JUST THE FACTS
ARRIVING Air Canada flies nonstop, at least twice daily, to Sky Harbor International Airport, in Phoenix, from Toronto. United also goes non-stop but most U.S. airlines include stops. One-way flight, about four hours.
GETTING ABOUT You’ll need a rental car to see sights outside the city (e.g. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesen West, Desert Botanical Garden, Musical Instrument Museum). But free shuttles and easy walking in Scottsdale mean a car-less stay. Parking is limited in arts districts, downtown and Old Town. An 11.3% tax includes a stadium surcharge of about $10.
SLEEPING Courtyard Scottsdale Old Town is close to the action and has a pool. Winter rates start at $179. www.marriott.com. The Hermosa Inn is a romantic hideaway, with a fascinating history. It began as an adobe studio for cowboy novelist Alonzo “Lon” Megargee and grew into a swank, desert refuge. Pool, outdoor restaurant, chef’s organic garden. Original rooms start at $285 and luxurious private casitas at $450-$610. www.hermosainn.com. Scottsdale is likened to posh Beverly Hills because of its high-end shopping and higher-end mansions and ranches. The 27-acre Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch is set among those ranches and resorts. It has more pools (10), waterfalls, slides than any other area hotel, a lagoon for waterfowl, a seven-acre private lake and 27 holes of golf. Current starting rate: $402. www.scottsdale.hyatt.com.
WEB SURFING www.scottsdalecvb
.com.