Last updated April 15, 2024
These five resort spas in Arizona are a hotbed of desert wellness activities—boasting something for everyone.
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There’s something powerful and magical about the Sonoran Desert. The sunrises and sunsets clothe the sky in soft-orange blankets. The warm, dry climate in seasons (other than the summer season) is gentle and soothing.
Five Arizona Resort Spas for Desert Wellness
Desert wellness seekers flock to Arizona year-round. Here are Arizona’s best spas and resorts for desert wellness whatever time of year.
1. JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa
Sprawled across 125 beautifully landscaped acres of cacti and other desert flora with views of both Camelback and Mummy Mountains (although I defy you to discern a mummy in the latter mountain’s profile) sits this southwestern classic resort and spa.
A large clock with the time stuck at 12:25 p.m. hangs on the wall. Fun fact: this is the time at which the first-ever guest checked into the hotel.
Welcome to the J.W. Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa. Feel free to enter a world of relaxation and luxury “where time stands still.”
The JW Marriott exudes Southwestern style with its Adobe architecture, rich earth tones and nature-inspired accents. JW recently renovated 453 guest casita rooms and suites. Each of which have an HVAC unit and patio.
The spa is on the top tier of the property. Here there is a restaurant (Sprouts), pool, indoor hot tub, steam room, sauna, salt room and other amenities.
The treatments at the spa are top notch. Need a recommendation? Book yourself a therapeutic Swedish massage. Trust us. It won’t disappoint.
This was the first destination spa established under the JW Marriott brand. The property is former Executive Chairman Bill Marriott’s favorite. In fact, it is the same one he annually returns to for his birthday.
2. Sanctuary Camelback Mountain
Just a few minutes away on the other side of East Lincoln Drive from the JW Marriott, tucked into the hills of Camelback Mountain, is the famed Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa.
Spread across 53 acres, the multilevel resort is luxurious, chic and sophisticated and hums with a feeling of tranquility that can only be found in the desert Southwest. The resort recently changed hands and is now part of the Gurney Resort & Spa chain of properties.
The spa features a menu of Asian-inspired treatments. The facility boasts 12 indoor and outdoor treatment rooms, a reflection pool, a Zen meditation garden and a labyrinth.
Near the main building, which houses the lobby and Elements Restaurant, there is an infinity pool. Guests can also enjoy the social gameplay of pickleball as well as tennis on one of the championship courts.
3. Boulders Resort & Spa
The first thing you notice about Boulders is, well, the boulders. These prehistoric rock formations jutting out of the Sonoran Desert landscape come into view well before you reach the town of Carefree, where the resort is located.
The property is jaw-droppingly beautiful. It features two lush green golf courses, eight tennis courts, five restaurants, a labyrinth and a spa that “models the paradigm of a Desert Zen lifestyle.”
Among an array of outdoor activities, including a hiking trail and climbing wall situated in the boulders that surround the main building, the Sonoran Explorin’ desert adventure by golf cart with guide Brandy De Nickles Anderson is a standout.
Not only is Brandy enthusiastic, but thanks to a degree in plant science, she is a fount of knowledge about cacti and the teeming desert ecosystem beyond the naked eye.
4. Castle Hot Springs
Hot springs are the operative words to describe this small luxury resort for adults located one hour north of Scottsdale, set way back on a long, dusty, unpaved road.
The resort was built around ancient thermal hot springs that contain healing minerals that are believed to relieve joint and muscle aches and pain and clear the skin. These minerals give the water colors ranging from deep purple to rusty red and blue/green.
The hot springs flow from underground at a rate of 200,000 gallons a day, with temperatures around 100-plus degrees Fahrenheit. Given its remote location, the resort offers the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to soak in an outdoor spring while viewing an awe-inspiring Arizona sunrise or sunset.
The resort’s Spring Bungalows feature private outdoor stone tubs with mineral water sourced from the springs and a view of the desert mountains, while the Sky View Cabins maximize the potential for stargazing.
Horseback riding, hiking, yoga and meditation classes are de rigueur along with other outdoor activities. The organic farm-to-table menu is widely praised, and the resort has a “Digital Detox” policy, which asks guests to unplug from electronic devices. The Wi-Fi password offers a reminder—“RUsureUwant2?”—when you attempt to connect.
5. Enchantment Resort
Situated in the desertscape just outside of Sedona, about two hours north of Scottsdale, this luxury resort is a magical revelation.
Encompassing 70 acres, Enchantment is surrounded by the magnificent red rock walls of Boynton Canyon, a powerful energy vortex and spiritual center emanating from the earth that is said to be healing and conducive to meditation and self-reflection.
You feel calmer just enjoying a quiet lunch on the terrace here and gazing at the amazing red rocks of the canyon, hiking or biking, doing yoga or creating a cairn. Spa, well-being and fitness services are available in Enchantment’s Spa Suites and Yoga and Movement Studio, as well as other areas of the resort.
A new offering at Enchantment is Trail House, where experts will customize canyon tours for you by foot or mountain bike based on your skill level and the type of terrain and elevation you want to explore.
Nighttime hikes are also available, allowing you to view the stars, which are plentiful given that Sedona is a designated a Dark Sky Community that is committed to reducing light pollution.
Arizona’s spas and resorts are the perfect antidotes to restore mind, body and soul. Need more inspiration? Check out all of our desert wellness vacations in Arizona.
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