Piestewa Peak at sunrise
RAYDAR
Where to soak up the sun in Scottsdale from daybreak on Written by Bridget Williams French composer Claude Debussy is credited with writing, "There is nothing more musical than a sunset." Mother Nature struck up the band shortly after we arrived for a six-night stay in Scottsdale, during which I planned to scout the best places to bookend our day by watching the sun rise and set. It was cloudy when we checked into our first hotel—Mountain Shadows Resort—so I'd all but written off any chance of spying famous desert sunset show. Wandering around to get the lay of the land, I happened to look outside, and the sky seemed to be on fire. We made a bee-line to a hill on the resort's short course, where I stood in awe of the colors on the horizon. My mission was off to a promising start. From the outside, Mountain Shadows (rooms from $399/ night), which originally opened in 1959 and was quite the swinging spot in that heady era, hosting the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and John Wayne, boasts a slightly brutalist facade, giving little hint of what lies inside. Completely rebuilt in 2017, today, the resort's midcentury heart is palpable within airy and contemporary interiors infused with subtle industrial touches that add just the right amount of edge. Towering walls of glass bookend the lobby, providing an unobstructed view of a terraced lawn and onto the iconic Camelback Mountain in the distance. There are ample areas for casual gatherings, outfitted with midcentury-inspired furnishings with exposed brass frames and upholstered in jewel-toned velvet. 36 slmag.net
Two u-shaped wings contain 216 guest rooms and 42 condominium suites. One wing envelops the aforementioned lawn, the other, the hotel's social heart, including The Citizens Club, home to a very well-equipped fitness center and juice bar, as well as a hot tub and a pair of cabana-lined pools that stair-step the gentle slope of the land. Immediately upon entering our spacious studio-style firstfloor room facing the garden, I was quick to notice the shower, with glass on three sides, that seemed to float in the center of the space. Moving into the bedroom, one is quick to notice that the concrete ceiling nearly doubles in height. The abstract pattern of the flat-weave rug under the bed paid homage to the region’s Native American heritage, while a colorful canvas abstraction of a mountain range on a nearby wall highlighted the property’s legacy. Across the lawn, the second-floor Camelback Overlook is part of 37,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space and provides a front-row seat to the sunset. The terrace overlooks the par-3 18-hole Short Course, which promises fun and fast rounds for both beginners and pros. Arthur Jack Snyder designed the original 1961 course; it was later redesigned by Forrest Richardson, a Snyder mentee. Rounds end at Rusty's, a patio and lounge, where tradition mandates that the player with the lowest score on The Forest Wager (a bonus Hole 17.5) picks up a round of drinks.
