Well, if you’ve stepped foot outside in the past week you know it’s the summer in the southwest and that only means one thing- it’s time for my 2019 SUMMER STAYCATION SERIES! We managed to put off the extreme until June this year so I’m not complaining about the summer heat anytime soon since before long it will be time for pumpkin spice lattes and Christmas displays at Hobby Lobby.
To kick things off, last weekend my family and I check into The Westin Kierland Resort and Spa, a top spot in Scottsdale for families traveling together (or traveling 5 minutes down the road!) The hotel offers spacious rooms with many overlooking the golf course and the pond. When you walk into the lobby of the Westin Kierland, the view out to the grounds is gorgeous and well maintained. The full glass wall of windows opens up to lower lobby where there are plenty of areas to relax- not to mention the resident lobby snake (in a glass enclosure thankfully) that makes for excellent kid entertainment should there be a line to check in.
Outside in the courtyard, there are great areas to relax and enjoy the beautiful Arizona sunshine and sunset. At dusk the resort offers a special treat to all its guests, a Master Bagpiper playing authentic Scottish pipes as the sun sets over the golf course. From our room, we could listen to the bagpipes being played from the courtyard below. It was a beautiful, relaxing treat!
The highlight of The Kierland Westin for JZ is the lively kid’s adventure pool thanks to the lazy river and water slide (that unfortunately he missed the height requirement for by 1 inch!) but it looked fun! There’s also the Flow Rider surf machine if you’re up for catching a wave in the desert. For the adults that want the quiet relaxation, there’s a tranquil adult only pool near the spa but we didn’t get near that during this visit.
Speaking of the spa, I checked in a bit early to indulge in a CBD massage and let me tell you- this was quite the treat. I have never done anything with CBD before so I didn’t know what I was getting in to. I’m still not a CBD pro by any means, but whatever the voodoo magic it claims to do took the aches and pains away for this tired mama’s back. The peaceful Agave Spa offers the perfect place to relax with friends or take a mid day break all to yourself. Be sure to save time for all the amenities that are included with every service.
The hotel has several restaurants and the famous Scotch Library. This bar was established to celebrate the Scottish immigration to Arizona and offers aficionados and anyone new to Scotch the opportunity to taste over 250 labels in the Library.
We ate at Nellie Cashman’s Monday Club Café for a true taste of Arizona. Highlighting the dinner menu is Arizona Prime – USDA graded prime cuts of beef from select ranches across Arizona: Tenderloin, NY Strip, Ribeye, Flat Iron and even a NY Strip Hamburger. With unique side dishes and house made dipping sauces, it’s hard to decide what to order! I suggest a tenderloin with Brussels sprouts and the beet salad. And start the evening with a handcrafted cocktail, specifically the huckleberry one! Bring a designated driver or better yet, book a room and spend the night in one of the Westin’s signature Heavenly beds 😊
TAKE AWAY TIPS:
Get some Dippin Dots at the pool.
Take advantage of the amazing kids program to keep the kids busy all day!
Visit the lobby for an evening sweet treat
Nellie Cashmans has the BEST kids buffet (pizza, chicken, fruit, pudding, cookies, etc!)
Need a ride over to the Kierland shops? Just ask the valet guys- they will shuttle you over!
To book your staycation and see the great summer rates click HERE