Champagne, caviar and carats, oh my. From gold-infused facials to wallet-busting bubbly, the Valley has some serious swank going on.
Stone Cold: The Four Peaks Mining Company carries the largest collection of Arizona amethyst. In fact, the Scottsdale shop houses the incredible 80-carat Four Peaks amethyst center stone, one of the top five largest stones the mine has yielded to date. fourpeaksminingco.com.
Cup Runneth Over: Hatter & Hare, the Alice in Wonderland-themed restaurant in Phoenix, is one of the Valley’s most playful dining spots—but with a seriously luxe cocktail option. The new hot spot dishes up three different sharable cocktails (The Mad Hatter, Mega Mule and The Golden Afternoon) in a giant teacup, which serves about four people for $60. hatterandhareaz.com.
Creek Chic (pictured): The majestic L’Auberge de Sedona, A Destination Hotel is home to one of the most exclusive spots to stay in Northern Arizona: Creekhouse. Just steps from Oak Creek, the Creekhouse is a five-bedroom house with 2,800 square feet of communal space ideal for gatherings. In addition to an expansive living area, a dining room, a bar and a large private deck, the home is adorned with locally curated art and upscale furnishings. Rates from $2,500. lauberge.com.
Goldilocks: This fall, Spa Avania at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch unveiled a lineup of spa treatments that set the gold standard of pampering. The 60-minute Nano-Gold Repair Facial ($180) features a Nano-Gold Repair Mask from Knesko Skin while the 24-Karat Manicure ($65) and Pedicure ($85) utilize gold dust-infused lotion. hyatt.com.
Bilt to Last: In February, The Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, celebrated 89 years as an iconic Phoenix landmark. To honor the occasion, the resort invited all to stop in and raise a glass with a series of exclusive pours of Champagnes. The celebration will continue through the remainder of the year with Biltmore Bubbles and includes $62 glasses of Dom Perignon Champagne, $29 glasses of Veuve Clicquot and $16 glasses of Domaine Carneros Brut. arizonabiltmore.com.
Custom Job (pictured): Starting at $80, the Omakase experience at Sushi Roku is not only luxurious but adventurous as well. You see, the sushi chefs prepare an improvisational and custom menu that guests don’t see until dishes hit the table. sushiroku.com.
Sunny Side (pictured): Every Friday on the lawn at Mountain Shadows, guests gather around for Sunset Champagne Toast and Sabering. The weekly happening includes a complimentary tasting of Veuve Clicquot while the sun sets over Camelback Mountain and includes $10 glasses of Veuve Clicquot for the hour following the toast. mountainshadows.com.
On Pointe (pictured on opening page): Limited to just 12 guests per event, the Insider’s View Dinner Series at Different Pointe of View at Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs is one of the most intimate and elegant dining events in the Valley. The series brings top winemakers from around the world to the remarkable resort restaurant and their award-winning sips are paired with five courses that have been prepared by Executive Chef Anthony DeMuro tableside. Reservations are required and available for $109 per person, inclusive of dinner and wine pairings. tapatiocliffshilton.com.
Tour de Force: This month, Hotel Valley Ho launched the Insider Mid-Century Tour of Scottsdale that spotlights incredible buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright and other notable Valley architects, with stops at the Scottsdale hotel, the Garden Apartment District, the Price House, lunch at Postino Highland and more. Tours, which can accommodate groups of two to 10, must be booked in advance. The full six-hour tour is $1,400, plus $20 per person for lunch including a glass of wine. A three-hour mini tour is available for $700. Call the Hotel Valley Ho concierge at 480.376.2600 to reserve a tour. hotelvalleyho.com.
Strokes of Genius: If luxury means appreciating the finer things in life, book a Mimosas & Monet Art Class on the patio at the Hermosa Inn. Join Carrie Curran Art Studios for an entertaining art instruction while sipping mimosas; there are classes slated for Nov. 17 and Dec. 1, with a variety of 2019 dates also available. The $85 class fee includes instruction, all supplies, mimosa, coffee and pastries. (Enrollment must be completed the Thursday prior to each class to ensure reservation.) hermosainn.com/event-registration.
Like a Fine Wine (pictured): For the ultimate luxury dining experience, enter the private King Ferdinand’s Wine Cellar at Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia for a special prix-fixe three-course tasting menu where you choose from a variety of specialties like paella la valendciana, rioja-braised short rib and Prado’s decadent chocolate mousse bomba with advance reservations. For all-out extravagance, the meal can be paired with a bottle of vintage Bodega Numanthia ($550) or Dom Perignon Champagne ($500). omnimontelucia.com
Rarest of Them All: Bourbon & Bones Chophouse & Bar in Scottsdale has acquired a rare wine, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanee St-Vivant vintage 2015, and is inviting locals to come have a sip. Available for $400 for three ounces, the rare wine is believed to have never been served by the glass. bourbonandbonesaz.com.
Where to Heart Is: Why simply check into a room when you can have an entire house all to yourself? Sanctuary on Camelback is home to eight distinctive Mountainside Estates. Guests of these amenity-laden spacious private homes can enjoy all the resort’s concierge and in-room services, with a personal butler and private vehicle available upon request. The Mountainside Estates guests also have access to exclusive programs, like the personalized Mi Casa, Mi Chef dining experience. Rates vary. sanctuaryoncamelback.com/private-estate-homes.
Spa and Sip: Crave a side of bubbly with your spa day? Well & Being at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess offers the fit-for-royalty Champagne Couture Manicure ($89) and Pedicure ($109), inviting spa-goers to sip some suds while enjoying a treatment that comprises Arizona red clay. The pedi is even capped off with an age-defying diamond radiance eye mask. scottsdaleprincess.com.
Pinnacle of Luxury (pictured): The Pinnacle Facial, one of the signature treatments of The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, uses the anti-inflammatory properties of gold for both the face and body via a gold facial mask, gold shimmer oil and an anti-aging firming serum infused with colloidal gold. The treatment is $320 Sunday through Thursday and $330 on Friday and Saturday. fourseasons.com/scottsdale.
Brut-ally Honest: One of four packages available at the new Griffin Bay poolside experience’s Cabana Cottages is deluxe Taste with Taittinger Package, which includes two bottles of Taittinger Brut La Française, a fresh fruit and agave yogurt platter and more. Cabanas are $200 to $600, depending on day and time of year, and are available to resort guests online. jwdesertridge.com.
Roe You Didn’t: You don’t need blini to enjoy this caviar. During the 80-minute Pure Indulgence Facial Treatment at The Phoenician Spa, skin is rejuvenated by the ancient art of Gua Sha combined with protein-dense caviar and specialized massage techniques. The treatment is designed to firm skin, release tension, reduce puffiness and enhance clarity. thephoenician.com/spa.
Par for the Course: Available at The Boulders, the Elite Golf package offers personalized services sure to make fellow golfers green with envy. The experiences include the luxury of ample time and privacy on the course; concierge assistance before, during and after play; personal coaching; a post-round catered barbecue with rare scotch and custom-made cigars; and top-of-the-line golf gear. $6,000 for four golfers. theboulders.com.
The Flawless Martini (pictured): This drink of excellence from Bitter & Twisted features nano filtered water that’s been chilled to less than 10 degrees Fahrenheit. $16. bitterandtwistedaz.com.
Roasted Pig Head: With a 72-hour notice, Phoenix’s Bar Pesce offers the ultimate way to impress a group of adventurous appetites. $100. barpesce.combarpesce.com.
Rosso Room: Fat Ox’s private dining room will have you seeing red—Ferrari red, that is. The space is decked in the infamous hue. $3,000 to $6,000 for a private dining package. ilovefatox.com.
Presidential Suite: The amenities in this deluxe Kimpton Hotel Palomar Phoenix suite include a Japanese soaking tub and a butler’s pantry with private service entry. Rates from $499 per night. hotelpalomar-phoenix.com.
Garlic Lobster Twice-Baked Potato: Available at Lincoln at JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, this serious spud features a one-pound lobster doused in butter. $28. camelbackinn.com.
Cosmetic Acupuncture: At Modern Acupuncture, guests can treat themselves to this ultra-luxe package which includes 20 sessions for $1,099. modernacupuncture.com.
Tacori Platinum Diamond Engagement Ring Setting: This Robbins Brothers’ stunner comes in at two carat total weight. $16,530 (center diamond not included). robbinsbrothers.com.
Mega Boba Mimosa: This 25-oz. Hash Kitchen showstopper includes a full bottle of bubbly, flavor of choice, fresh fruit garnish and strawberry boba in a giant Champagne flute. $24. hashkitchen.com.
