It’s that time of year again in the Phoenix area, where the out of state visitors migrate to the Valley of the Sun. Weather wise from mid September to mid May (sometimes later), you are hard pressed to find a better place to be.  Why do people come to the Phoenix metro besides the great weather?  The beautiful mountains, the breath taking sunsets, over 260 golf courses, the luxurious resorts, over 10,000 restaurants and an abundance of activities: arts and crafts festivals, the Phoenix Open (most attended golf event in the world), sports (Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Coyotes, Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns…when they are not on strike, the Arizona Fall League and Cactus League Spring Training), concerts, Barret Jackson car show,etc. There is always something to do. 

When  out of state visitors come to Arizona, many want to stay in a nice resort and eat at fine restaurants.  Below is an interesting article on the Phoenix areas 5 and 4 star hotels and resorts as well as restaurants.  You can see we don’t have a shortage.

Being a Real Estate Broker, this is an exciting time of year as so many people fall in love with the Phoenix area they decide to either move here or purchase a second home.  For some who don’t like the summer heat, they might enjoy living in Prescott, which is 90 minutes north of Phoenix at an elevation of approximately 5200 feet and up.  Sonoran Fine Properties works in both cities so it makes it extremely convenient.

Plan your next trip to Arizona, stay in one of our fine resorts, eat at some of our spectacular restaurants and contact us to help you find your desert or mountain home.

Blog by : Dale

Four Arizona hotels added to prestigious AAA list

Phoenix Business Journal by Lynn Ducey, Reporter

Date: Monday, November 14, 2011, 2:15pm MST

Four Arizona hotels have received AAA’s Four Diamond status for the first time, honoring their amenities, service and quality in the travel arena.

The new properties on the prestigious annual list are Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino in Chandler, the Westin Phoenix Downtown, Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale and El Portal Sedona Luxury Inn.

Several dozen Arizona hotels made the Four Diamond list, while only five earned the most elite Five Diamond status.

While a number of Arizona restaurants received a Four Diamond Award, the only Arizona restaurant to receive a Five Diamond Award was Kai, at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort and Spa on the Gila River Indian Community.

Here is a look at Phoenix-area properties and restaurants receiving the accolades for 2011:

Five Diamond hotels and resorts (years holding the designation):

• JW Marriott Camelback Inn Scottsdale Resort and Spa, 36
• Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, 21
• Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, 11
• The Phoenician, 8
• The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician, 5

Four Diamond hotels and resorts (years holding the designation):

• Arizona Grand Resort, 10
• Doubletree Resort by Hilton Paradise Valley - Scottsdale, 5
• FireSky Resort & Spa, 6
• Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas, 9
• Hotel Valley Ho, 6
• Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch, 24
• JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, 9
• Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort, 5
• Radisson Fort McDowell Resort, 6
• Royal Palms Resort & Spa, 14
• Sanctuary Resort and Spa on Camelback Mountain, 10
• Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountains, 9
• Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center, 8
• Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel, 3
• Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa, 9
• Talking Stick Resort, 1
• Tempe Mission Palms Hotel, 2
• The Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa, 8
• The Boulders, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, 4
• The Montelucia Resort & Spa, 3
• The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, 9
• The Westin Phoenix Downtown, 1
• The Westin Kierland Villas, 4
• The Wigwam, 8
• W Scottsdale, 3
• Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, 1

Five Diamond restaurants (years holding the designation):

• Kai, 6

Four Diamond restaurants (years holding the designation):

• Bourbon Steak, 4
• BLT Steak, 3
• Cork, 2
• Deseo, 9
• Different Pointe of View, 22
• Il Terrazzo, 4
• Elements, 10
• J&G Steakhouse, 3
• Latilla, 18
• Lon’s at the Hermosa, 6
• Noca, 2
• Palm Court, 8
• Prado, 2
• Quiessence, 2
• Sassi, 3
• T. Cook’s, 8
• Talavera, 4