Finding Gold in the Copper State

Four Seasons Scottsdale

Finding Gold in the Copper State

By Jen Helmle

Heading to the Four Seasons Scottsdale at Troon North I was excited to see what Arizona had to offer. I was beyond overjoyed to find out it is better than I could have expected.  Located about 35 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport it only announces itself with a simple sign on a stone wall.  But once inside the walls be prepared to be treated to majestic landscape and mountains of the Sonoran Desert and first-class luxury and service synonymous with Four Seasons. This resort is the perfect place for families, golfers, couples, friend getaways. You have access to the nearby cities of Scottsdale and Phoenix, prime level golf at Troon North and numerous outdoor adventures awaits you.  If you are just coming to relax, then you are covered too.  Any reason you can think of to come here is good enough. I’m starting to think of some already to return. 

The FS Scottsdale at Troon North has 210 beautifully decorated and appointed guest rooms located in 25 separate casitas buildings spread throughout the property. I would like to note that this property is dog friendly, even at the pool, and I loved seeing all the four-legged friends around the grounds of the resort. The Southwestern style adobe casitas are connected from the lobby in the main building by paths lined with the most beautiful landscaping of desert cactuses, flowering shrubs, pottery, bushes and trees. You will see cottontail bunnies hopping around as you walk around. At night chimineas lit with mesquite glow and light your way to or from your room. Twenty-two of the accommodations are suites that range from one to three bedrooms, some with outdoor showers, fire features and plunge pools.  There are 44 residential units located on the property as well. All rooms feature fireplaces (I loved the roadrunner sculptures above the mantle), luxury bath amenities, plush robes, deep soaking tubs, large walk-in closets, lounge/ living areas, dry bars and amazing views from terraces or balconies. The interior design of the casitas is contemporary southwestern with muted calming colors of the desert when it is blooming. The outside of the casitas is meant to blend in with the surrounding Sonoran Desert. I learned when I was there that there are strict building codes for structures, both in height and color choices so they do not compete with the natural surroundings but blend in as if they have always been there. There is 24- hour in-room dining available with tons of options for all of your meals, snacks and even cocktail and mocktail pitchers. We can all guess what I’ll be ordering. And after you have eaten all of your room service, you can browse the in-room fitness and wellness options like yoga and peloton bike rentals and in room massage, makeup and hair styling. Nothing like looking your best to stay in your room in your plush robe. I love this idea.

If you like to get your fitness or adventure goals reached outside your room, then your head is going to spin. With the amazing weather available in Arizona being outside most of the year is a given. The problem is you need to move into the resort to get to do all of the options available to you. The resort itself offers guided walks and a private trail to Pinnacle Peak Park for hiking, which is a must when you are there. Pinnacle Peak offers a 360-degree view of North Scottsdale and amazing hiking with saguaro cactus and tons of desert vegetation and wildlife with massive granite boulders surrounding you from every angle. I was lucky enough it had rained for a day or so before I got there, and the mountain was exploding with color. If you are an advanced hiker, then fear not. The Sonoran Desert covers more than 100,000 square miles in Arizona, California and Mexico. Luckily you have access to some of this amazing terrain. The nearby Tonto National Forest has over 1,000 miles of hiking trails for you to explore.  Pinnacle Peak is just one trail of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve which offers beginner to advanced hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and more. You can find a booklet for you to take about the Scottsdale area trails at the hotel and it highlights and maps out everything you need to know to take in this scenery on the ground. The concierge and staff are also extremely knowledgeable and can direct you. Like to look at the terrain sitting down or standing still? FS Scottsdale has partnered with REI to create out of this world custom experiences. You can create your own full or half day adventures such as desert Jeep or ATV tours, hot air balloon rides, paddleboarding on Saguaro Lake, helicopter to the Grand Canyon or Sedona for a day or take it all in with an airplane or helicopter tour customized to your desires. All these exclusive experiences can be tailored to your interests by the concierge team to meet your every wish. Even though I can’t even play miniature golf I know Scottsdale has some of the best golf available for the avid golfer. FS Scottsdale has partnered with the Troon North Golf Club and guests at the resort have the privilege of access to the world-class Pinnacle and Monument courses designed by Tom Weiskopf. These courses are integrated into the desert terrain and guests say the experience of golfing these courses is very unique.  The resort provides transportation to Troon North daily for their golf guests.

Now for everyone like me who is a resort dweller (aka not highly adventurous) don’t despair! You can keep busy (or not) all day long and not even have to leave this beautiful oasis. FS Scottsdale at Troon North has something for every age and every visitor. For families there is the Kids for All Seasons program for ages 5-12 open daily to enchant their youngest guests. There is a family game room, daily crafts, swimming, game room and excursions to keep kids entertained and engaged. In every room and in the lobby are calendars of the ever-changing weekly activities offered throughout the resort from cocktail tasting, astronomy gazing, afternoon tea, scavenger hunts for kids, meditation and fitness classes and live music. Special shout out to the champagne and daiquiri tasting. For the racquet pros there are two tennis courts and four pickleball courts open daily for private lessons and personal play.  These courts are designed to keep cool, reduce stress on the body and have state-of-the-art Pro-Bounce technology. If you want to get your feet wet and escape the heat in the summer months, the pool is open year-round, heated and waiting for you! The bi-level area offers an adult only pool on the first level and a very large free form second level kid and adult pool, baby pool and large hot tub area. There are small private cabanas, luxury ones with televisions and amenities, available to shield you from the sun and offer some extra privacy. There is pool side service for both levels with food, beverage and towels. Sunscreen, hydration packs, water and aloe are available to all guests. The views are spectacular with the mountains and boulders looming above. If serious self-care is in the cards for you then make your way to the two boutiques for some retail therapy and check into the spa. The spa at FS Scottsdale is on the bottom level and hosts a fully equipped fitness center with state-of-the-art cardio and weights. There is also a studio room that hosts classes such as tai chi, Tabata, spin and yoga. The spa itself has men’s and women's locker rooms, dry and steam saunas and lovely relaxation rooms. They offer many services such as facials, body treatments and massages utilizing the indigenous plants and minerals of the region to bring new life to your body and soul. I was lucky enough to experience the nopal massage by Silvia which incorporated warm prickly pear cactus gel using the actual cactus paddles which are high in antioxidants, vitamins, soothing properties and moisturization. My skin literally felt like butter for two days. There is also a salon for hair care and nail pampering. I would like to thank Ellie at the front desk for telling me to clap and stomp if I see a rattlesnake to scare it away versus the screaming and passing out which I was planning on doing if I saw one. I’m always learning something new.

You will not go hungry while staying at FS Scottsdale. In fact, do anything you can to make yourself as hungry as possible so you can eat at all of the enticing options. Proof is the FS Scottsdale’s open all day and night American cantina serving a menu of comfort food classics with modern updates and some Southwest flair. You can see the smoker outside slowly cooking up a chef’s special or menu item. It offers inside and outside dining. Televisions inside and out on the covered patio lets you watch a favorite team or golf match in a relaxed jovial atmosphere. A perfect way to start your day is with a latte or dare I say a mimosa? The chilaquiles were so good I had them two days in a row. Manny our amazing server insisted I get the eggs scrambled and add the shredded smoked chicken. He was correct. My husband went wild over the johnny cake benedict one morning and the short rib skillet another. For lunch you cannot go wrong with the lobster roll, the red pepper hummus, tortilla soup and green and grains goodness bowl was also a hit. If you are having a drink the spicy-prickly bikini rita was out of this world. There are many bourbons and bourbon cocktails to match the comfort food menu and seasonal cocktails as well. If you are spending your day lounging at the pool, then Saguaro Blossom is the food destination for you. Located on the upper level of the pool area, there is a bar with televisions, shaded tables, firepit seating as well as your pool chair. You do not need to lift a finger. Serving lunch, light fare and beverages daily until 5 you can sit back and sip a cocktail, read a book, feed the kids and let the day pass by. Standouts on the menu which had just changed were the hummus with green goddess pesto and the tuna poke nachos. They were utterly remarkable. The spicy margarita with cucumber (my own concoction) was also perfect. There is a kid's menu and make sure they don’t miss the icicle tricycle to grab a sweet frozen treat. Many thanks to Adrain and Sabrina at the pool for their top-notch service.  If you are looking for light evening fare, you must head up to the lobby and grab a seat at Onyx bar and lounge. Offering inside seating at the gorgeous sandstone influenced bar or outside on the terrace with the sun setting on Pinnacle Peak you will be pleased. Onyx serves small plates and craft cocktails daily from 5pm. Tea service is also offered some afternoons, just check your weekly calendar of events. Jeff made me a French 75 with pea powder gin (I had never heard of it) which came out the loveliest shade of lavender I have ever seen. It was also delicious. Menu highlights while I was there were the shrimp cocktail with mezcal cocktail sauce, patatas bravas, lobster tostada and the bistec con fritas (steak and fries for short).  If you want to put on something nice and treat yourself to a very special and unforgettable dining experience, make a reservation at Talavera and prepare to be talking about this dinner for a long time. Located past Onyx lounge, Talavera is a modern Spanish steakhouse with Latin influence and a menu that makes you want to come back the next night. There is indoor and outdoor seating but if you can sit outdoors definitely grab a table. Being able to sit on the terrace, sip a champagne or cocktail with Troon Mountain to your left and Pinnacle Peak to your right, you feel like you are in the most exclusive place in the world. The sky was literally purple after the most beautiful sunset, and you could see Venus shining brightly below the moon. Pure magic. Speaking of pure magic, the food! I’m sure you will be sharing your menu choices with people who could care less for a long time. My last dining experience this amazing was Miss River and Chemin a la Mer at the FS NOLA. The standouts we were lucky enough to try were the ensalada with pickled stone fruits, Spanish grilled octopus, head on prawns, Talavera signature paella, bone-in ribeye, roasted honey carrots with lentils and sauteed baby spinach and kale. Yes, I did have room for dessert (I have no idea how) and the glazed agave berries with almonds and the toasted marshmallow ice cream were enough to put me right to bed after a much-needed walk on the path back to the casita. I would like to thank the most wonderful Catherine for her exceptional service, knowledge and warmth. She was part of what made the dinner so exceptional. 

I feel so lucky to have been able to stay at this majestic place in the Sonoran Desert. You really feel like you are transported to a different world when you are there. Whether you are exploring the nearby city life, outdoor adventuring or just recharging please consider the Four Seasons at Troon North. You will not be disappointed. Although the state slogan is “The Grand Canyon State” the Arizona state motto is “Ditat Deus” which means “God Enriches”. You will be enriched in these captivating surroundings.   Thank you, Kim Cole, for another experience that has made my view bigger and better. May you all travel somewhere that is always adding to your horizons.