JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa

Character and identity

Set on 125 acres between Mummy and Camelback mountains, this Pueblo Revival resort has been welcoming desert travellers since 1936, and the original adobe bricks still line the lodge's living room and Rita's Cantina. The layout sprawls across 453 casitas and suites, all with private patios or balconies and refreshed in 2019, yet pathways winding through streams and flowerbeds keep it feeling intimate. Seven restaurants run the gamut from poolside burgers at Sprouts to fine dining at Lincoln Steakhouse & Bar, anchored by a 32,000-square-foot spa drawing on indigenous desert botanicals and 36 holes of championship golf next door.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What you're really booking is the sense of place: a 1936 desert inn that still feels like one, with mountain views, gardens and a deep amenity bench rather than cutting-edge style. Worth it for families and golf-and-spa couples who want space and variety over polish. Book a suite with a private pool if budget allows, and aim for the shoulder months when the desert is at its kindest.