With sunny weather year-round, almost anytime is a good time to visit Phoenix, especially when you can spend time in and around the water. If you’re looking for an especially a stress-melting retreat and a fun way to keep cool in Phoenix, you’ll find a wealth of spectacular hotels with pools that make it fun to hang out all day. These are arguably the coolest you’ll find, whether you’re seeking a serene oasis or lots of action with features like water slides and lazy rivers.
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, Scottsdale
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is a gorgeous 450-acre resort with Moorish styling, waterfalls, and fountains. It is especially popular among golfers, home to two courses, but it also offers five huge pools, including a dramatic rooftop pool for the ultimate way to keep cool under the desert sun. The property also hosts one of the country’s best spas and a popular steakhouse, Bourbon Steak. Rooms feature balconies or patios overlooking the magnificent desert landscape, wet bars, and deep-soaking tubs.
Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch, Scottsdale
Located in glamorous Gainey Ranch, Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch is a true oasis in the desert complete with soaring palms, meticulously manicured gardens, and meandering paths along with water in practically every direction. You’ll find a lagoon, waterfalls, a three-story water slide, and a beach. Guests can even take gondola rides along the waterways, tee off at one of three golf courses at nearby Gainey Ranch Golf Club or indulge in a massage at the Spa Avania. There are multiple dining options on-site and nightly entertainment too, while spacious rooms feature private balconies or patios, iPod docking stations, and flat-screen TVs.
Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, Scottsdale
One of Arizona’s top resorts, Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North is located 1,000 feet above downtown Scottsdale, nestled in the foothills of Pinnacle Peak. Designed to harmoniously blend with the surrounding landscape, it boasts a stunningly beautiful pool, while accommodations include one and two-story casitas with high-end amenities, including adobe-style gas fireplaces, huge comfy beds, private balconies, and spectacular sunset views. Spring for a suite and you’ll also get a private plunge pool, outdoor garden shower, and a telescope for gazing up at star-filled night skies. There are multiple on-site restaurants, including Proof, famous for its classic southern cuisines such as chicken and waffles.
Phoenix Marriott Resort Tempe at The Buttes, Tempe
Just minutes from Phoenix International Airport, the Phoenix Marriott Resort Tempe at the Buttes may be an ideal spot for a quick cool pool getaway, with one of the best lazy rivers in Arizona. The sparkling waterway has a tunnel that winds between two enticing swimming pools, complete with a water slide. Enjoy relaxing in the water while taking in panoramic views of desert sunsets and the hillside butte, as well as taking advantage of hiking trails, tennis courts and two sand volleyball courts.
Royal Palms Resort and Spa, Phoenix
Royal Palms Resort and Spa is a former private residence, a historic estate that offers an idyllic romantic getaway, spa escape, or simply the perfect spot to relax and unwind, enjoying the palm-lined pool with its poolside cabanas. One of the best spa resorts in Arizona, it is nestled in a lush garden setting near Camelback Mountain and features spacious suites, casitas, and villas designed to provide a home-like feel. It also hosts a fine dining restaurant and world-class spa, full-service beauty salon, and fitness center, while rooms come with private balconies or patios.
The Phoenician, Scottsdale
Some consider The Phoenician, which sits across 250 acres, the “Xanadu of the resort world.” Camelback Mountain looms above its spectacular grounds that are filled with palm trees, greenery, koi ponds and waterfalls. It hosts 643 rooms, made up of casitas and suites, all set around a massive show-stopping three-tiered pool complex. There are a total of seven pools and a host of pool attendants who will regularly deliver pitchers of ice water and towels to keep you refreshed and comfortable. The luxury spa has a fabulous rooftop pool and offers a menu of decadent treatments like body scrubs and wraps, aromatherapy treatments, a blow-dry bar, a fitness center and a tranquility lounge. Kids will appreciate the splash pad and water slide as well as the game and kids’ club, ideal for parents who need some alone time too.
Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa, Paradise Valley
Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa is one of the top luxury resorts in Arizona, if not the United States. It is a relaxation haven with a stunning infinity-edge pool, Zen meditation garden, and Sanctuary Spa that has an especially enchanting Asian-inspired design. Its serene environment is ideal for enjoying a wide range of luxurious treatments guaranteed to make that stress melt away. The rooms and casitas are terraced on the north slope of Camelback Mountain for extraordinary views overlooking the desert and Praying Monk Rock. Elements offers elegant dining on fresh, locally sourced American fare paired with more beautiful views from the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass, Chandler
Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass is a luxurious resort just south of Phoenix, designed as an authentic representation of the local Native American culture in the Gila River Indian Community. Enjoying a picturesque desert backdrop it features a stunning pool adjacent to a river, complete with cascading streams, a water slide and a wading pool. There’s also a lavish spa offering indigenous spa experiences, an equestrian center and a golf club along with multiple dining options.
JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, Scottsdale
JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa hosts numerous pools, including a huge free-form pool with incredible views of Camelback and Mummy Mountains. Each one of the seven suites has its own private pool too, while the spa has plunge pools and a steam room. There’s also two championship golf courses, a half-dozen restaurants, including BLT Steak. The casita-style rooms come with French doors that open onto private balconies or patios along with flat-screen TVs and iPod docking stations.
