When the Valley hits triple digits, the best way to beat the heat is to go underground – literally. At The Hermosa Inn, LON’s transforms its historic wine cellar into an intimate dining experience in Arizona. From May 11 through August 30, 2026, guests can step into the Cool Summer Dining Escape, pairing a five-course dinner in the subterranean cellar with an overnight stay in a private adobe casita at 25 percent off.
For those simply seeking the culinary adventure, the Cool Dining in the Wine Cellar experience offers the same menu, with optional wine pairings selected by the sommelier for $95 per person. With limited seats at the rustic trestle table, reservations are a must, making each evening feel like a secret shared among friends.
The five-course menu celebrates the best of the Southwest, from a delicate amuse-bouche and intermezzo to flavorful dishes that reflect LON’s globally inspired, locally sourced approach. Each course is enhanced by the award-winning wine program, which has earned Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence every year since 2015. The result is an experience that is as much about storytelling and atmosphere as it is about food.
The Inn itself is a work of art. Built in the 1930s by celebrated cowboy artist Alonzo “Lon” Megargee as his private residence and studio, Casa Hermosa was handcrafted from adobe bricks formed on-site, reclaimed wooden beams, and hand-painted Mexican tile.
Megargee, whose 1912 painting “The Last Drop from His Stetson” remains an iconic image of the American West, designed every corner of the hacienda with Southwestern charm and artistic detail. Beneath the home lies the wine cellar, once a secret Prohibition-era hideaway where cowboys played poker and escaped through hidden desert tunnels, now restored to host an extraordinary culinary experience.
Guests who stay overnight retreat into one of 43 private casitas, each a reflection of the original hacienda’s character with adobe walls, handcrafted mesquite furniture, hand-painted tile, and original Megargee artwork. Modern comforts – private pools and cabanas, the Blue Door Spa, sculpture gardens, a fitness room, and complimentary cruiser bikes – blend with history and tranquility. Camelback Mountain provides the backdrop to the property, framing every moment with a sense of serene desert beauty.
Whether savoring the subterranean dinner, sipping sommelier-selected wines, or strolling the landscaped gardens of the Inn, the Cool Summer Dining Escape is a desert experience that combines history, luxury, and culinary artistry. It’s an opportunity to slow down, explore, and immerse yourself in a piece of Paradise Valley’s most storied property. Learn more at hermosainn.com.
