Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North

One of Phoenix/Scottsdale’s most upscale properties, the Four Seasons is a bit far from the city for some guests, but not if they are golfers or just want to relax in the Arizona sun, either by the pool or on nearby hiking and biking trails.

• Sonoran sunset views from the second floor rooms.
• Priority access at Troon North golf courses.
• Surprise cold treats arriving poolside.
• Hiking Pinnacle Peak, a short walk from the resort.

In the desert foothills north of Phoenix/Scottsdale, the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North projects enough southwest ambience so that guests know where they are, but not so much that they feel they ought to be wearing a cowboy hat.

The 210 rooms are housed in 25 adobe casitas, dotting the landscape, and the most popular are situated located on the second floor near the pool, offering sunset views out across the Sonoran Desert. The predominant hues are blending shades of desert sand, set off by wildflower-like shots of color, inside and out. Guests will leave knowing what a saguaro is, and an agave.

Named by Golf Digest magazine as the top golf resort in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area, the Four Seasons is adjacent to the Troon North Golf Club, where resort guests get special privileges. A few minute’s stroll from the property leads to the base of Pinnacle Peak, whose 1.75 mile trail, one way, with an elevation gain of 1,300 feet, gets the heart pumping, but rewards with spectacular views of the Valley of the Sun.

Since dining off-property requires driving, most Four Seasons guests stay put for meals, which makes dinner reservations important, especially if there’s a wedding or conference going on. The menu at the main restaurant, Talavera, tends toward steak, but the ahi tuna with a blueberry ancho Chili sauce works for lovers of both seafood and Mexican. A unique element at Talavera is a glassed-in wall of fire, most visually pleasing on nights when the air turns nippy.

Like much about the property, The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale is understated and intimate. But if even a treatment doesn’t help guests get the big-picture perspective on things, there’s always an evening beneath the stars, with one of the resort’s telescopes.

The Four Seasons is the right choice for guests who want to be pampered, but without fuss. They’ll be there to golf, or explore the desert, or relax by the pool, and to dine well without having to go off property. Yet for such a high-toned resort it is surprisingly child-friendly, and its Kids For All Seasons program is complimentary.