How to get a hotel-pool day pass in the Valley this summer
With Phoenix under an extreme heat advisory and in the middle of a pandemic, it’s hard to find a place where you can escape to cool down.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises businesses that run pools not to allow “nonessential visitors” into their pools. Due to that advice, you’ll find it difficult to get a hotel pool day pass this summer.
Difficult, but not impossible, and you don’t necessarily have to book an overnight stay. The new buzzword for summer 2020 is daycation: For a fee, you get access to a hotel’s amenities for the day without spending the night.
Several Phoenix and Scottsdale hotels are offering pool admission if you buy a day pass, spa pass or rent a cabana. Some are even letting you rent a room for a few hours if you need to take that Zoom call away from the kids.
Here are some Phoenix-area hotels where you can book a daycation.
Rent a hotel room for a few hours
The website Dayuse lets you book a hotel room for a few hours during the day. Most reservations allow you to take advantage of all the amenities overnight guests enjoy. Just check the fine print to make sure the hotel you are booking isn’t an exception. We spotted availability at Kimpton Palomar Phoenix, Scottsdale Plaza Resort and Wyndham Garden Phoenix.
Details: https://www.dayuse.com.
Daycation at Mountain Shadows
Mountain Shadows Resort Scottsdale has always rented its pool cabanas to locals. Prices are $195-$395 depending on the day.
This year the hotel is offering a daycation option that gives you pool access and a room for the day. Whether you need to move your “office” away from home to get some work done or you just need a change of scene, you can rent a room from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays.
Rates start at $189 and include a $25 dining credit, unlimited high-speed WiFi and waived resort and parking fees. For $50 more, you can extend your stay overnight.
Details: 855-485-1417, https://www.mountainshadows.com.
Hotel Valley Ho
The Hotel Valley Ho pool still has poolside cocktails and a DJ every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, but the vibe is much chiller than years past, complete with reduced capacity and socially distanced lounge chairs.
If you don’t have a hotel reservation, you’ll need to rent a daybed or cabana to get in. Prices start at $89 for a daybed and $169 for a cabana and include free pitchers of cocktails or food credits.
Valley Ho also has a daycation rate with the same particulars as Mountain Shadows: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, high-speed WiFi, pool use, free parking and a $25 dining credit. Rates start at $189 and you can stay overnight for $50 more.
Details: 480-376-2600, https://www.hotelvalleyho.com.