Head to the W Scottsdale for Shopping, Dining and Relaxation
By Shaena Engle
The upscale luxurious W Scottsdale offers both a relaxing retreat and a lively mix of lounges and pool parties.
Located in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale, the resort lobby houses unique art displays and sculptures, a large cocktail lounge and a huge staircase leading up to another bar looking over the WET Pool Deck and cabanas. Guests can choose to stay in one the resorts 241 newly renovated rooms and suites ranging from 620 to 1,540 square feet.
Once inside the elevator, guests are greeted with flashing lights and music. The WOW suites are luxurious and large with floor to ceiling glass windows, a modern system to control the window shades throughout the suite, hardwood floors, a giant kitchen with a full set of modern appliances and cookware, and a rolling bar cart.
Master suites feature views of Camelback Mountain or the resorts WET pool deck and adjacent garden, private balconies, big walk in closets, a floating signature Marriott W bed with soft cotton linens and a goose-down comforter, luxurious rain showers, pampering Momo shampoo and conditioners and large vanity areas. The two-bedroom suites also feature a smaller entry bathroom as well as an extra second bedroom and bath. There is also a huge dining table and adjacent open living room with plenty of room to relax, unwind and enjoy the views.
Designed by Stockdale Design, the WOW suites feature red, brown and blue accents in a mid-century modern style. The WOW suite where I stayed featured a huge bunny head, martini glasses and record contemporary artwork in the kitchen and bedrooms.
The second floor of the resort includes the WET Pool Deck which is open 24 hours and features a DJ from noon to 6pm on weekends. The pool features underwater music and lights.
Guests can enjoy signature cocktails and music in the lively Living Room Lounge or Cottontail Café & Lounge or head to the upscale Donabe, a Japanese Steakhouse residency from Alliance Hospitality Group. The intimate restaurant houses large hanging modern light fixtures, wood tables and accents, banquette seating and large windows looking out to the pool deck. Overhead there is an arched large skylight with a contemporary light sculpture, overlooking large modern murals featuring women with cacti growing out of their heads.
Appetizers include duck fried rice, Vietnamese pork ribs, shishito peppers, crispy rock shrimp with eel mayo, oysters, Toro tartare, a lobster roll, caviar and delicious Parkerhouse rolls. There are a wide variety of sushi options and specialty rolls, including the Handlebar with A5 Wagyu, lobster tempura, asparagus and wasabi aioli caviar for $58, and the lesser expensive Hachi Maki with kaiware, cucumber avocado and kanpachi Asian pear; the Dawa Want with spicy king salmon, cucumber, salmon serrano and jalapeno ponsu and the King Crab Roll with baked king crab, Fresno lemon aioli avocado and cilantro. Main dishes include a filet with potato puree; Wagyu ribeye with glazed carrots and shiso chimichurri, Ora king salmon with baby bok choy and a very good Wagyu cheeseburger with black truffle mayo and haystack fries. Steak lovers can choose from their Wagyu hot stone, Japanese A5 Miyazaki New York Strip and Miyazaki Wagyu lettuce cups. Innovative cocktails include the Purple Rain with tequila, mezcal joven lime, hibiscus and pineapple; the Japanese blackberry smash with whiskey, blackberry, St-Germain and pomegranate liqueur and the Saturn with Japanese gin, strawberry, falernum orgeat, lime and coconut passionfruit.
Donabe also serves a killer breakfast including a huevos rancheros burrito, eggs benedict with lobster, biscuits and smoked hamhock gravy and a coconut chia breakfast pudding.
The AWAY Spa, located on the lobby level, features a juice bar and a wide assortment of facials, massages, body masks and mani pedi packages. Guests can also get their hair and makeup done at the spa.
It’s easy to spend the entire weekend at the resort, but if you want to venture outside the great location makes it easy to walk to many Old Town restaurants and nightclubs, take a stroll along the waterfront area or go on a shopping spree at the Fashion Square Mall.
Located at 7277 E. Camelback Road in Scottsdale.
