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Then you may want to make the Arizona Grand Resort your vacation home away from home. As of November 1, 2007, the Pointe South Mountain Resort was renamed the Arizona Grand Resort by its new owners, Grossman Co. Properties. The company is spending $52 million to revamp every aspect of this Phoenix Arizona resort, including the rooms, restaurants and even the landscaping. With its 640 spacious, all-suite rooms on 200-acres, this is one of the largest Arizona resorts.
The original designers of this family-friendly resort definitely had children in mind when they created this property. There are six pools, seven kid friendly restaurants, tons of outdoor recreation and even kid spa services. This Arizona family resort’s centerpiece is the 6-acre Oasis Water Park with its eight-story waterslide. The Arizona Grand Resort is also just a stone’s throw away from Phoenix’s largest desert preserve, South Mountain Park - a perfect spot for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Pointe South Mountain Resort Arizona is self-contained with enough activities to keep the whole family entertained. Yet, it’s not too far from some of Phoenix Arizona’s popular kid friendly attractions like Rawhide Wild West Town, the Arizona Science Center and the Phoenix Zoo. Even though the Arizona Grand Resort is getting an extreme makeover, it will continue to be a good choice for family resorts in Arizona. AtmosphereWe have to admit that when we first arrived at Pointe South Mountain Resort, we were apprehensive.
We hadn’t realized that the property sits very close to busy Interstate 10, one of the main north-south freeways through the Phoenix area. From the description on the resort’s web site, we were expecting the place to be tucked away into the South Mountains. After exploring further, we were relieved to discover that the resort is quite large and spread out. It actually stretches from the freeway all the way back to the South Mountain Park boundary. Pointe South Mountain Resort’s large, multi-storied buildings have a Spanish Colonial style with terracotta roofs and stucco walls. Colorful flowers and burbling fountains fill the interior courtyards between the hotel wings. Wide breezeways lined with tall palms link the buildings, making for pleasant evening strolls. If you’ve stayed here before, the newly rechristened Arizona Grand Resort is going to start looking a whole lot different. As part of the Pointe South Mountain Resort’s renovation, the resort will get a new entrance, a new lobby, new restaurants, new landscaping and golf course upgrades.
Already, the resort has been repainted white. Pointe South Mountain Resort has definitely been a laid back kind of place, with a very casual ambience. The emphasis has been on keeping the entire family entertained. The new owners have promised to keep that family friendly tradition going but in fresh modern style. RoomsCurrently, all Arizona Grand Resort rooms are in the process of being upgraded.The former Pointe South Mountain Resort rooms had a dated look with Spanish Colonial style dark wood furniture and accents. The new room décor will reflect a contemporary style with lighter colors and basket weave shutters. From our previous stays, we can say that the all-suite rooms are very spacious with separate living areas with desks and queen-sized sofa beds. All rooms have private patios or balconies. Room rates are expected to be 15% - 20% higher after upgrade. Resort AmenitiesIt’s all about outdoor activities at Pointe South Mountain Resort.
There are enough of them to keep even the most hyperactive kid happy. The main attraction is the 6-acre Oasis Water Park. This is one of the country’s largest resort water parks – a cool, refreshing playland of waterfalls, pools and lush trees and palms in the middle of the desert. Oasis Water Park’s central feature is the 8-story Slide Canyon Tower. Here you can test your courage on its three water slides:
If you’re looking for something a little less thrilling, there’s the Oasis Wave Pool. This 10,000-square foot pool has 2-foot action waves that made us feel like we were swimming through open ocean swells. We also enjoyed the flowing, 950-foot long Zuni Active River. Catch an inflatable water tube as it whisks by and float along, passing under water jets and gentle mists. A rolling river action kept us moving along at a brisk pace as we traveled around the park.
Oasis Water Park also has a large, 3-foot deep hot tub overlooking the wave pool and a fun splash pad area and wading pool for the tots. All the water features have heated water, so you could spend all day here, kicking back on one of the plentiful lounge chairs or sprawled out on a towel on the lawn. It’s a fun atmosphere with up-tempo rock music blaring over the loudspeakers. Luckily there is the Oasis Bar and Grill inside the park, offering sandwiches, burgers, salads. Specialty drinks include their signature Shark Attack, a blend of light rum, blue Curacao, blueberry Schnapps, pineapple juice, Sierra Mist and a garnish of gummy sharks served in an Oasis souvenir fish bowl. As part of Arizona Grand Resort’s upgrades, the water park will be expanded by another 5 acres. Other Pools Three are family pools and two are adults-only pools. However, we found that the pool designations were generally ignored.
There is also a lap pool at the 20,000 square foot Arizona Grand Athletic Club. Other resort amenities include:
Next door to the resort is the 16,000-acre South Mountain Park. This beautiful Sonoran Desert preserve - reputed as the largest municipal park in the world - has over 58 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Drive to the top of the South Mountains and you’ll have panoramic views of the Phoenix area and the mountain ranges beyond the Valley of the Sun. Spend time in the park and you might catch glimpses of common desert animals such as roadrunners, javelinas, horned lizards and coyotes. Although local Native American tribes never inhabited these mountains, they frequently traveled through them. You can still see the numerous petroglyphs and pictographs they left behind on the park’s many boulders. Just for KidsIf you can pull your kids away from the Oasis, Pointe South Mountain Resort has two active programs for children. Both are available as half day ($20/child) or full day ($40/child) programs and include lunch.The Buckaroo Roundup (ages 5 and under) has supervised activities such as storytime, toys, stuffed animals and coloring books. For ages 5 - 12, there’s the Cactus Kids Club. Their fun and energetic activities include swimming, crafts, games and guided explorations into the desert. See the Spa section below to learn about Pointe South Mountain Resort’s Spa Services for Kids. SpaPointe South Mountain Resort’s 65,000-square foot Phantom Horse Spa and Athletic Club has been renamed the Arizona Grand Athletic Club and Arizona Grand Spa.
The Southwestern-styled spa offers many treatments that use native desert botanicals and minerals. You’ll have great views of South Mountain Park while using the Athletic Club’s fitness center with its state-of-the-art cardio and strength training equipment. Afterwards, take a swim in the heated lap pool. Phantom Horse Spa has been voted one of the top ten kid-friendly spas in the United States by Child Magazine (2002). Pointe South Mountain Resort is one of the few to offer spa services designed specifically for kids, so the entire family can enjoy the spa. Click here to read our full Phantom Horse Spa review. GolfArizona Grand Resort guests can hit the links at the adjacent Arizona Grand Golf Club and Course.
This 6,336-yard course is a championship, 18-hole, par 71, combining two styles of golf. The front nine has a traditional links layout with large swathes of emerald green fairways, ponds and sand traps. The back nine are desert target style golf with part of the course built into the rocky slopes of South Mountain. This area is mostly desert interspersed with short strips of green fairway. Keep an eye out for desert wildlife – quail, roadrunners and even the occasional coyote or rattlesnake. Though the course is short – only 6,211 yards from the back tees– it is not easy. The fairways are tight and there are drastic changes in elevation, forcing blind shots. The front nine holes have several water features and desert washes run throughout the back nine. The Arizona Grand Golf Club also has a small driving range, a pro shop, and a sports bar and grill in the clubhouse with a patio that overlooks the 18th hole. RestaurantsCurrently, Pointe South Mountain Resort has seven diverse dining options scattered around the property.As part of the Arizona Grand Resort’s upgrades, some restaurants will be changed or moved. Latitude 30° currently serves fusion cuisine inspired by foods from its geographic moniker. Latitude 30°’s menu will be converted to Pacific Rim cuisine. Click here to read our full Latitude 30° restaurant review. Aunt Chilada’s restaurant features standard Mexican fare in a colorful, family friendly atmosphere. It will remain as is.
Menu items range from huge platters of tacos and enchiladas to carne asada and chile rellenos. They also offer more than 100 varieties of tequila and an extensive margarita list. We ate dinner here and the place was packed. The wait for a table was over 1½ hours, so we opted to sit in the bar area. Even though the staff was obviously overwhelmed, they were friendly, helpful and extremely efficient. We appreciated their cheery, upbeat attitudes in spite of the rushed chaos. The portions were very large but, perhaps due to the busy conditions, the food was somewhat lacking. It was surprising bland for a Mexican restaurant in Arizona. The Phantom Horse Grill and Sports Bar is currently in the Phantom Horse Tower at the far end of the resort. This restaurant will be moved to the new lobby upon its completion in 2009. Currently, The Grill has a Southwestern atmosphere and menu with dishes such as:
We had breakfast in the dining room, which has a wood ceiling, pale adobe-like walls and large windows with views of Phoenix and the resort. The service was prompt and friendly. We loved their huevos rancheros. Their take on this traditional Mexican breakfast dish consisted of two eggs, prepared however you like, layered over chipotle chile-spiced pinto beans and diced green chiles on blue corn tortillas and topped with pepper jack and cassero cheeses. They serve this hearty Southwest specialty with an adobe potato hash, a sort of homestyle fry of chopped potatoes, onions and red and green bell peppers. The portions were huge and deliciously spicy. You’ll definitely need to do some hiking after eating this dish! Rustler’s Rooste sits up on a hill above the resort, overlooking the Valley. This restaurant will also remain as it is. The Rooste is an old fashioned Western steakhouse complete with a live bull outside the restaurant’s old mineshaft and a tin slide for entering the dining room - completely optional, of course! Entertainment here includes Old Charlie, the cowboy poet, and live country and Western music and dancing. Great views, a fun atmosphere and a menu of mesquite-grilled steaks, barbecued ribs and award-winning chili make it a good choice for those looking for an entertaining Old West venue. Pointe South Mountain Resort also has two poolside eateries:
All of Pointe South Mountain Resort’s have children’s menus. Resort Fast Facts: Arizona Grand Resort, formerly known as Pointe South Mountain ResortOverall Impression: Great resort for families. Casual atmosphere. Many outdoor activities including golf, tennis and hiking and horseback riding at South Mountain Park next to resort. Friendly and efficient service.Favorite Features: Oasis Water Park and their river ride and wave pool. Spacious room floor plan. Great spa with variety of treatments including some for kids and teens. Easy access to desert hiking trails. What We Didn’t Like: Some rooms have views of the freeway. Good for Kids: Very. They’ll love the Oasis Water Park and kids are welcome in all the restaurants. All restaurants have children’s menus. Even the spa has a "kid’s menu." Pet Friendly: Pets not allowed Location: southern Phoenix, 10 minute drive (6 miles) south of Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport. Address: 7777 South Pointe Parkway, Phoenix, AZ 85044 Google Map Directions: Click on "+" and "-" signs on Map Controls in upper left hand corner to zoom in and out on the location. Management: Grossman Co. Properties Style: Contemporary with Spanish Colonial accents Room Types: 640 total all-suite rooms, deluxe suites, executive boardroom suites and presidential suites. Cost: In Season: $$$$ - $$$$$
Views/Setting: Mountains, desert, golf course and city views. Garden-like setting. Pools: six resort pools around the property including a lap pool at the spa. The 6-acre Oasis Water Park has a wave pool, waterslide and an active river that flows around the park. Also has a splash pad and hot tub. Live entertainment and dive-in movies in summer. Water Park Notes:
Restaurants: 7 restaurants throughout the resort. Latitude 30: dishes blend the diverse cuisine and ingredients of the Pacific Rim cultures with Asian cooking techniques and gourmet presentations. Indoor and outdoor dining. Fusion Bar offering specialty drinks and appetizers. Dinner entrées start at $20. Open for dinner only. Restaurant: Tuesday – Saturday 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Aunt Chilada’s: Mexican food such as enchiladas, fajitas and tamales served in a colorful, casual atmosphere. Cantina style outdoor patio and casita style indoor dining and bar. Large selection of specialty margaritas and over 100 types of premium tequila. Open for lunch and dinner daily. Phantom Horse Grill: serves Southwestern and American dishes in a Southwestern setting. Both indoor dining and outdoor patio have city and resort views. Dinner entrées start at $19. Breakfast entrées start at $6. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Sports Bar: serves breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as drinks and bar food. Located next to The Phantom Horse Grill. Also has satellite television and dancing. Rustlers Rooste: an old fashioned steakhouse menu in a fun, Old West setting. Views of the Valley from the dining room, cowboy poetry, live country and Western music and dancing and a real bull outside. Dinner served nightly. La Cabana: poolside dining at the East Pointe area pool. Serves hamburgers, salads and sandwiches. Swim-up bar. Oasis Bar and Grill: located inside the Oasis Water Park. Menu includes sandwiches, salads, burgers, appetizers and the signature Typhoon – soft-serve ice cream blended with your favorite flavors. Open-air bar has large selection of tropical blended drinks. Spa: The 65,000-square foot Arizona Grand Athletic Club and Spa, formerly known as the Phantom Horse Athletic Club and Spa has 15 spa treatment rooms, a heated outdoor lap pool, 70 state-of-the-art fitness machines and over 40 fitness classes per week. Golf: The Arizona Grand Golf Club, formerly called the Phantom Horse Golf Club is a championship, 18-hole, par 71, 6,336-yard course, combining two styles of golf. Front nine has a traditional links layout with large swathes of emerald green fairways, ponds and sand traps. Back nine are desert target style golf. 7,000-square foot practice green, golf clubhouse with bar and pro shop. Experienced golf pros offer on-course and computerized instruction with Skill Tec 3D Golf Trainer. Activities: swimming, tennis, basketball, croquet, racquetball, pool tables, ping-pong, sand volleyball, water volleyball and basketball, horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking in South Mountain Park. Parking: Complimentary self parking Return to Arizona Resorts page from Pointe South Mountain Resort Review
The information in this review was accurate at the time of our visit. 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. Legal Disclaimer: Arizona-Vacation-Planner.com accepts no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.
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