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Arizona Biltmore Resort
& Spa
2400 East Missouri Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85016 (602) 955-6600 Date of Visit: OCTOBER, 2006 With high summer temperatures "cooled" to high 80's and low 90's, and the summer crush of tourists gone, October is one of the best times of year to visit the American southwest. So it should come as no surprise that this Runaway Reviewer headed for the spa and pool at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix.
My visit to the Biltmore was a surprise birthday trip for a friend who is an avid Frank Lloyd Wright fan. (It was such a surprise that he didn't know where we were going until we pulled up on Missouri Avenue.) I had booked a standard room (online 5 months prior to our visit) and registration was fast and efficient. Upon hearing it was my friend's birthday, the friendly and vivacious front desk staff upgraded us to a suite. The huge room featured a separate sitting area and dining area with a coffee buffet, complete with full size coffee pot and supplies, well-stocked refrigerator and mini-bar, sumptuous bath with a rainshower shower head and a simply glorious bed. (The bed and pillows had to be some of the most comfortable that I have enjoyed away from home - ever.) The room, decorated in soothing desert tones of beige, amber and rust, was well appointed with mission-style furnishings that lent themselves to the history of the place. However, the true genius of the concrete block construction became immediately apparent when the noise of nearby visitors faded as quickly as shutting a door.
There is one lounge and four eateries on site:
While at the Biltmore, we sampled the fare at two of the restaurants, "The Cafe" and The Biltmore Grill. Not feeling like partaking of heavy fare, we ate at "The Cafe," on the night of our arrival. We both chose salads (the Hibachi Salmon Salad for my companion and the Chicken Caesar Salad for me.) The counter help was less than stellar as the girl waiting on us intimated at the lousy day she had been having then, proceeded to box up our order "to go" without asking us (we wanted to dine in.) Once we were able to get her attention, she corrected the error and we soon found ourselves eating outside and looking past the stunning Biltmore lawn and behind the hotel to the mountains of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve which were just spectacular in the light of the setting sun. The salad was fresh and tasty though a little pricey for what we got but, the view more than compensated. However, the highlight of the meal had to be the huge sugar cookie that we shared. Actually, it was more like a sugar cookie cake since it was about an inch thick and about 5 or 6 inches wide. Yum!! Two days later found us having breakfast at The Biltmore Grill which has a nice, but limited, breakfast menu. The tables were beautifully set with linens, china and glassware as expected. The seating time was a little slow despite the relative lack of clientele but the service was exemplary. We ordered the Morning Fruit Bowl and the Mediterranean Vegetable Frittata, splitting the order between us. Service was delightful as we conversed with Scott, our waiter, a young chef in training. When our breakfast came we were very pleased to see a beautiful, large bowl of succulent, fresh fruit (melons, pineapple and berries all at the peak of ripeness) as well as a lovely, egg white frittata which was already split on separate plates and presented beautifully. Breakfast was healthy, tasty and very reasonably priced. Unfortunately, we did not get a chance to sample the cuisine at The Cabana Club or Wright's Restaurant. Do I smell another trip in the air?
Other hotel amenities: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Say "Biltmore" and the average person thinks green manicured lawns, crystal clear pools and pointed attention to detail. Well, our Runaway Reviewer found that the Arizona Biltmore almost lived up to that expectation. Our stay was restful and relaxing and the patrons and staff, alike, were very warm and hospitable. But, in our minds what sets a hotel up as "great" is something a little more intangible – the atmosphere, the guests, the feeling that pervades your visit that you have stumbled upon something quite extraordinary that invites you to explore every facet of their amenities and service – and in this "specialness" rating we found the Biltmore to fall slightly short of perfect. Our rating: 4 Dashes out of 5.
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