Best Luxury 5 Star Hotels in Arizona

Encompassing several tiers, each low rise, this Ritz-Carlton hotel has been carved into Tortolita Mountain. Beamed ceilings complement serene contemporary furnishings, with Asprey toiletries, Nespresso machines and private terraces boasting gas fires for cosy evenings stargazing the clear, dark skies. Leisure facilities include a tennis court, a 27-hole Jack Nicklaus golf course, wellness and mixology classes and three swimming pools (including a Serenity Pool with a tanning island) set across the multiple tiers. There are also six restaurants, a spa, and a programme of activities at the “Rangers Station” for the younger guests.

Built in 2004 and renovated in 2013, this Marriott property in the city’s Mountain Park, has 575 guest rooms, including singles, doubles and suites, some with balconies. Set to a backdrop of Saguaros, the resort reflects much of the local landscape, with desert-inspired decor, ceilings made from cactus spines and accents of native southwestern culture. Three golf courses, a spa, a gym and a multilevel outdoor pool with waterslides and a lazy river are found within the grounds, with Mediterranean and Mexican restaurants and a sports bar available for food and drink.

Spa lovers will find they’re never far from a quality wellness resort in Phoenix. And one such, is the JW Marriott Desert Ridge, Arizona’s largest hotel. It has 950 guestrooms, including 81 suites, and occupies 316 acres of the Sonoran Desert, on the perimeter with Scottsdale. The AAA Four-Diamond and Forbes Recommended award-winning property has superb views of the McDowell Mountains. Its many amenities include five restaurants and a lounge, large meeting spaces, a spa, tennis courts, a lake with inbuilt fountains and bridges over, a golf course and five freeform, lap and river-style outdoor pools.

Taking inspiration from nearby Mexico, this hotel features plazas with fountains, colonial–style terracotta-coloured architecture, casita suites and restaurants including La Hacienda and Toro, by chef Richard Sandoval. Its 65 landscaped acres accommodates two 18-hole championship golf courses (one of which hosts an annual PGA tournament), six pools with waterslides, a man-made beach and an innovative spa. 750 bedrooms boast benefits such as private terraces and wet bars, and, as the resort is so large, you can get a lift to and from the public areas on one of the Fairmont’s golf buggies.

Formerly the Cottonwood Suites, this property has been operating as the Andaz Resort (part of the Hyatt Group) since 2014. Its 185 bungalows and suites sit within 23 acres of land in the shadow of Camelback Mountain. The design here blends a midcentury vibe, with a modern arty feel. Onsite are three pools, one of which is within the Palo Verde Spa & Apothecary, where guests can also indulge in treatments — indoors or out. Areas of the grounds are strung with twinkling lights, planted with giant cacti and punctuated with glowing uber-modern outdoor fires. Guests at the Andaz dine beside the open kitchen in a funky restaurant.