For travelers drawn to charm, character and a touch of desert glamour, Scottsdale is home to some of the Southwest’s most storied and historic hotels, some dating back to the 1930s. From mid-century modern icons to Mediterranean-inspired estates, these historic hotels in Scottsdale offer more than luxury, each resort and hotel opens a window into the city’s storied past.
These historic properties preserve their own place in Arizona history, from architectural details and carefully curated design elements to the celebrated guests who have checked in over the years. At each resort and hotel, history, enduring style and the desert landscape intersect to create moments that can only be found in Scottsdale.
Hotel Valley Ho
Hotel Valley Ho has been a Scottsdale style icon since 1956, when it opened as the desert’s most fashionable hideaway for Hollywood stars like Zsa Zsa Gabor and Robert Wagner. Designed by Edward L. Varney, a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright, its playful mid-century aesthetic set a new design standard in the Southwest. Today, the fully restored property feels as fresh as ever: vibrant, design-forward and effortlessly cool, with retro-modern rooms, cool pools and the ever-buzzy ZuZu Restaurant, where you can dine on sizzling pan-seared diver scallops and sumptuous steak frites.
The Phoenician
When The Phoenician opened in 1988, it reshaped Scottsdale’s resort scene with a blend of grandeur and desert opulence. The property was built by developer Charles Keating on the site of the historic Jokake Inn, a rustic adobe retreat popular with winter visitors and Hollywood’s well-heeled set. The inn was known for its intimate charm, horseback rides through the desert, and sweeping mountain views of the nearby desert terrain. More recently, a multi-year renovation elevated every corner of the resort, from redesigned guest rooms and the striking three-story Phoenician Spa to the refreshed 18-hole Phoenician Golf Course and sparkling tiered pools. Today, The Phoenician feels both timeless and renewed, with elevated dining options at Mowry & Cotton and J&G Steakhouse, posh lounges and cactus-lined pathways that celebrate both its history and the Scottsdale lifestyle.
Mountain Shadows
Opened in 1959, Mountain Shadows quickly became a glamorous desert retreat, attracting Hollywood icons such as Lucille Ball and Bob Hope. After closing in 2004, the resort was demolished and reborn in 2017 following a $100 million renovation that preserved its mid-century modern roots while introducing contemporary design. Today, the 217-room resort offers panoramic Camelback Mountain views, refined dining at Hearth ’61 and poolside relaxation and rejuvenation via Citizens Club. Notably, in 2024, Mountain Shadows earned the MICHELIN Guide One Key for excellence, celebrating its combination of history, design, and elevated guest experiences.
Royal Palms Resort and Spa
Another historic hotel recognized by the MICHELIN Guide with a One Key distinction is the Royal Palms Resort & Spa, a prestigious desert sanctuary at the base of Camelback Mountain. The property originated in 1929 as a winter estate for New York financier Delos Cooke, who hired Italian artisans and imported Mediterranean tiles to create an authentic Spanish Colonial retreat in the Sonoran Desert. It debuted in 1948 as the Royal Palms Inn and quickly earned a reputation for elegance and seclusion. Today, 119 rooms, suites and guest villas, verdant citrus-flecked courtyards, T. Cook’s restaurant, and Alvadora Spa preserve Cooke’s legacy while offering modern luxury to travelers, with architecture features like tiled roofs, arched doorways, and bubbling fountains that bring Cooke’s original Mediterranean vision to life.
The Hermosa Inn, a boutique hideaway
One of the oldest historic hotels on our list, The Hermosa Inn began in the 1930s as the adobe home and studio of renowned cowboy artist Alonzo “Lon” Megargee. His Paradise Valley property became a retreat for artists like Ted DeGrazia and notable figures including Clark Gable and Muhammad Ali. Today, the Hermosa Inn preserves its place in Arizona history with original Megargee artwork and 43 beautifully appointed guest casitas set among lush, desert-landscaped courtyards. Guests can enjoy rustic, cozy fireplaces, award-winning Southwestern-inspired dining at LON’s, and a secluded setting at the base of Camelback Mountain.
JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa
Opened in 1936 by Phoenix businessman Jack Stewart and industrialist John C. Lincoln, the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa began as a 77-room adobe retreat at the foot of Camelback Mountain. Stewart and Lincoln envisioned a resort blending Southwestern charm with modern comforts, quickly attracting celebrities and distinguished guests such as Bette Davis, Jimmy Stewart and Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower. Today, the resort spans 125-acres with 453 casitas and suites, six dining venues, including Lincoln Steakhouse and Rita’s Kitchen, two heated pools with private cabanas and water features, the newly renovated Spa at Camelback Inn (re-opening Jan. 2026), and the Camelback Golf Club, all set within the serene Scottsdale desert landscape.
