“To move, to breathe, to fly, to float,
To gain all while you live,
To roam the roads of land remote,
To travel is to live.” – Hans Christian Andersen
There’s something special about travel that I’ve learned over the years – the traveler doesn’t need to travel far. Sometimes the most spectacular places are right down the street or the highway. In this case, it’s the stunning Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa (The Sanctuary from here on out), located in Paradise Valley, Arizona. The Sanctuary is independently owned and is a member of the prestigious Preferred Hotels & Resorts Collection, which allows you to accumulate and redeem awards through the iPrefer program.
Location
Just a short drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, the Sanctuary is much more secluded than you would expect. Tucked into the north side of Camelback Mountain, the property spans 53 acres of lush desert landscape, featuring 105 casitas and suites, and seven private residences. Here is an overview image, highlighting the scenic views, courtesy of the Sanctuary:
Accommodations
We enjoyed a luxurious Suite overlooking the center of the property, complete with a wood-burning fireplace and expansive outdoor terrace. The Suite featured classic and comfortable furniture and appointments, including an exceedingly comfy couch and side chair. The bath featured a sumptuous bathtub-shower combination. I also love that the outdoor terrace was accessible from both the main living space, and the bedroom. Here are some images:
The Property
Much of the Sanctuary’s charm and splendor arises from its variety of topography, color palette, and visual features. There is much to take in as you walk the property, and here are some of my images:
The centerpiece of the Sanctuary property is its Infinity Pool. The day I visited was unfortunately overcast, and my images are less than flattering. Here are images of the Infinity Pool, courtesy of the Sanctuary:
Dining
Perhaps my favorite aspect of the Sanctuary is the combination of the property’s signature restaurant Elements, and its adjoining extravagant, yet approachable cocktail lounge Jade Bar.
We first enjoyed a couple of cocktails in Jade Bar, and the views through its floor-to-ceiling windows are quite something. There is much to sample on the Jade Bar’s Cocktail Menu and Food Menu, including the fresh and tangy Moscow Mule and the locally-sourced draft beer I enjoyed. Here are some images of our time in the Jade Bar:
We then proceeded to Elements, which is expertly helmed and envisioned by Chef Beau MacMillan. Chef MacMillan has developed a menu focusing on fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, and the results are an exalted selection of elegant dishes. Elements also in my estimation features the most stunning views any Arizona restaurant has to offer. There is simply no place to which to compare it. Here are some images of Elements, courtesy of the Sanctuary:
Click Here to view the Dinner Menu at Elements. (Elements is also a cut above in offering a separate Gluten Free Dinner Menu.) We were most fortunate to enjoy a spectacular meal at Elements, and a special thank you to our phenomenal server Andrew, and to Marilyn for stopping by to ensure that we were being well taken care of. You will be most spoiled when you visit Elements, and it’s pretty great. Here are some images of our meal:
Spa
The Sanctuary is best known for its world-class luxury Spa. To see the impressive variety and number of Spa Treatments, Click Here.
I unfortunately didn’t enjoy a spa treatment, but I did tour the spa and the fitness area, which are serene, impressive and stately. Here are some images of my visit:
Here are some images of the Spa, courtesy of the Sanctuary:
The Little Things
Every luxury property has those special extras or characteristics that make the property a joy to visit, and create memorable experiences. The Sanctuary has a lot of these, including 24-hour pool access, one black robe and white white robe in the rooms, real burning candles in the rooms and property, shades drawn at turn-down servicing, a wonderful texting service for room updates and messages, a satellite pool closer to certain suites, and a true first – his and hers flip-flops in the room:
Closing Thoughts
I’m incredibly fortunate to travel the world and visit some of the loveliest properties, and every once and a while, I discover one of those special properties just a few miles from home.
The Sanctuary is truly that – a serene, rejuvenative, and most tranquil place to find some peace and respite from the hectic lives we all live. I urge you to visit the Sanctuary, unplug from your daily life, and embrace the soothing desert landscape and elegant features that the Sanctuary offers. In that quiet, you’ll realize the power and freedom in being still – in finding Sanctuary.
Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa – Location and Social
There is a lot more to learn about the Sanctuary, so please visit the links below:
Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa (Website): 5700 E McDonald Drive, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 (Google Maps)
Click below to connect further with the Sanctuary:
More Pictures!
Thanks so very much to Jamie and Patricia for making this visit possible, and to everyone at the Sanctuary for making us feel so welcome! Thanks also to the property for its use of high resolution images!
Please take note that the Sanctuary welcomed me as a special media guest, but that my opinions are, as always, entirely my own.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this article, and Happy Traveling!
#agp
