Home to over 50 luxury resorts and day spas, the Phoenix-area town of Scottsdale emerged as a wellness destination in the 1940s when Hollywood stars first started turning to the Sonoran Desert for their weekend getaways.
After building out her cosmetics empire in earlier decades, Elizabeth Arden opened what is often heralded as the area’s first dedicated spa resort called the Maine Chance in 1934. It would end up closing in 1970 after a fire destroyed one of the treatment centers but, by then, more than a dozen luxury spa resorts had all set up their own spaces in the area.
Due to the extreme temperatures that the Sonoran Desert can reach during the summer months, peak season for Scottsdale spa trips is from November to April. That is when many come to Arizona from colder climates to catch some desert sun and the rates of hotels across different price points are at their highest.
The renovated spa at Camelback Inn Hotel should be your next luxury experience in Arizona
Between May and September, the Phoenix area sees temperature averages of 98°F (36 Celsius) while the last few Julys have seen a rising number of days above 110°F (43 Celsius).
Prior to the hottest period, the shoulder season of May and June is a time when many Arizonans will often book staycations in the area’s resorts and otherwise try to benefit from the lower tourist numbers. And for those who can handle Arizona’s famous “dry heat”, hotel rates at luxury resorts are typically between 40% and 60% lower than the winter highs — while a typically five-star resort will charge around $600 a night in December, rates can drop down to the $200 range by mid-May.
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Known above all for the luxurious adobe casitas nestled between Camelback and Mummy mountains in Paradise Valley, the historic Camelback Inn is the oldest resort in Scottsdale still operating today — its popularity among 1940s-era big names like Clark Gable, Bette Davis and J.W. Marriott Sr. (it was eventually added to the Marriott portfolio in 1967) was one of the main factors that helped propel the region’s rise during the early days.
The Spa at Camelback Inn was added to the property in 1989 and, in February 2026 opened following a $25 million renovation that expanded the older spa into a desert-inspired sanctuary spanning 32,000 square feet and 20 treatment rooms.
Marriott
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The neutral tones, natural light and incorporation of local plants like cactus and aloe all mean to tap into the local atmosphere of desert tranquility as spagoers pass through an indoor-outdoor circuit of treatments and hot and cold swimming pools.
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The array of facials, massages and body treatments were also designed to make use of local ingredients such as adobe clay, prickly pear and the desert rose. Those who book a treatment get access to the pool area as well as the rejuvenation facilities featuring everything from an aromatherapy steam room and Himalayan salt sauna to Sanctuary and Stillness spaces with wellness loungers overlooking Camelback Mountain for the day.
The spa experiences can be booked independently as a day visit or coupled with a stay at the Camelback Inn — nightly rates for the resort in late May and June average at $350 before dropping to the $300 range by July compared to the $600+ range in November and December.
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