one of the Southwest's most historic and luxurious resorts is a lush oasis in the Sonoran Desert. Having chosen Camelback Inn, A JW Marriott Resort & Spa, as a springtime base for touting the Phoenix-Scottsdale area, we were always eager to get back to our flower-festooned Shangri-la.

Profusions of bougainvilleas, geraniums, petunias, and pansies contrast boldly with the rugged terrain and beige stucco architecture of this low-rise kingdom at the base of Mummy Mountain in Paradise Valley, an affluent community where the median home price exceeds $1 million. Citrus trees, cactus, and various desert plants complement the brilliant landscaping.

Each of Camelback Inn's 453 guest rooms, tucked into one- and two-story, adobe-style buildings, has its own entrance and a garden patio or balcony. Celebrities cherish the privacy these casitas afford and often opt for one of the seven deluxe suites with its own swimming pool. There is not a single corridor between the villas, and not one elevator anywhere. We stayed in Room 300, close to the lobby and located in one of the original buildings.

Since opening in 1936, the inn has welcomed the rich and famous. In a hallway off the lobby, you will see black-and-white photos of Bing Crosby, Arthur Godfrey, and Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower. Other early guests included Jimmy Stewart, Clark Gable, and Bette Davis.

Founder Jack Stewart had dreams of creating a Pueblo-style playground that would appeal to the elite. Besides fine furnishings, dining, and entertainment, he also wanted to offer an atmosphere with friendly, personal service that was never too overwhelming. This philosophy is still very much a part of Camelback Inn's appeal. (The words "Where Time Stands Still," inscribed on the clocktower above the entrance, remind present-day guests of the inn's traditions.)

The resort was an immediate success, compelling Stewart to expand from 75 to 118 rooms. Frequent vacation stays by J.W. Marriott St. and his wife led Marriott Corporation to purchase the resort from Stewart in 1967. Bill Marriott Jr., chairman of the board and president of Marriott Corporation, and his extended family still vacation there every year. In fact, we spotted him on our March visit.

Camelback Inn has undergone many renovations and expansions since being acquired by Marriott and has won countless awards. It has received the AAA Five Diamond Award for 29 consecutive years.

As the company's first resort, Marriott's Camelback Inn launched a network that now includes more than 20 resorts. Last year it became a JW Marriott property, joining the most exclusive collection of hotels that carry the Marriott name.

The latest development is the $8-million facelift of The Spa at Camelback Inn, the first full-service spa of its magnitude (built in 1989) in the Phoenix area. Offering stunning views of Camelback Mountain and the surrounding valley from its perch above the resort's other buildings, the largest and most extensive resort spa in the Southwest features 32 treatment rooms, a state-of-the-art fitness center, outdoor lap pool, and a spa restaurant, Sprouts.

Some body treatments take on a Southwestern touch. The Adobe Clay Purification Treatment, inspired by ancient healing rituals of the Native American culture, uses pure red adobe clay and herbs indigenous to the Arizona desert, such as sage, juniper, and sandalwood. The ritual ends as the guest is given a cup of peppermint-sage tea and guided to a sauna scented with desert herbs.

Meditative therapies include the Healing Drum Circle, which combines an outdoor sunset ritual with the repetitive beating of a native drum. Participants, each with a drum, gather around a fire pit as a spirit drum guide leads them through a meditation with the burning of white sage.

Healthful fare at Sprouts includes a butternut squash bisque with nutmeg cappuccino whip and candied walnuts; "Three Dips Lavash," crisp, freshly baked whole-grain flatbreads served with citrus hummus, sun-dried tomato-goat cheese tapenade, and soy nut pesto; and strawberry chicken salad with radicchio, baby lettuce, asparagus, baby carrots, and candied walnuts drizzled with a peach-lime vinaigrette.

Near the spa is a mock Western village where cowboy-style cookouts for groups are held under the stars. Amid hay bales and wagon wheels, guests can inspect the adobe and wooden facades of a livery stable, cantina, barber shop, Pony Express office, and other storefronts. A hiking trail in the foothills of Mummy Mountain twists through rocks and cactus above the village, affording panoramas of the resort, the humps of Camelback Mountain, and Phoenix skyline.

One of our favorite spots at Camelback Inn was the Jackrabbit Pool complex, with its hot tubs, ping pong tables, and Hoppin' Jack's snack bar. Golfers can choose from two 18-hole championship courses set among lakes and mountains. A $16-million renovation of Camelback Golf Club was completed in 2000 and included a redesign by Arthur Hills of the Resort Course, plus a new clubhouse, pro shop, restaurant, and practice range. The inn's Tennis Pavilion features six all-weather courts, five lit for night play and one screened for private play.