The Phoenician in Scottsdale = Gorgeous

When Eddie told me that we won't be staying at the W Hotel during our trip to Scottsdale because the room rates were ridiculously high this time of year (like $500 for cheapest room), I became super pouty and annoyed.

Me: But baaaaaaabe. We always stay at The W Hotel*pouty face*. Who cares how much it costs.

Eddie: *Stares at me* God, I've spoiled you.

We decided The Phoenician was the next best option since we could get a special rate there. I had visited The Phoenician once before and knew it was a beautiful hotel so I begrudgingly agreed. What an amazing decision it turned out to be! The Phoenician property is so stunningly beautiful that you feel like you are a tropical resort; not in a desert! And it didn't hurt that they upgraded us to a gorgeous suite. W Hotel, I'm sorry but you have been beat.

I snapped a few pics in the lobby while Eddie checked us in. So gorgeous and opulent!

Eddie making sure that we get upgraded to a suite. "See that girl snapping our photo over there? She will kill me if you don't upgrade me sir." Just kidding....I wouldn't do such a thing.

One wing of the hotel with smaller rooms. Look! You can see my shadow on the left :)

Panoramic view of the top pool area. There were 4 levels of pools and jacuzzis!

Ok, so on to our rooms. When we first walked in, we both looked at each other and just smiled. We figured they would give us a tiny upgrade but instead we got a 4 room/3 balcony, frickin awesome suite!

Let me give you a full tour. Follow me ladies and gentleman...

Let's start in the bedroom. The decor isn't really my style but it was beautiful nonetheless.

Connected to the living room (photo didn't come out good) is the dining room in which i love love love the lamp. I kind of wish we had gotten something similar in our dining room at home.

Then we step out onto the larger balcony which overlooks the Phoenician golf course.

Am I boring you with room photos yet? Well too bad because here is the bathroom with the shower and jacuzzi tub on the left. And like all fancy bathrooms, it comes with one of those European butt sprayer/cleaner things. Does anyone ever really use them? I would think that it would just make a bigger mess than to begin with.

Best part of the whole hotel room! A TV in the bathroom mirror that goes back to being a mirror when shut off! I told Eddie I want one and even found one for cheap, like $1,500, but he still thinks it's an unnecessary expense, so no TV mirror for me :( I will take someone's FB suggestions and glue an iPad to my wall :-P

Since Eddie was at work all day and no one around to take a pic of me, I had to resort to photographing myself. I probably would have done it even if Eddie was there.

Ok, maybe just one more.

After some much needed picture taking, I explored The Phoenician grounds for a bit. It's like a little chunk of paradise surrounded by a rocky, desert oasis. The grass was so soft and manicured, it felt like cotton candy. I've never seen grass so perfect.

Empty pool, just how I like it. No annoying children splashing and gross fat, old men staring.

The temperature was in the high 70s but it felt like high 80s because the sun was so strong. But in the shade, it was freezing. Must the weather be so dramatic in the desert?

After tanning for a bit, I had lunch at the Italian outdoor restaurant. I forget the name, sorry.

Scrumptious olive bread made fresh daily on premise. Such big chunks of olives in the bread! YUM. I also had a Reuben (my new fav sandwich. Sorry grilled cheese.)

The very next day, we were told that there would be construction going on outside our hotel room window so we were upgraded once again to our very own Casita. It's basically like your very own little house on the resort grounds. NICE.

An even more gorgeous room with a fireplace, kitchen and two bathrooms this time!

Eddie had a few hours off from work that morning so we took a refreshing hike up Camelback Mountain.

At the base of the mountain. Not sweaty yet! It's really cold in the morning too!

Pretty high up now and sweaty too! We took the hard trail which is not even technically a trail but more like a rocky, jaggedy 80 degree slope.

See what I mean? No easy hike and not for the squeamish. I saw blood on this trail!

See the little dots to the left of the cactus? Those are people far far behind us. Can't see? Let's look a little closer...

Look at those stragglers!!

Tah-dahhh. Reached the summit. Well, almost. We had to turn back because there was no car waiting for us on the other side of the mountain.

Right after the hike, without a break (cause I'm cool like that), I went to a Trampoline park which is a fantastic concept. It's basically a huge gymnasium with the walls and floors entirely covered in Trampolines. That's like every child's fantasy...right?

Yep, that's pretty much it. Well it's not everything I did or saw in Scottsdale but everything I took a pic of to show you :) Notice I am not expressing how awesome the above photo is. That's because you can see for yourself!

"An amazing image is 10% subject and 90% who is behind the lens."