THE WIGWAM
For more than 150,000 visitors each year, thoughts of The Wigwam located in Litchfield Park are likely to conjure up images of world-class golf, old western-style architecture and first-rate accommodations. One item undoubtedly absent from vacationing minds: tires. Ironically, a tire-centric appeal was the main draw for The Wigwam’s establishment in 1918. It was then that executives of Goodyear Tire & Rubber found that the West Valley was ideal for growing cotton to produce rubber for tires. When interest gained around Arizona’s warm climate, the resort expanded in 1929 to include accommodations for 24 guests, each of which received a horse along with their room key.
The amenities at The Wigwam may be updated and better equipped to cater to lovers of luxury these days, but the historic feel of the resort remains in tact. From wood beams to desert-inspired vegetation and even the resort’s original fireplace made from horsehair and mud, guests of the resort find nuances of the Old West at every turn.
A recent $7 million refurbishment of The Wigwam by JDM Partners, spearheaded by Jerry Colangelo, revamped the resort, which holds 331 guest casitas. Colangelo, during the renovation, said he desired to bring back the history of the resort while restoring its meaning.
Spread out across 400 acres, the expansive property offers modern-day guests more than just horseback rides into the sunset. Three championships golf courses (two of which were designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr.), a stand-out tennis operation, an acclaimed Red Door Spa, a bevy of pools and a new signature restaurant, whose menu was designed by James Beard award-winning chef and Valley restaurateur Chris Bianco, all converge to add a contemporary spark to The Wigwam’s historic glow.

RESORT STATS
Accommodations
Then: 24 rooms
Now: 331 rooms
Guests per Year
Then: 11,238
Now: 157,059
Room Rates
Then: $36 per night (1929)
Now: From $189 per night
Amenities
Then: Shuffleboard, horseback riding, stables, badminton, archery, swimming, campfire songs and dining hall
Now: Three pools, seven dining options, three championship golf courses, championship tennis facility, on-site Red Door Spa, fitness center, business center and several outdoor events venues