Arizona is Spa Central

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Parent Category: Travel Info

Category: Travel Feature

Published on Sunday, 01 April 2012 17:46

Written by Elaine Ing

Maybe it’s escapism or a coping method, but despite the pummeling from the recession, many Americans are still flocking to spas for therapeutic pummeling.

The International SPA Association (ISPA) commissions PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to conduct their annual ISPA U.S. Spa Industry Study –- focusing on five key statistics:

• revenue
• spa visits
• the number of spa locations
• total employment in the industry
• square footage

Since the first commissioned study in 2000, the spa industry has continued to flourish despite the economic downturn.

From only 5,700 spa locations in 1999, that number has increased to 20,600 in 2009. Spa visits have increased from 90.7 million vs 143 million for the same period, while revenue has increased from $5 billion in 1999 to $12.3 billion. Employment within this industry has also increased in conjunction from 151,000 total employees in 1999 to 332,000 in May 2010.

The state of Arizona has been a huge contributor to these statistics. Arizona is a spa lover’s paradise, with a wide range of services and treatments at their day and overnight resort spas. The greater Phoenix area is home to many of these famous spas and it’s not hard to see why.

With an average of 310 sunny days per year, an annual rainfall of 7.66 inches, an average annual temperature of 72.6 degrees and an annual high temperature of 85 degrees, this is year-round paradise.

Several award-winning Arizona hotels with top-flight spa experiences include: 

• The Four Seasons
• The Arizona Biltmore
• Montelucia
• Sheraton Phoenix Downtown
• Wigwam Resort
• Sedona's The Enchantment Resort 

Four Seasons Scottsdale at Troon North
Just 45 minutes from the city center, the resort is set high in the Sonoran Desert, in the cooling foothills of Pinnacle Peak. Situated among cacti, rocks and small mountains, it’s back to nature – Four Seasons style. The 25 Southwestern-style adobe casitas encompasses 210 guest rooms, including 22 suites.

The Arizona Biltmore
The award-winning Biltmore, part of the Waldorf Astoria hotel chain, is one of Phoenix’s first resorts and is known for its signature design. Built in 1929, the Biltmore was constructed in grand form by brothers Albert, Charles and Warren McArthur with Frank Lloyd Wright serving as the consulting architect. It was Wright’s first hotel project and remains the only existing hotel in the world with a Wright design.This landmark “Jewel of the Desert” has been the place to stay for U.S. presidents and the playground for the stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, including Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable and Carole Lombard. 

A full-service 22,000-square-foot resort spa, salon and fitness center. The spa includes an extensive menu of treatments and therapies from countries and cultures worldwide, using only natural elements and ingredients with 17 indoor treatment rooms. The adjacent Arizona Biltmore Country Club boasts two 18-hole PGA golf courses -- The Links and The Adobe. It has 740 guest accommodations, 78 one-and two-bedroom villas, eight swimming pools, seven tennis courts and five dining options.

Montelucia Resort & Spa

The Montelucia Resort & Spa is a top-rated luxury hotel, inspired by the rich history, culture and architecture of Spain’s Andalusia region. Nestled at the foot of picturesque Camelback Mountain, this extraordinary getaway offers an array of facilities, including the critically-acclaimed Prado restaurant and spa treatments at the award-winning Joya Spa.

The property features 293 guest rooms as well as 34 multi-million dollar privately-owned villas on 35 acres of lush desert landscape. In May 2011, The Montelucia Resort was added to the KSL Resorts portfolio which includes La Costa Resort & Spa, Hotel del Coronado, Beach Village at the Del, Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa, Barton Creek Resort & Spa, Vail Mountain Lodge & Spa, and The Homestead.

Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel
This newly designed and contemporary hotel offers tasteful design and panoramic views. The 1.1 million square foot, 31-floor Sheraton Phoenix Downtown is Arizona’s largest hotel, as well as the tallest hotel tower in Phoenix. Its facilities include 1,000 smoke-free guest rooms and suites; 80,000 square feet of flexible, state-of-the-art meeting space (with a 29,000-square-foot grand ballroom and 17 meeting rooms); a 6,500-square-foot state-of-the-art Sheraton Fitness Center; and a 2,000-square-foot outdoor pool and sundeck.

The exterior color palette of browns, oranges and yellows were chosen to represent the desert sky at sunset. The curved roofline mimics the slope of nearby Camelback Mountain. Set in the heart of the city, it is minutes away from the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and adjacent to the convention center. 

The Wigwam Resort
This Arizona landmark and Historic Hotel of America couples historic charm with a truly modern sense of adventure. Originally built in 1918, The Wigwam ushers in a whole new era of relaxation. In addition to the 331 casitas and suites, (including 70 luxurious suites and two presidential suites), the Wigwam Resort offers many amenities including a 9,300-square-foot outdoor plaza featuring new dining options, indoor/outdoor bar, lounge areas and entertainment venues. 

For the golf-enthusiasts, this is the spot to go to and practice your swing. On-site are world class golf school facilities and 54 holes of championship golf, including two of the state's four courses designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. led by The Golf Course, one of Arizona's majestic courses. The only resort with guest access to five golf courses, including the Arizona Biltmore Country Club, it has a championship tennis facility, and fitness cnnter. With over 43,000 square feet of sophisticated indoor and outdoor meeting and event spaces, it includes multiple indoor and outdoor wedding ceremony and reception sites. The resort's signature venue, Sunset Point, offers the ultimate Cowboy Town experience with a stunning backdrop of the Arizona desert. And it has the Red Door Spa by Elizabeth Arden.

The Enchantment Resort
Lauded by a number of resort and spa publications, The Enchantment Resort lives up to more than just its name. On 70 secluded acres, nestled into 1,500 vertical feet of red rock in the Boynton Canyon, the setting is breathtaking. One of the most spectacular spots of scenic landscapes in the world, it’s hard not to see why so many people flock here. The pueblo-style architecture blends with the landscape. The 216 individual casitas can be booked as two-bedroom suites, one-bedroom suites, or single rooms, but it's worth reserving a suite just so you can enjoy the casita living rooms, which feature high-beamed ceilings and beehive fireplaces.

The adjacent, Mii Amo Spa, rated #1 destination spa by Travel & Leisure magazine, offers all-inclusive packages with 16 separate rooms and suites in the spa complex, as well as a myriad of treatments and innovative spa cuisine. In addition to personal stays, the Enchantment also offers three ballrooms as meeting facilities. For the outdoors person, several hiking trails are accessible from The Enchantment.

Four Seasons Scottsdale at Troon North
10600 East Crescent Moon Drive
Scottsdale, Arizona 85262-8342 
Tel: 1-480-515-5700 
www.fourseasons.com/scottsdale/spa

Arizona Biltmore

2400 East Missouri Avenue

Phoenix, AZ 85016

Reservations: 800.950.0086

Hotel Ph: 602-955-6600


Montelucia Resort & Spa

4949 E. Lincoln Drive

Scottsdale, AZ 85253

Ph: 888-627-3010

Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel
340 North 3rd Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85004

The Wigwam Resort
300 East Wigwam Blvd.


Litchfield Park, Arizona 85340


Ph: 623-935-3811


Toll-Free: 1-800-327-0396

Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Enchantment Resort
525 Boynton Canyon Road
Sedona, AZ 86336
Ph: 928-282-2900
www.enchantmentresort.com

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