Scottsdale Camelback Resort

I own a few studios there and go during the winter months. I LOVE it !!The staff is the best. The location puts you near old time Scottsdale, The Fashion Sq Mall, the new Scottsdale waterfront complex, the ZOO & the botanical garden, just to mention a few. The on-site cafe is great for affordable breakfasts right thru dinners if you don't want to leave the resort. The Happy-Hour is also a fine-fine thing. The heated outdoor pool (82^F I Believe) is a welcome site in the middle of winter & there's water arobics to loosen your tired joints. They offer hikes up Camelback Mountain, ti-chi (not sure how to spell) in the meditation area, minature golf course, horse shoes, they have a few out door propane grills if you care to go that way, bingo at the pool, Indian jewlery sale, sometime music poolside. The studio has up & down sleeping & is clean, comfortable & quiet. They are constantly updating the facilities. It is an old resort but is wearing her age well. New TV's, king beds where they can fit them, newer furnishings & a housekeeping staff that is second to none !! There is a ton of hotels/motels/resorts etc in the area, but you will not stay at a more reasonable priced resort & be as pleased for the experience!!

Mly wife and I and three friends visited mid November of 2008. We all loved the place. The bedrooms were a little smaller than we are used to at other resorts and the master bed was a queen instead of a king, but other than that, we could not ask for anything more. It was well equiped and the personnel were pleasant and helpful. The grounds are lovely. It is not the most luxurious resort that I have visited, but it has a charm that others do not have. I plan on returning with friends soon. If I buy another resort week or two this will be at the top of the list.

Just stayed in the studio which is really a one bed. Queen bed with privacy on the first floor, and on the loft, another queen bed. The staff all have heart about their jobs and really want to please their guests. The resort is in a great location right on the Scottsdale/Phoenix line. About a little over a mile walk to downtown and really near everything, although I recommend a car. Many family activities and amenities with a great boutique style. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

We have stayed at the Scottsdale Camelback Resort each year for the last 4 years. Our kids love all of the activities on site with particular attraction for the kids putt putt 9 hole golf course and the weekly tournament that is put on by the resort staff for kids! My older son enjoys the basketball court that is available adjacent to the pool, along with the tennis courts that are also poolside.

The pool side bar and restaurant are very convenient and the prices at the restaurant are very reasonable for lunch or dinner. They have now added a poolside laptop computer at no charge that is in the restaurant area. So this is a very easy way to keep up on work e- mails or other Internet search needs.

The staff is very friendly and helpful! The grounds of the resort are one of the big selling points with lots of beautiful green grass, a grass putting green (which is in addition to the kids putting green), and numerous desert flowering plants that have been placed along the resort's hiking trail.

In summary, this resort is paradise and my kids love to go back year after year!

Stayed at the Camelback the week after Thanksgiving. Stayed in unit A11, a large 2 bedroom 2 full bathroom unit. The unit was clean but had an odd smell, perhaps a freshner using an odd spice. The kitchen is a nice size but sparsly furnished. Never did find any measuring cups. This is an older resort and it is showing its age. The couch and loveseat in the living room both sagged. The outside of the front wood doors and outside of the patio doors both need to be refinished. There were older TV's in the living room and both bedrooms all hooked up to cable. There is no internet access in the rooms. There is wireless up in the lobby and restaurant. Is is a bit of a walk and there is no privacy when checking your e-mail.

The bed in the master bedroom is only a full size. There are 2 twin beds in the 2nd bedroom. The large patio can be accessed from both the living room and the master bedroom. It is very private with a 6 foot masonary wall surrounding it. One of the best things was waking up in the morning, looking out the double doors to the patio, and being able to gaze up at Camelback Mountain. It looked golden first thing in the morning.

The dining area is large and the dining set easily seats 6. It was very comfortable.

The master bathroom was great. Double sinks, a large shower, a large jacuzzi tub, and the commode was in its own area with a door seperating it from the rest of the bathroom.

The grounds were very nice. They do a great job making sure everything looks great. There is a putting greeen, miniture golf, croquet setup and horseshoe pits. The workout room was well furnished - one of the best I have seen at a resort. The pool was good sized, plenty of chairs, a large hot tub, and a nice kids pool. There is a bar poolside. There are also plenty of tennis courts right next to the pool area.

The food at the restaurant was not fancy but plentiful and very good. This restaurant is nothing fancy. You go to a window to order your food and then sit down at one of the 10 or 12 tables to eat. We ordered "To Go" and it was fast, fresh, plentiful, and reasonably priced.

The folks that work there were one of the best things about the resort. Very friendly. I don't think I passed a maintenance worker than didn't smile and say "Hi". The folks at the checkin were friendly and helpful.

The location is more convenient than some of the Scottsdale resorts. We have stayed at the Sheraton Desert Oasis and, even though I liked it better, it seems like it is out in the middle of nowhere. The Sunterra Village Mirage is right around the corner from the Oasis.

The Camelback is close to a lot of restaurants (go east on Camelback until you get to Scottsdale Rd and turn right going South and you will find pretty much any kind of restaurant you want). Avoid the Pink Pony in Old Scottsdale. The food was ok, but even though they no longer permit smoking in restaurants, this place smells like a dirty ashtray. It really ruined the meal.

There is a Walmart about 10 minutes northeast and a Super Walmart about 15 minutes southwest. The airport is really convenient - just go west on Camelback to 44th St (about 2 miles) and make a left. About 4-5 miles down the road you will turn right into the airport.

Here are some things we did in Arizona that we enjoyed. Drive the Apache Trail. Make sure you stop at the Tortiila Flats' Restaurant. If you like HOT chile, try theirs if you dare. Down by the airport is the Hohokim Indian museum and archeological excavation - very interesting if you are a history buff. Climb Camelback Mountain and get a great view of Paradise Valley. If that is too strenuous, the South Mountains are easier to hike in and, if you hike to the summit, you will get a great view of Phoenix.

Though I mentioned a few negatives, I would stay here again. There are more upscale places to stay such as the Phoecian up the road or the Biltmore, but if you can rent a timeshare here for $650 for the week as we did, it is a decent place to stay for the money.