town Phoenix and lies surrounded by open desert instead of heat-radiating concrete. My wife appears surprised when the valet opens her door and she steps into bearable temperatures. “Would you like some water?” the young man
asks. Built in 1999, the Four Seasons offers 210
guest casitas and suites in adobe-style build- ings scattered through 40 acres of natural des- ert. Unlike other Scottsdale resorts, this prop- erty does not border a golf course, although guests do have playing privileges at a nearby club where summer green fees come seriously discounted. I reserved a premier king casita with private patio. We soon learn that’s not what we’re getting.
“ We’re going to be absolutely miserable,” my wife says. “Precisely what everyone thinks,” I counter.
“We don’t have many guests now,” the desk
clerk explains with a smile. “Since it’s your anniversary, we’ve upgraded your room.” We now have a suite with a comfortable liv-
ing room and spacious bedroom. Each boasts its own fl at-screen TV and gas-log fi replace, which Dianne assures me I’d better not fi re up. An open patio with table and chairs lies outside one set of glass doors. Out the other lies an enclosed enclave with our own secluded plunge pool. “No swimsuits needed here,” I whisper to my
wife. Stargazing session
After unpacking, I unveil the fi rst of my anni- versary surprises. “We’re going on a Celestial Picnic,” I tell my lovely. A staff member leads us to a grassy courtyard
where a knee-high table sits surrounded by color- ful serapes. In sunset and candlelight, we sip wine and devour delicacies from a picnic-basket brim- ming with gourmet fare. The sky fades from orange-red to indigo-blue.
Crickets chirp an evening serenade. Desert trees and cacti form silhouettes against the darken- ing heavens where a sliver of moon hangs, its somber side outlined in earthshine. Not only is the setting and sustenance deliciously roman-
40 EnCompass May/June 2012
www.AAA.com
tic, but not once do I hear my wife complain about heat. Our picnic accoutrements include a constella-
tion chart, but tonight we have a better option. Naturalist Richard Allen has set up a telescope for a resort-sponsored stargazing session. Richard tells us he’s been doing programs
here since the Four Seasons opened. Back then, he says, many of Scottsdale’s resort hotels closed during the summer months, fi guring there was no business to be had. Today, deep discounts attract not only out-of-state visitors like us, but also bargain-loving locals seeking sumptuous backyard getaways. “It’s become increasingly popular to come
here in the summer,” he says. Richard aims his scope toward the moon and
a group of us take turns gazing at its craters and mountains. He then aims the instrument toward Saturn, and we marvel at its rings. One AAA Five Diamond resort nicety is eve-
ning turndown service. Back in our room, we fi nd pillows fl uffed, robes draped and slippers at the ready. One traditional item, however, is missing. There’s no card telling us what the next day’s weather will be. Apparently they don’t want us to know tomorrow’s predicted high is 108. We hit the hay early. I’ve booked us on a
morning balloon ride, which requires a pre- dawn departure.
Hot Air Expeditions pilot Patrick Stevens will take you up, up and away.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60