A deconstructed lobby, an absence of elevators and nary a connecting hallway, Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows shirks the trappings that classically define a hotel. Instead, the swish mid-century modern enclave stands just one storey tall atop a 23-acre campus subtly ensconced by the desert city. Laden with awards and recognition, Canadian Traveller checks in to find out what the buzz is all about. Spoiler alert: we loved its grown-up, luxury summer camp vibes.
What's the property like?
Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows
Andaz Scottdale Resort + Bungalows | Lobby
The low profile Andaz sits snug amid the urban Sonoran desertscape, punctuated with a view of Camelback Mountain and peppered with lemon trees buckling under the weight of their bounty. Andaz’s 185 suites and bungalows are contained within 34 generously spaced dwellings which sprawl across the ambling property. The lobby and on-site restaurant, Weft & Warp Art Bar + Kitchen are housed in what’s called The Guest House which abuts a cabana-skirted main pool. Common spaces are dotted with hygge features like fire pits, picnic spaces, hammocks and pendant lighting draped from tree branches. Cornhole, bocce ball, croquet and cruiser bikes invite guests to indulge in play, and the resort map points out “Instagram hotspots” that prompt guests to commit vacay moments to digital memory. On the western hem of the property sits Palo Verde Spa & Apothecary where treatments like Prickly Pear Wraps and Sonoran Scrubs imbue the desert’s restorative properties. It also features a quieter, reclusive pool that all Andaz guests have access to. A fitness centre and meeting spaces round out the property.
What are the rooms like?
Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows
Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows
Guests choose from three lodging categories: bungalows, suites and villas. All boast seating at the front and a private patio (complete with outdoor loungers) at the rear, enclosed by tall walls. Inside, mid-century modern, bespoke furniture marries with art commissioned by the resident artists of Cattle Track Arts Compound, a creator collective located one mile from Andaz.
Bungalows are differentiated from suites by their cozy size (355 and 420-square feet, respectively), while suites include the perk of a dedicated Experience Concierge. The loftier Saarinen Studio King suites span 850 total square feet of combined indoor and outdoor space while the Sonoran Suite tops out at 1,100, featuring one contained king bedroom, two full bathrooms and a queen sleeper sofa – perfect for families travelling with littles. Both the Saarinen Studio King and Sonoran Suites can be upgraded to a cabana suite, securing its location adjacent to the buzzy primary pool, but also, a dedicated private cabana and an outdoor shower.
Albers House
Andaz’s three exclusive-use villas offer airy spaces that invite guests to imagine desert life at home. Harper House (one bedroom) spans 1,400 square feet; Girard (two-bedroom) measures some 3,300-square-feet; and Albers House (two bedroom) counts a total of 3,500. Villa stays enjoy perks like a dedicated Experience Concierge, an optional complimentary cocktail mixology class, cruiser bicycles, and so much more.
Programming & Amenities
Andaz Scottdale Resort + Bungalows
It would be perfectly fine to book Andaz based on its brick-and-mortar merits alone: smartly appointed suites, mid century aesthetics and a sexy, aquamarine-tinted pool. What new-to-the-brand travellers may not appreciate is the community hug that its programming offers. Through the Create & Cultivate series, guests are invited to engage in mindfulness activities, creative pursuits, meditation. Some sessions are paid but most are complimentary; some are on-site, others draw you into the desert.
Cattle Track Arts Compound | Jenn Hubbert
Per Andaz Scottsdale’s own admission, "Art is in our soul." One way this passion expresses is through Andaz’s partnership with Cattle Track Arts Compound, a nearby artist colony. The makers at Cattle Track visualised, curated, created and outfitted the property's artworks and a portion of its furnishings. Book a no-cost Cattle Track tour and get there via Andaz's house car, which delivers guests anywhere within a three-mile radius on a first come, first serve basis. Otherwise, indulge your own creativity and book a “Meet the Artist in You” session for an art class. Andaz guests also enjoy complimentary admission to Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Make a timed reservation in advance and flash your room key to enter.
Andaz Scottdale Resort + Bungalows
For mindfulness and wellness, weekly no-cost programming includes guided sunset stretching, yoga, twilight yoga, guided meditation, HIIT workouts, birdwatching (specifically, birds of prey), desert "forest bathing," and self-guided, audio-instructed meditation beneath a weighted blanket. For a fee, guests can enjoy sound healing with alchemy crystal singing bowls, crystal-infused perfume making, aerial flow yoga with silks, a mixology class, a chef-led pasta or pastry making lesson in Weft & Warp's exhibition kitchen. Other daily offerings include s'mores and hot chocolate.
Dining: Weft & Warp Art Bar + Kitchen
Weft & Warp Art Bar + Kitchen | (L) Andaz | (R) Jenn HubbertAt Weft & Warp Art Bar + Kitchen, the dining philosophy is modern Mediterranean, stewarded by Chef Dushyant Singh. We won’t soon forget the See You Amaro cocktail (bourbon, berry-infused amaro and egg white), fresh agnolotti, Tomato Tomato and the humble-yet-divine Potato Puree. Nary a menu misstep–apart from the duck fat latte, bleh!–you’d be forgiven for pulling a White Lotus travel faux pax and dining in at Weft & Warp each night.
Disclosure: This writer's trip was hosted. All opinions are her own.
Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows fast facts
Address: 6114 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85253
Website: Hyatt.com/Andaz/Andaz-Scottsdale-Resort-and-Bungalows
Telephone: 1 480-368-1234
$$-$$$: Rates start in the low USD 200's in low season (summer) and the mid-$500s during high season (fall/winter). There is a resort fee of $45 per nght, per room.