high-end hospitality | elevated cuisine | local treasures | retail therapy
Arizona
In the imagination of those who’ve never been to Arizona, the state tends to look a lot like it did more than a century ago: naturally beautiful, of course, but still filled with the sorts of establishments that might have appealed to, say, Billy the Kid and Buffalo Bill.
So here’s a little update: While you can still find plenty of remnants of rustic charm, Arizona is also a luxury holidaymaker’s paradise, filled with dazzling desert retreats, elevated global cuisine, unique local treasures—and serious retail therapy. Read on for just a taste of the bounty.
As befits a place known as the Valley of the Sun, the hospitality scene just keeps heating up in the Phoenix metro area. Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort recently completed a $115 million renovation, ushering in not one but four new dining concepts, including a modern Italian chophouse, a small-plates fusion restaurant, and a Southwest grill, all spearheaded by chef and James Beard-nominated cookbook author Richard Blais. Rooms, casitas and suites also underwent a complete overhaul, as did the massive pool complex—which features, among its many highlights, a sand beach and a three-story waterslide. The refreshed spa now offers a unique set of therapies that correspond to the body's circadian rhythms—energizing treatments for morning, mellowing ones for evening unwinding.
Meanwhile, existing favourites have been busy winning Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards and upping their ante. The wonderfully remote, geothermal pool-centered Castle Hot Springs, for example, has added packages focusing on sleep enhancement, outdoor adventure and water-centred wellness. The Royal Palms Resort and Spa now offers a variety of on-property experiences, from empanada-making classes to history tours to vinyasa yoga. For its part, the beloved historic Hermosa Inn recently debuted a next-level garden upgrade. And the ode to midcentury glam that is Mountain Shadows brings in new exhibits seasonally at the onsite signature gallery.
Capital region
There’s something so innately rich about the famed red rocks of Northern Arizona that even the poshest of local properties tend to take an understated approach, preferring to place the spotlight on the surroundings. That is, in fact, one of the guiding principles of beloved and endlessly award-winning Enchantment Resort in Sedona. Its Southwest-minimalist-style adobe casitas and suites are spread across 70 acres and surrounded by red rock formations and desert pines. Those who want some serious spa-ing with their stay will do well to visit its Mii amo spa, which recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation and expansion.
Northern Arizona
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As the first American UNESCO City of Gastronomy, Tucson continues to up the culinary ante. Since that initial recognition in 2015, the city has gone on to produce a steady stream of national award-winners and headline-makers, such as Barrio Bread, where Don Guerra uses local heritage grains to create some of the most memorable loaves in the US. You’ll want to stop by his shop in the morning, chat with locals in the queue (there will almost surely be a queue), then keep one of his masterpieces on hand for snacking as you make your way through the city’s neighbourhoods and desert trails.
Tucson
Course Restaurant in Scottsdale is a relative newcomer that's quickly gathered awards, praise and prestige. Helmed by Chef Cory Oppold, the restaurant features seasonal 5- or 8-course prix fixe tasting menus that employ food as a colourful, elegant and explosively flavourful art form, with options to add on delicacies like truffles, caviar or Wagyu beef. Watch the restaurant's calendar for its Sunday themed pop-up dining events, too.
Another spot not to miss: Quiessence, set in a historic house at The Farm at South Mountain, where the lush agricultural scenery comes as a happy mid-desert surprise to the uninitiated (an ancient riverbed made for especially rich local soil here). Though the menus change as often as you’d expect at a seasonally driven, sustainable restaurant, meals often begin with a chef’s spread of local cheese, cured meats, brick oven-baked artisan loaves, and seasonal jams.
Phoenix area
Arizona is justifiably known for exquisite street food—tacos, Indian fry breads, the shaved ice masterpieces known as raspados. Perennial favourite Sonoran comfort-food spot Bacanora is an exceptional place to experience this in downtown Phoenix. The menu changes almost daily—at time of publish, tamale pudding, snapper al pastor and a 40-oz. bone-in ribeye were among the choices—but the wood-fired cooking method and big Mexican flavours are delicious mainstays.
While Arizona's vast variety of unassuming Southwest fare begs exploration, the state's fine dining scene is no less notable, with particularly abundant options in the Phoenix area.
With astro-treasures all its own, Tucson is home to the epic Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter, where the reservation-only, five-hour Sky Nights include an astronomy lecture, dinner and guided navigation of the sky. For stellar terrestrial pursuits, check out the city’s museums. The building that houses the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Museum is an art work in its own right, designed and built by Arizona artist Ettore "Ted" DeGrazia. The namesake artist's paintings, which explore themes of Southwest legends, history and tradition, are on view in the museum's permanent collection.
Tucson
Just half a mile away sits the Phoenix Art Museum, where you should experience—at a minimum—You Who are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies. Known simply as Fireflies to fans, this Yayoi Kusama infinity mirror room is the museum’s “most beloved permanent installation.” Phoenix is also home to Hall of Flame, where fans of firefighter memorabilia can marvel at over 130 wheeled pieces, including hand- and horse-drawn fire engines dating as far back as 1725. Another singular local treasure: the Musical Instrument Museum, home to everything from the world’s largest playable sax to all manner of live music (an ongoing chamber series from the Phoenix Symphony, for example). Meanwhile, no architecture fan should miss Scottsdale’s Taliesin West: Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and desert laboratory—now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Historic Landmark.
Phoenix
As one of the largest and fastest-growing metropolises in the U.S., Phoenix is home to a wealth of arts and culture icons. The Heard Museum, for starters, ranks among the finest and most extensive collections of Native American art, to say nothing of the iconic signature events. On view through Sept. 8, Storyteller: The Photography of Jerry Jacka is one of the nation's largest collections of documentary photography of Native American artists. And through Oct. 5, the Hoop Dance! exhibit is on view, celebrating the 35th anniversary of the World Championship Hoop Dance Contest that's held at the Heard Museum each year. But whenever you visit, you’ll find stellar exhibits—in some cases, literally: the celebrated permanent exhibit, Substance of Stars, includes Indigenous storytelling about the creation of constellations, for example, under a 360-degree Skydome.
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The suggested Scottsdale Fashion Square would be included, as would other shopping centers and individual boutiques in the Greater PHX area as well as in Tucson.
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Spa Avania | credit: Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort
Bacanora
High-end hospitality
Elevated cuisine
Local treasures
Retail therapy
Plan your trip
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Mii amo
Quiessence | credit: Visit Phoenix
Bario Bread
Heard Museum
Photo credit: An Pham
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Reffen Street Food Market
Photo credits: Lukas Bukoven (left); Reffen - Copenhagen Street Food (right)
The BLOX Building (left); The Black Diamond (right)
Photo credit: Daniel Rasmussen
Let the posh side of
The BBC named the southern part of the state one of the Best Places to Travel in 2025, and for good reason. Among its standouts is the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, a favourite among golf fans for its three onsite nine-hole courses—and with families, thanks to the multi-level pools, lazy river and water slide. The Tucson area is also home to the five-star Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, one of the top resorts in the Southwest per Condé Nast Traveler readers. It also gets accolades in the world of golf resorts, thanks to the Jack Nicklaus design. For those who prefer boutique hotels, Tucson is home to lovely offerings like the Leo Kent, vintage-chic lodgings in a repurposed downtown tower integral to the city’s skyline; and the Eddy, a study in clean, modern, desert-inspired décor on the scenic Campbell Avenue.
Tucson
Again, placing the focus on nature, the wellness spaces aim to connect guests to the surrounding wilderness, from the Relaxation Lounge and Garden to the hammock grove. The resort also offers stargazing and art activities to further enhance the holistic benefits of a stay here. While in town, you might consider a multi-stop self-care getaway, incorporating visits to nearby L'Auberge de Sedona and—further north—Under Canvas Grand Canyon. This beloved glamping resort at the doorstep of the most iconic national park comes with upscale onsite dining, morning yoga (among other included activities), a team of experience coordinators, and of course, nightly s’mores around the fire pit. The 2025 season runs from April 16–Oct. 27.
Leo Kent
Castle Hot Springs (left); Mountain Shadows (right)
Guest suite | credit: Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort
Under Canvas Grand Canyon
May through September, Sedona's Verde Canyon Railroad puts on a series of wine events that are too fun to miss. Snap up a ticket for the Saturday night Grape Train Escape ride, where wines and freshly made snacks are delivered to patrons' tables while views of the starry sky and crimson cliffs roll by. Meanwhile, Flagstaff has been winning rave reviews with its own ascendant food scene—worthy of more than a quick bite enroute to the Grand Canyon. Among the restaurants not to miss is Atria, where the farm-sourced modern American fare tends to include various coal-roasted favourites, from squash to a whole fish.
Northern Arizona
Sedona also has a tendency to pair its most sought-after meals with stunning landscapes. Take the Southern European-inspired Cress on Oak Creek at L’Auberge de Sedona, a 22-time Wine Spectator Award of Excellence recipient. Food & Wine Magazine lauded the restaurant for its "beautiful woodland setting on the banks of the creek and its refined cuisine," and the resident bar for “classic and creative cocktails with elevated casual cuisine, like mussels meunière.” Another Sedona standout is Mariposa Latin-Inspired Grill, where the red rocks feel like theatre in the round and the menu feels like a multi-stop journey to the bottom of South America (with particular emphasis on Argentina and Uruguay in the carnes a la parilla section).
Cress on Oak Creek
Come dinnertime, consider BATA, recognized as one of the best places to eat in the Western U.S. in the 2024 Sunset Travel Awards. This restaurant is known for live-fire cooking and a veg-forward menu, the vast majority of which is sourced close to home. Mountain vista- and vino-lovers should head to Los Milics Vineyards in Sonoita Elgin. Set at a 5,000-foot elevation, the vineyard cultivates 17 different varieties of grapes—from Cabernet Franc to Montepulciano to Vermentino. It also hosts nine vineyard casitas with private patios overlooking the vines and the Mustang Mountains, for those who'd like a more immersive experience.
Los Milics Vineyards | credit: Bruce Racine
For a different take on the Northern Arizona skies, consider booking a sunrise flight with Red Rock Balloon Adventures over Sedona’s surreal, sculptural landscapes. Or get up close and personal with said landscapes by booking the Sedona Highlights Safari Jeep Tour, which brings guests to iconic sites like Snoopy Rock, Boynton Canyon and many more. The company offers a range of other experiences, too, from an archaeology hiking tour to a journey through Sedona's vortex sites, believed by many to radiate energy conducive to healing and spiritual growth.
Red Rock Balloon Adventures | credit: Robert Shuman
Northern Arizona
Arizona being the Grand Canyon State—and the canyon itself being truly epic—you’ll want the most sweeping possible views. And the South Rim obliges with a number of flightseeing tours, both by helicopter and plane. (The South Rim also happens to be the one open year-round, with hiking, mule rides and other adventures on offer.) Depending on the tour you book, you might soar over the Colorado River to the North Rim, the Kaibab National Forest, and endless, astonishing rock formations.
While you’re in the area, spend some time in Flagstaff, where anyone interested in Route 66 lore should start at the Flagstaff Visitors’ Center, housed in a restored train station along the Mother Road herself. Other stops along that historic trail range from Mother Road Brewing, a beloved craft beer maker headquartered on Route 66, to the Galaxy Diner, where the checkerboard floors, chromed counter stools and menu (featuring triple banana splits, "Hot Rod" chicken wings and sides of "bopper sauce") all ooze classic 50's style.
Helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon
Feast your eyes on master works by Mother Nature at the Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum at the University of Arizona. While the collection includes finds from around the world, a large portion of its geologic wonders hail from within Arizona and Mexico. For a totally different kind of museum—which is actually more like a series of open-air habitats set within a gorgeous swath of wilderness—check out the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, where you should look for javelinas under bridges, bighorn sheep on rockfaces and prairie dogs peeking out from dirt mounds.
Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
Phoenix
Northern Arizona
Tucson
A luxury shopping paradise, the capital region is home to Scottsdale Fashion Square (Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, Versace and more); Biltmore Fashion Park (Saks Fifth Avenue); and the pre-owned designer treasures at Old Town Scottsdale’s Vintage by Misty and Fashion by Robert Black (by appointment only). There’s also a lot of chic, arty shopping to be done at the boutiques and galleries of Roosevelt Row.
Self-care seekers won’t want to pass up a visit to the brick-and-mortar HQ of cult favorite clean beauty brand Peak Scents. The Organic Rose Phyto collection is particularly sublime, as are the scrubs and salves. Fans of silver and turquoise jewellery, meanwhile, should check out the vintage treasures at Winter Sun (also home to beautiful, vintage Hopi baskets and more). Sedona, for its part, is full of galleries where you can score ceramics, paintings, jewellery, woodwork, photography—and sometimes all of the above, as at the Goldenstein Gallery at L’Auberge de Sedona.
Every fall and winter, literal treasure hunters descend on Tucson by the thousands for the world’s largest gem, mineral and fossil show—with the winter showcase being the more famous. So if you’re in the market for, say, a several-hundred-thousand-dollar crystal or something a bit more modest, Tucson turns into shopping heaven in late January. But whenever you visit, you’ll uncover plenty of high-end finds, whether the locally inspired and sourced truffles at Monsoon Chocolate, the expertly curated fashions and homewares at Bon or the jewelry and leather goods at Mercado San Agustin’s Mast.
Castle Hot Springs
The Farm at South Mountain
Atria (left); Verde Canyon Railroad (right)
'Fireflies' at Phoenix Art Museum
Musical Instrument Museum
Taliesin West
The Churchill | credit: An Pham
Mast, Mercado San Agustin Public Market
in collaboration with:
Hot air balloon in Sedona
Mercado San Agustin Public Market | photo credit: An Pham
Peak Scents | credit: Shelly Strazis
high-end hospitality | elevated cuisine | local treasures | retail therapy
high-end hospitality | elevated cuisine | local treasures | retail therapy
high-end hospitality | elevated cuisine | local treasures | retail therapy
If it’s a destination spa stay you seek, Tucson is also home to two of the most iconic on earth: the original Canyon Ranch (one of just 16 Michelin Three Key hotels in 2024) and Miraval properties. Over the coming months, in addition to its famously encyclopedic array of wellness offerings, Canyon Ranch will host a series of focused activity sessions—the Enchant Beauty & Wellness Festival (April 6-10) and the joyful Gotta Dance at the Ranch retreat (April 27-May 2) to name a few. Meanwhile, at Miraval, you’ll find all manner of inventive spa treatments, from the Energy of the Wolves—a ritual that combines drumming, song and energy work —to the Cara Dorada facial, a fusion of reiki and skin care that imparts serious glow. And there’s ever more variety among the longtime signature offerings at Miraval, whether the desert challenge courses or the equine experiences.
Of course, for a full-on equine experience, you’ll want to consider staying at a dude ranch, and none is more iconic—nor more comfortable—than Tucson’s Tanque Verde Guest Ranch, where even the simple act of getting yourself to breakfast may come with options such as a loping ride, a walking ride or a Legend & Lore walk to breakfast. (For good measure, you can also hike or mountain bike to breakfast.) Throughout the day, there are all kinds of equine excursions and classes, as well as workshops on, say, copper tooling or axe throwing. At the more pacifist end of the spectrum, there’s meditation and yoga—and of course, plenty of cookouts under the stars, complete with live music and cocktails.
Tanque Verde Guest Ranch
Canyon Ranch (left); Miraval (right)
Tiki Taka restaurant | credit: Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort
