In the high Sonoran Desert of North Scottsdale is a place so extraordinary that few who visit here go unchanged by the experience. Los Cedros USA is a stunning Moroccan citadel that is home to some of the area's most beautiful Arabian horses. It also is one of Scottsdale's premier venues for group events and galas.

"We love bringing people up here and entertaining them," says Dawn Green, the general manager at Los Cedros. "Everything they see here is authentic for a Moroccan citadel, from the elaborate entry to the lush courtyard where we host our events. Plus, every experience is interactive because our guests can do things they can't do in ballrooms, like walk through the barn and pet the horses and enjoy a horse show while they dine."

And although the gourmet cuisine, elegant table settings and ornate Throne Room – which was handmade in Morocco, shipped to Scottsdale and reassembled – are spectacular, it's the immaculate barn and its residents that often have the biggest impact on guests.

"I've seen people who have never before had the opportunity to touch a horse get moved to tears by the experience," says Green. "People make some serious friendships with our horses in just an evening, which is just one of the reasons I love everything about what I do!"