City: Phoenix, AZ

Category: Accommodations

Telephone: (602) 840-3610, (800) 672-6011

Address: 5200 E. Camelback Rd.

Insider Pick:

Description: Lodging on the lush grounds hidden against the base of the south side of Camelback Mountain consists of 119 guest rooms, casitas, and villas all built around the original 1920s mansion. The hotel’s characteristic fountains, gardens, and spacious meeting rooms earned the hotel the reputation as perhaps the best place for a small- to medium-size wedding in the Valley. The deluxe casitas in the West Courtyard are posh, yet unpretentious. They include master bedroom suites, luxurious baths, and patios with fireplaces. Other rooms have custom furnishings, separate living room areas, LCD flat-screen TVs, pillow top mattresses, free daily newspapers, and Wi-Fi. There are also the luxurious Villa and Presidential suites, which are pricey, but worth it if you have the means. Each room at Royal Palms has its own personality, and the grounds are truly, uniquely Old Phoenix. Located at the hotel is the incredible T. Cook’s restaurant, one of the top dining experiences in the Valley. The hotel also boasts a lounge with leather chairs and comfortable sitting rooms, a great place for a half-priced bottle of wine during happy hour in the courtyard, or simply to sip a cocktail or nibble on dessert. (See Close-up in the Resorts chapter, in addition to the Restaurants chapter for more on T. Cook’s.)