Highlights: The Phoenician

•The Phoenician hotel is at the base of Camelback Mountain, where lush gardens and dramatic desert terrain create a spectacular setting

•Exceptional staff service takes care of all the little details, like sending a seamstress to your room if you request a sewing kit

•Multiple restaurants, including the Mobil Four-Star Mary Elaine's and a $3 million wine cellar offer exquisite dining experiences

•Extensive meeting space, well-staffed business center with unique services, and planning staff can accommodate any size corporate gathering

•The Mobil Four-Star Centre for Well-Being goes beyond spa services to offer innovative treatments and life-balancing experiences

Amenities: The Phoenician

• 647 rooms, 6 story. Pets accepted, some restrictions; $500 Deposit. Check-in 4 pm, check-out Noon. High-speed Internet access, wireless Internet access. 6 restaurants, 7 bars. Children's activity center. Fitness room, fitness classes available, spa. Nine outdoor pools, children's pool, whirlpool. Golf, 27 holes. Tennis. Airport transportation available. Business center. Credit cards accepted.

General Impressions: The Phoenician

The Phoenician in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a special retreat that brings rest and relaxation to a new level. When you arrive, you’ll be impressed with the lush, landscaped grounds dotted with streaming fountains, and you’ll be further impressed the more you explore the property-- the marbled lobby with a wall of windows framing spectacular views, nine pools scattered throughout the grounds, and a spa that excels in services and therapies.

Upon arrival, cheerful, energetic valets clad in shorts immediately took charge of my car and wheeled my luggage to reception. An equally chipper young woman in a classy dark suit acknowledged my reservation, confirmed my spa appointments, and handed me off to a bellman who escorted me to my room.

On the way to my room, past the Thirsty Camel Lounge, I was able to see some of the resort’s dazzling $25 million art collection. Niched in nooks and crannies, on walls, and around the grounds are waterscapes by David Kessler, rare European paintings and antiques, and dramatic life-size Native American bronzes sculpted by the late Allan Houser.

The Phoenician’s rooms in the crescent-shaped main building have sweeping views of the grounds and of Scottsdale beyond. Casitas, which are two-story accommodations facing the “crescent,” have balconies or patios that open directly onto the lawn area near the pools. They’re also close to the spa, golf course, and tennis courts, making them ideal for a family with children that gravitate to the pool, while Mom is at the spa and Dad is golfing. One morning I peeked into the nearby Funician Kids Club, which caters to youngsters ages 5-12. Kids had just come from feeding the koi in a nearby pond and were decorating straw cowboy hats.

For a romantic getaway, a good choice is the Canyon Building. Sitting snugly against Camelback Mountain, it’s like a boutique hotel within the resort with just 20 guest rooms and 40 suites. Quiet and intimate, it has its own secluded infinity pool. More than 180,000 meeting attendees come each year as part of small, high-level executive gatherings, as well as huge affairs held in the grand ballroom. A personal "butler" is assigned to help with everything from magical-themed parties to high-adventure tours.

(+) Hotel setting is amazing and appeals to all types of travelers

Guest Services: The Phoenician

Part of The Phoenician tradition is offering the highest level of service, and that is evident everywhere. Many staff members made sure that at no time did I wait for services of any kind. Once I gave my name at the entrance gate, I was called by name throughout my stay. Thoughtful touches included bottled water everywhere, and sun products at the pools. In-room breakfasts included a toaster delivered to the room to be sure toast is served warm. Chocolates provided at turndown service are flown in fresh, three times a week, from Belgium.

Several personal concierges are on duty in the main lobby at all times to handle any request, whether it’s planning a sight-seeing activity or looking for a better sitting spot in the pool area. The staff also has multilingual employees who can help international guests. If you need help watching the kids, just pick up the phone to arrange baby-sitting services.

(+) Attentive staff provides exemplary service without being overbearing

Guest Rooms: The Phoenician

You think you know what luxury feels like, then you visit The Phoenician and learn a whole new definition for rest and relaxation. Whether you choose a standard guest room, luxury suite, or casita, all types of the 654 accommodations are designed to make you feel like you’ve found a paradise in the middle of the desert.

The guest rooms and luxury suites feature double or king-sized beds dressed in Italian linens or imported Irish linens, signature original artwork on the walls colored to match the Sonoran Desert landscape just outside the glass sliding doors. A 32-inch flat-screen television and original signed artwork are provided to enhance the cozyness. You can opt for a room with a view of the pool, golf course, garden, or mountains – just ask when you make your reservation.

The 19 casitas are located along the edge of the resort’s network of lakes. Once inside your room, you’ll find a king-size bed dressed in the lush linens, a carved travertine fireplace, and entertainment center in a nearby sitting area with overstuffed chairs and couches. A large writing desk is included in case you need a place to work, then can take a break in the private terrace supplied with chaise lounges and tables.

My 600-square-foot guest room in the main building was spacious and delightfully appointed. Two double beds were beautifully made with Italian linens. Carpeting had the unmistakable feel of wool Berber. A large balcony with three chairs and a table overlooked the lawn and pool area. Even with the sliding glass door open, sounds from the pool were not intrusive. Walls and floor of marble in the overly large bathroom (easily big enough for two) gave it a regal elegance. Separate tub, rain shower, dual sinks, and robes at the ready all showed great attention to detail. Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash from the Centre for Well-Being had a lovely eucalyptus-grapefruit fragrance. Lip balm was a thoughtful touch in this arid climate. I would have wished for a nightlight, however. With no outside windows, the bathroom was pitch dark unless I turned on a light.

(+) Guest accommodations are luxurious and elegant
(-) A nightlight in the bathroom will keep you from wandering in the dark

Facilities & Activities: The Phoenician

For golfers, three 9-hole courses feature lush, verdant fairways and accommodate all skill levels. The re-circulating system that waters the course is based on an environmentally designed lagoon that also creates humidity for tropical plants. The Tennis Garden, picturesquely situated between two fairways, offers four playing surfaces.

Nine sparkling swimming pools include an adult relaxation pool, elegantly tiled in mother of pearl. It’s thoughtfully located a distance from the children’s pools, where a 165-foot water slide keeps kids, and adults acting like kids, occupied. At night it turns into an electric slide with techno-music, flashing lights, and fog. When I arrived at the pool one sunny afternoon an attendant immediately showed me to a lounge chair, put out a towel, then offered water and sunscreen. When requested, he immediately adjusted an umbrella to provide shade. While there I took a peek inside an unoccupied bright yellow poolside cabana. The attendant explained that in addition to the ceiling fan, phone, computer hookup, and robes, fresh fruit and bottled water are brought to those who reserve cabanas. For complete privacy, just close the curtains.

The Mobil Four-Star Centre for Well-Being is a wonderful destination to let you leave your stress and worries behind. I arrived on the upper level at the fitness center and was directed to the spa on the floor below, where a receptionist verified my treatments and handed me off to the locker girl. Delighted to find a robe and slippers that actually fit, I settled in to a contour lounger in the Meditation Atrium to wait for my therapist.

Within minutes the therapist arrived, escorted me to a treatment room and explained the Barefoot in the Lemongrass foot and leg massage. When he finished this blissful treatment, he offered me a glass of chilled lemon water and introduced me to my next therapist for a botanical radiance facial. I felt that they both cared a great deal about my experiences and how I felt during and afterward. There was no chattering other than what it took to explain the treatments. They took particular care to be sure I knew where I was going in this large spa.

(+) A genuinely caring attitude makes a spa visit much more than just a feel-good experience

Dining & Lounge: The Phoenician

Dining at the Mobil Four-Star Mary Elaine’s, the resort’s flagship restaurant, is an experience in refined elegance. Armani-clad servers, the finest crystal, silver and china, and breathtaking views are a classy complement to a menu of modern French cuisine. As I was seated, the hostess explained that the small footstool beside me was for my purse, placed so that my belongings were accessible without being in the way.

A short walk from the main building, overlooking the golf course and mountains beyond, Windows on the Green is a casually elegant place for an evening meal. The imaginative Southwestern menu includes regionally styled tapas and adovado pork chop. My favorite was guacamole prepared at my table, with just the right amount of "heat" I’d requested.

Famous for its lavish Sunday brunch, The Terrace is a three-meals-a-day restaurant that features steak and seafood for lunch and dinner, with American regional favorites for breakfast. I ordered seafood tangine for dinner, a treasure hunt of clams, mussels, prawns, shrimp, and lobster in a savory tomato/saffron broth.

Just off the lobby, an elegant afternoon tea is served on Rothschild Bird-patterned Wedgwood china, designed especially for the Rothschild family of Vienna in the 1860s. Other dining options include the 19th Hole, where golfers stop for burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches. Hearty breakfast fare includes a croissant sandwich big enough for two. The Café and Ice Cream Parlor features the resort’s homemade ice cream, not to be missed.

An extensive room service menu enticed me to "eat in" one evening. My food actually arrived early, and the server set a beautiful table with white linens, crystal, silver, and china. He placed two fresh roses on the table, which he thoughtfully moved near a large chair so I would be comfortable. My soup, poured from a silver Thermos, was deliciously hot.

(+) Mobil Four-Star Mary Elaine’s and a variety of other wonderful dining options

Business Services: The Phoenician

The Phoenician is an exquisite place to host any type of corporate function – from a small meeting to a large conference to an audiovisual presentation. Staff will help plan every detail of your corporate gathering, even recreational activities to keep their minds off of work.

The hotel has more than 40,000 square feet of function space, which includes a grand ballroom area, 21 breakout rooms, and five boardrooms. This hotel goes above and beyond to cater to business travelers with the Estrella Theatre, which has comfortable seats and the latest multimedia technology and an audiovisual support staff to help you make any kind of presentation imaginable.

The business center has computer stations and faxing and shipping capabilities, but it also provides computer typesetting services and even staff capable of performing desktop publishing services, so your presentation materials can be fine-tuned at the last minute if needed.

The hotel has set up a lounge area with computer hookups and plug-in access for laptops so you can get some work done in a more relaxed setting than the typical meeting area. It comes in handy, especially if you want to still feel like you’re on vacation.

(+) Well-equipped business center, elaborate function spaces, and support staff cater to those who need to get work done