Saint-Tropez over Christmas and New Year’s Eve
9. January 2023
Marriott’s first resort in Scottsdale / Arizona
2. February 2023
Chic Wild West city for golfers, foodies and art lovers
The scenery is almost kitschy: the sun sets as a glowing ball over the mountains of the Sonoran Desert. Meter-high saguaro cacti rise as dark, spiky shadows into the fiery red sky. The backdrop looks like the final shot of a Wild West film. All that's missing now is that a dusty gunslinger rides towards the horizon and the happy ending flickers over the credits. If you go to Scottsdale in Arizona, you can get the romantic film delivered almost every day. Because here in the heart of the 48th US state the sun shines over 300 days a year. In mid-summer it's often merciless with over 40 degrees Celsius, but in winter and spring, with around 25 degrees Celsius, there are perfect conditions for exploring the chic city of 400,000 residents, which is just a few minutes' drive from Arizona's capital Phoenix and the airport.
For passionate golfers, Scottsdale is synonymous with perfect green: with its 51 golf courses, the city is one of the best golf destinations in the world and everyone from professionals to beginners will find the right teeing point here. The hole-in-one that Tiger Woods hit at TPC Scottsdale at the 1997 World Cup Phoenix Open is still a legend today and inspires ecstatic enthusiasm among golfers. The sensational sporting event takes place every year at the beginning of February.
Then head to the old town! You don't really want to write old, at least if you use European standards. But Scottsdale, which was only founded in the 1950s, is self-confident and the Old Town is a charming, Wild West-style district with arcades, fashion shops and galleries that sell Indian handicrafts. In the saloons you drink ice-cold margaritas, cowboys sing and sometimes a horse-drawn carriage rolls by. If you need a cowboy hat or western boots as a souvenir, this is the place for you. Things are completely different in the modern, classy downtown with many hotels, restaurants and bars. “We have 800 restaurants and you can eat fantastically well. One of my favorite places is the Citizen Public House,” says Christina Dicksen from the Experience Scottsdale tourism office. Many restaurants line the pretty palm-lined waterfront on the Arizona Canal, which is crossed by a sparkling stainless steel bridge, the Soleri Bridge by artist and architect Paolo Soleri. You can also go on an art walk all around and discover very different sculptures: from the famous red lettering LOVE by Robert Indiana to the monumental fountain with galloping horses. Shopping happiness beckons in Fashion Square: the chic shopping mall's offerings range from henna tattoo shops to luxury fashion labels and, in between, art enjoyment with interactive installations in Wonderspaces.
But a real wonder space is Taliesin West (UNESCO World Heritage Site). When Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the best American architects of the 20th century (e.g. Guggenheim Museum in New York), began building his winter home and studio in the middle of the Sonara Desert with a view of the Camelback Mountains in the 1930s, There was only sand, stones, cacti and no electricity or water. Purely with muscle power and intelligent planning, a fascinatingly beautiful house complex was created that fits harmoniously into nature, reflects it and is pleasantly cool even without air conditioning, even in August - a miracle. Tip: Book the well-made 60-minute audio tour, www.franklloydwright.org.
And then you have to drive to where there are hundreds of meter-high saguaro cacti. At the Butcher Jones Recreation Site, the spiky giants are everywhere. “The cacti only grow their first arms when they are 80 to 90 years old. They’re real oldies,” says Missy Schield. She needs to know. Missy is a nature and kayak guide for REI Adventures, which organizes outdoor tours in the Southwest USA (www.rei.com). Tip: Take a kayak tour with REI on Saguaro Lake.
Then it's back to the airport with a view of the Four Peaks. The 2,300 meter high peak is one of Arizona's landmarks and is immortalized on every car license plate. Incredibly beautiful in the blood-red sunset - an epic happy ending, without any kitsch!
Petra Kirsch
More information: www.experiencescottsdale.com
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- World-class golf during the traditional WM Phoenix Open tournament every February in Scottsdale (Photo by ALLAN HENRY / GOLF CHRONICLES)
My favorite restaurants in Scottsdale
1. The Mission
Fine, attractive Latin American cuisine is served in a former church in the old town. The highlight is the guacamole prepared at the table and the juicy, spicy meat dishes. You can also drink well-mixed cocktails or wine here. The interior is unusually dark, but atmospheric and an eye-catcher is the marble bar and a wall made of Himalayan salt blocks. www.themissionaz.com
2. Rita's Cantina and Patio at JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa
Whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner - in Rita's Cantina you can sit inside and outside on the terrace or afterwards at the bar. Inside with a Mexican-inspired, cozy twist, outside with a wonderful view of the blooming hotel park with babbling watercourses. The menu includes great classics of Mexican cuisine such as burritos and quesadillas, also in the refined version with truffles. And of course steaks, fish and a delicious margarita are served. The service is excellent. www.camelbackinn.com
3. Postino Highland
In a former bank building with large glass fronts and a chic, functional design, the Postino attracts a hip, young crowd who want to eat a salad or one of the freshly made sandwich creations for lunch. www.postinowinecafe.com
4. The Herb Box
Friendly, small restaurant with a terrace that is known for its fresh bowls, tacos, pancakes and French toast. Great for vegans too. Instagram: theherbbox
5. Merkin Vineyards' Old Town
One of the many tasting rooms where you can taste the wines from Arizona, which grow a little further north in Valley Verde. The service is very knowledgeable and provides information about the wines and the numerous grape varieties such as Grenache, Chardonnay, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, which have been grown there for a good ten years.
www.merkinoldtownscottsdale.com
6. Rusty Spur Saloon
The rustic Wild West-style bar is an icon in the old town. When there are a few Harleys in front of the door and a singing cowboy inside is playing evergreens like "Take me Home, Country Roads" live, the Rusty Spur is packed and beer and cocktails are being ordered at the bar every second. Typical Tex-Mex food on the menu: burgers, nachos, tamales & Co.
www.rustyspursaloon.com
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- Andrew Pielage
fotocredit: tom mackie for experience scottsdale, hot air expeditions, experience scottsdale, andrew pielage for taliesin west, the wine collective of scottsdale, scottsdale arts, allan henry for experience scottsdale, hash kitchen, petra kirsch (13)
My hotel tip for Scottsdale:
A hotel legend and J. W. Marriott's first resort
Already at As you walk towards the entrance, you get a relaxed, positive feeling: cacti, blooming bougainvillea, a terrace with comfortable lounge chairs around a roaring campfire and above the bright, cube-shaped adobe-style building the relaxing slogan: Where Time Stands Still.< /p>
The JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa is one of the famous hotels in Arizona. In December 1936, entrepreneur Jack Stewart opened his 118-room hotel at the foot of Mummy Mountain with a fantastic view of the eponymous Camelback Mountains and Arizona's famous Four Peak. It was probably the view of the mountains glowing golden in the afterglow, the sunny, dry climate and the luxurious amenities of the hotel that Hollywood greats and American politicians such as Clark Gable, Bette Davis and John F. Kennedy were soon vacationing here. John Williard Marriott also came with his family. The founder of Marriott International took over the Camelback Inn as his first hotel resort in 1967 and expanded it to 453 rooms. To this day, the Marriott family enjoys their vacations here. Bill Marriott, son of J. W. Marriott and chairman of the group with well over 6,000 hotels worldwide, celebrated his 90th birthday in March 2022 like every year since he bought it in 1967 at the Camelback Inn.
What's special about the hotel: Guests stay in cozy, modern casitas, which were sold in 2019 for $12.5 million have been renovated and all have a garden terrace or balcony and are furnished in pleasant, light natural colors. The suites also have either their own pool or sun deck. Seven restaurants, including Rita’s Cantina, offer fresh, approachable food with a focus on classic American and Mexican cuisine. You can swim in the two heated outdoor pools with a wonderful view of the mountains and the extensive, flowering hotel park with cacti and watercourses. What's great is that the pools are open until 11 p.m., because the view from the water into the sparkling starry sky of the Sonoran Desert is something special. The spa has 32 treatment rooms and of course, in the golfer country of Arizona, the hotel also has a golf club with two 18-hole courses and six tennis courts. The atmosphere in the hotel, for example at the bar, where live music is often played, is casual, sporty, friendly and almost familiar, which may be due to the many American regulars who have spent their holidays here for generations.
Info: www.marriott.com
Fotocredit: JW Marritt Camelback Inn Resort & Spa (6), Petra Kirsch (2)
