JW Marriott Camelback Inn

The Camelback Inn has become a part of this trend.

Colorful gardens, mountain views and adobe casitas make the Inn a favorite Scottsdale resort

This Scottsdale resort once had an old fashioned Southwestern ambience.

Staying here felt like stepping back in time to a slower, calmer way of life.

Now, The Camelback Inn's $45 million, 10-month long renovation, which began in May 2007, changed the look of this classic resort to a modern property.

The resort's signature entrance, with its clock tower emblazoned with the defining message "Where Time Stands Still," has a brand new look and feel.

While the clock is still there, there is a new arrival and entrance way into the resort.

Although Camelback Inn preserved the historic 1930s adobe wing, which is on the right side of the property’s front steps, the rest of the 1970s-era main building was torn down and renovated.

In its place is a new hacienda-style main lodge with a bar, a hip outpost of the New York restaurant BLT Steak and Rita's Kitchen, a contemporary Southwestern restaurant.

The famous Camelback Inn clock tower

New additions also include a Starbucks, a retail marketplace, an expanded conference center and a courtyard with fire pits, lawns, fountains and patio seating.

Although the 453 guest rooms were not renovated, they were upgraded.

The remainder of the resort has stayed the same including the adobe style casitas.

Vacationers and locals have been coming to Camelback Inn for its old Southwestern charm, lovely gardens of flowers and cactus and its friendly staff.

The challenge for this historic gem will be to keep its charm now that it's transformed into a "swinging contemporary hotel."

All rooms at Camelback Inn are in casitas

The Inn sits at the base of Mummy Mountain and has wonderful views of Camelback Mountain, for which the resort is named.

Though surrounded by the residential neighborhoods of Paradise Valley, Camelback Inn feels like its out in the desert - which it was when it was built back in 1936.

This historic property was not only Scottsdale’s first luxury resort, it was also the first resort for the Marriott hotel chain.

Today, Camelback Inn remains a popular Arizona vacation destination.

There are no high rise towers here. Instead the rooms are spread out in casitas over 125 acres. Each room feels like one’s own private little cottage.

Step outside and you’ll be walk through gardens bursting with colorful flowers, spiky cactus, towering palms and leafy desert trees.

Most of Camelback Inn’s casitas have parking right outside the room

Everything about this historic Arizona resort exudes a Southwestern style with its white-washed adobe buildings, wood-beamed ceilings and Native American design details.

The view from our casita room

With midweek reservations and our AAA membership card, we booked a standard casita room for just $111 per night (summer weekday rates).

Our room was on the top floor of a cluster of historic adobe casitas close to the main lodge.

The room’s terracotta-tiled balcony overlooked a small garden courtyard and had a great view of Camelback Mountain.

Inside, the room had a quaint Southwestern style with dark Mexican hacienda style wood furniture, wood beam and plank ceilings and Native American style fabrics.

Our room’s king size bed

The main part of the room had a king bed, nightstands, a writing desk and chair and two armchairs.

A small but handy kitchenette had everything you’d need to prepare your own meals including a small refrigerator, microwave, sink and coffeemaker.

The bathroom is split into two rooms with a vanity area with much-appreciated dual sinks.

The Mexican-tiled combination shower and tub was in a separate room with the toilet. This space is rather small but adequate.

A large walk-in closet had plenty of storage space with its chest of drawers and many shelves.

It was also stocked with a full length mirror, a card table and spa robes.

Camelback inn’s southwestern style rooms have dark wood furniture and saltillo tile

The standard casita room offered plenty of space and amenities, making it a comfortable choice for those planning long stays.

Some considered the rooms to have a dated look and the Marriott must have thought so too.

As part of its recent renovation, the Camelback Inn upgraded its guestrooms with new carpets, upholstery, drapes and bathroom work.

All rooms also now have flat screen televisions.

Tennis courts, basketball courts, sand volley ball, a putting green, ping-pong and shuffleboard provide plenty of on-site activities.

Jackrabbit Pool and Camelback Mountain

The heated Jackrabbit Pool was the most popular amenity during our late summer stay.

This is the Camelback resort’s largest pool with two 20-person Jacuzzis, a kid’s splash area with its fun gecko fountain and great mountain views.

The Jackrabbit Pool has a 150-foot-long freeform section and a 75-foot-long two-lane lap portion.

By many Arizona resort standards, this pool is not very large and could fill up quickly on busy holiday weekends.

The resort’s other pool, a 75-foot, three-lane lap pool at the Spa at Camelback Inn, is adults only.

Set high on the property, this pool also has good mountain views, private cabanas and a secluded and luxurious feel.

The smaller petal-shaped Garden Pool, which was in the courtyard right behind the lodge, is no longer.

It has been removed in favor of a more modern style courtyard with fire pits, water features and enhanced views of the mountain.

The Mummy Mountain cookout area

Mummy Mountain cookout area, at the back of the resort, is a re-creation of an Old Western town. It’s available for parties and special events.

The Fitness Center, located inside the Spa, has cardiovascular and strength training equipment, mountain bike simulators and a climbing wall.

They also offer a variety of classes including tai chi, meditation, BOSU and morning power walks around the neighborhood.

If you prefer to get your fitness by hitting the trails, there is a 1.75-mile hiking trail on Mummy Mountain that can be accessed directly from the resort.

The Spa at Camelback Inn

This spacious, luxurious retreat is the kind of spa where we would be happy to take up permanent residence.

We loved its contemporary Southwestern ambience and its quiet, secluded location at the back of the resort, near the base of Mummy Mountain.

The Camelback Spa is a full service spa with a diverse treatment menu, luxurious amenities and a salon.

Even if you don’t want a spa treatment, try a delicious meal at Sprouts, the spa café.

Or, just sit a sip a smoothie while admiring the lovely mountain and pool views through the café’s tall picture windows.

Designed by renowned golf architect Arthur Hills, the 36 holes of championship golf have a pastoral look.

Camelback Golf putting practice

The course is tucked into a quiet yet expensive residential neighborhood of million dollar homes lining the fairways.

The Padre Course is a 6,903-yard, par 72 design with towering trees, subtle landforms and bunkers.

This course's strategic layout and challenging water holes will sharpen any golfer’s game.

The 7,014-yard, par 72 Indian Bend Course is a traditional American links-style with palm- and eucalyptus-lined fairways and mountain views.

You may need extra strokes with this course’s doglegs, bunkers and trees.

Although the Indian Bend course can challenge you, it is considered very playable for golfers of all skill levels.

Camelback Golf Club also has a practice facility with a complete driving range, chipping and putting greens and a 2,400 square foot golf shop.

The 36,000-square foot clubhouse resembles a giant Native American pueblo.

BLT Steak restaurant

The Camelback Inn is now home to a branch of the trendy and popular New York restaurant BLT Steak, the first outpost of this restaurant in the western U.S.

BLT is the creation of the celebrity French chef Laurent Tourondel. Expect a French take on the classic American steakhouse with dishes like crab cakes, Kobe beef, grilled tuna, creamed spinach and onion rings.

The Inn’s new main restaurant, called Rita's Kitchen, has a casual and contemporary setting, serving Southwestern cuisine.

Our favorite dining spot, Sprouts, is still there.

This is the Camelback Spa café and, as you might expect, they serve spa cuisine.

The café is casual, bright and airy with rattan furniture and huge windows that look out to the spa pool and mountains.

Though the food is light and healthy, it’s full of flavor.

Looking out to the pool from Sprouts Cafe

Breakfast dishes such as the poached eggs Florentine ($15) – toasted English muffins topped with spinach, grilled tomato, poached eggs and low-cal Cheddar cheese and served with a side of the Greek cucumber and yogurt tzatziki sauce - were both filling and delicious.

Lunch items range from small plates like the ahi tuna tartare ($14) and the delicious three dip lavosh ($10) with hummus, roasted eggplant and tzatziki sauces to a salmon club sandwich ($15) and shrimp fettuccine ($20).

Hoppin’ Jack’s is the café at the Jackrabbit Pool.

The menu features foods like hamburgers ($12), pizza ($12-$15), specialty sandwiches and salads.

Nearby is the Golf Grill in the Camelback Golf clubhouse.

This course-side restaurant serves lunch, Sunday brunch and Happy Hour with a bar menu from 2:00 pm. – 6:30 pm.

Their menu offers American cuisine including bacon cheese burger ($9), Cobb salad ($11), buffalo wings ($6) and lemon-roasted salmon with greens ($13).

Diners can sit on the large patio with its scenic views and large fireplace. The open air lounge has large screen televisions tuned to sporting events.

Camelback Inn offers a complimentary shuttle to the Golf Grill.

There is also a Starbucks outlet serving pastries, ready-to-go sandwiches, salads and, of course, coffee.

Camelback Inn Resort Tips

While at the Camelback Inn, you might notice that the resort is surrounded by the town of Paradise Valley, but has a Scottsdale address. Back when Paradise Valley formed, the town did not want any commercial development.

So, the Camelback Inn, which was in this location before there was a town of Paradise Valley, had to be grandfathered in as part of Scottsdale.

Booking a Room:

• Many of the rooms have parking right out front. Therefore, some resort rooms may have windows which look out on the parking areas. Inquire when you book your room.
• There are a variety of room types including one- and two-bedroom suites, bi-level suites, casitas with sundecks, casitas with their own private pools and a Manor House with 3 bedrooms and bathrooms, a full kitchen and private pool.

A few of the inn’s larger suites have private pools

Amenities:

• The Spa at Camelback Inn is very popular with locals. Be sure to book your appointments at least 3-4 weeks in advance.
• There are only two pools at Camelback Resort, one of which is adults only. The main pool, the Jackrabbit Pool, is not as large as those at other Scottsdale resorts. We recommend getting to the pool early on busy holiday weekends.
• If you think the resort’s restaurant prices are too high, you can find a wide variety of restaurants along Scottsdale Road, which is about a 5-minute drive away.

The tennis courts at Camelback Inn

Resort Fast Facts: JW Marriott Camelback Inn

Note: This information was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, availability, access, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the resort, golf course, restaurant or spa before making reservations and/or travel plans.

Accommodations Cost Key (based on a standard guest room, double occupancy):
$: $50 - $100
$$: $100 - $150
$$$: $150- $200
$$$$: $200 - $300
$$$$$: Above $300

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