<p>We will be four couples heading to Phoenix in February. The men want to golf and the women want to explore the natural areas. We don’t want a fancy, expensive resort but would like a nice place. Any ideas? And what part of greater Phoenix should we stay in?
Thanks!</p>
<p>We stayed in Tempe a few times we visited the Phoenix area. Even at the hotel where all ASU visitors tend to stay, noisy college kids were not a problem. Tempe has a really neat walkable downtown with many eateries. Tempe Mission Palms next to Mill Street is a good place, but it can be pricey in February.</p>
<p>We’ve been to a place called The Boulders–it’s about 25-30 miles outside of Phoenix. The golf course, according to the golfers who were with us, was excellent. There’s a main lodge with a restaurant/bar, and all of the rooms are in small haciendas around the golf course or around a huge outcropping of boulders (we saw a mountain lion/wild cat? walking on the rocks early one morning). There’s also a spa on the property and hiking trails nearby. It’s not far from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West–which offers several interesting tours. We went out to dinner in Scottsdale a few times; there are lots of nice places there. Another thing we did was visit the Desert Botanical Garden. Lots of wonderful plants that I never see in New England!</p>
<p>I would stay in the Scottsdale area----I noticed recently that there are plenty of first class hotels and resorts discounted on Priceline.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the help. The Boulders looked really cool but I think it will be too pricey for us this time. Has anyone stayed at the Millennium Resort? They have a special were they give you $100 food & drink credit per day. It sounds good but you know…</p>
<p>Note that the specials you see now may not be good for February. You’ll be visiting at the peak time for tourism, so nothing’s going to be super-cheap.</p>
<p>McCormick Ranch (home of the Millennium Resort, in north Scottsdale) is a nice area, more than walking distance from “natural” sites but certainly convenient for golf. It’s hard to go wrong with a resort in north Scottsdale.</p>
<p>Another nice area, much closer to the airport, is South Mountain. The Arizona Grand Resort ([Luxury</a> Phoenix Arizona Hotels | Arizona Grand Resort | Family Friendly Vacation Resorts](<a href=“http://www.arizonagrandresort.com/]Luxury”>http://www.arizonagrandresort.com/) formerly the Pointe) may be too pricey, but there are condos and townhouses in the area which might be available for rent. This Web site claims to have some rental listings there: [Pointe</a> South Mountain](<a href=“http://pointesouthmountain.org/]Pointe”>http://pointesouthmountain.org/)</p>
<p>If you stayed in the Chandler/Ahwatukee area, you’d be fairly close to South Mountain in an area that’s safe and clean. The central Phoenix side of the mountain (e.g., Canyonview Resorts) can put you near some seedier parts of town.</p>
<p>If you like something a bit more remote, and upscale but not at the ridiculous prices of Paradise Valley, you might try Gold Canyon Ranch – It’s a good hour away from the airport, but perfect for golf and outdoor exploring.
[Gold</a> Canyon Golf Resort](<a href=“http://www.gcgr.com/]Gold”>http://www.gcgr.com/)</p>