S&T Travel Guide: Scottsdale, Arizona
We love Scottsdale so much. If you’ve been following us for awhile you probably remember Jo flying out there once a month or so for work trips back in 2019! With all the frequent visits, she’s gotten to try a ton of different restaurants, explore the city and stay at a mix of different places so here is the low down.
Every place we mention in this guide we’ve personally been to, stayed at or done ourselves so we included as much detail as possible around what to order, the vibe and just overall recommendations to get the most out of your desert trip!
Where to Stay:
The Andaz - this place is to die for. The rooms are spread out and feel like their own private villas. This is where I would typically stay when I would travel to AZ for work. On the pricier side (it was way more affordable when I would go mid-week) but definitely my favorite in Scottsdale.
The Scott - vibey hotel with a cute bar called the Canal Club. This was an older hotel that’s been renovated so it has a mix of old character with hip, modern flare.
The W - definitely the party hotel in Scottsdale. Recommend if you’re going with a group of friends as it’s really close to all the bars and clubs. Don’t recommend if you are wanting a relaxing getaway (it can be very loud). Very young crowd!
Royal Palms - beautiful, relaxing resort! The service here is 10/10. Feel like this would be good for a couples getaway.
Omni - I haven’t stayed in the rooms here but have been to the property and ate at the restaurant. Definitely want to book this for my next stay! The hotel grounds are beautiful and close to Camelback.
Airbnb that Jacqs stayed at for a Bachelorette linked here
**The Phoenician - this is supposed to be one of the top rated hotels in Scottsdale. We recently stayed here and felt like the rooms and service did not feel like a five star hotel? We could’ve had a weird experience but we were really surprised for how expensive it is. The common areas are nice but the room we stayed in was underwhelming. Sharing this because a lot of you asked about it!
AM Food:
The Henry - unreal breakfast food, they have an entire bacon sampler plate.
Berdena’s - farm to table food, cute and quaint spot. I always get the avocado toast and an almond milk latte! Connor loves the breakfast sandwich here too.
Farm and Craft - great for bigger groups. All American, classic breakfast.. This place would be fun for a bachelorette. party like after a night out?
Cartel Roasting Co - Cute coffee spot and to go items.
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PM Food:
SumoMaya - literally my favorite restaurant in Scottsdale. I wish we had one of these in OC. Mexican Asian fusion like no other; everything on the menu is amazing. I love the spicy rock shrimp and margaritas, I could have just that as my entire meal.
Maple and Ash - great place if you are looking for a swanky, high-end steak restaurant. Expensive but the food and drinks are great! Last time I went was for happy hour with a client and it was a good vibe.
Olive and Ivy - This is a crowd pleaser restaurant. I feel like anyone could find something they like on the menu. It’s modern Mediterranean cuisine. In a convenient location.
Culinary Dropout - so fun with a big group! They have live music in the evenings. I can’t remember what I ordered but everyone I went with loved their food.
Fat Ox - high end Italian food. Fine dining but worth the money IMO. I went here for a work dinner with colleagues and it was a great spot.
The Herb Box - casual healthy spot in old town. Cute and easy! Good place to grab a quick bite with a girlfriend.
Going Out:
I feel like I don’t need to explain all of these individually? They are all bars and night clubs that are obviously fun lol. Lots of great places to go out with a group, for a bachelorette, etc.!
El Hefe - night club
Bottled Blonde - night club
Riot House - night club
Boondocks - bar/pub
There are definitely more but I didn’t go out to clubs that often since I was supposed to be working :)
Workout:
The Madison - spin studio that I love so much! Very clean and vibey, instructors are great.
Hike - Camelback mountain. Make sure you are prepared (we weren’t at all) - lots of water, snacks, proper apparel. I’d recommend doing research beforehand especially depending on the time of year you’re going.
BODI - HIIT/Strength training in old town.
BURN Pilates - my favorite lagree/reformer pilates in AZ (similar to Trim in OC).
Things to Do:
Topgolf - really fun with a big group!
Walk around Paradise Valley and Arcadia - we love looking at homes so it’s fun to go on long walks and check out the neighborhoods.
Consignment shops - lots of designer consignment shops in town which are fun to walk through.
Golfing - so many courses to choose from. If you’re there during off season, a tee time is way cheaper.
