Paradise Valley Houses Famous Phoenician Resort

The town of Paradise Valley, Arizona houses several resorts that offer guests classic elegance in peaceful settings with amenities and luxuries galore. One of the most famous is The Phoenician.
Since it first opened its doors in 1988, The Phoenician has raised the bar in terms of luxury, service and ambience. This AAA Five Diamond resort is a visual masterpiece, spanning 250 acres of lush gardens and dramatic desert terrain set against the spectacular backdrop of Camelback Mountain.

The Phoenician offers guests a choice of 647 spacious accommodations from guestrooms and luxury suites to casitas with private entrances. In the main resort building, there are 454 beautifully decorated guest rooms averaging 600 square feet, plus 12 luxury suites and two expansive, 3,000-square-foot presidential suites. All offer private balconies and are appointed with elegant furnishings, hand-selected artworks and crisp white duvets. Oversized bathrooms are dressed in Italian marble and stocked with plush robes and The Phoenician's signature, full-size toiletries.

The intimate Canyon Suites, nestled against Camelback Mountain, is a boutique hotel within the resort offering guests even more exceptional attentive service, such as a personal wake-up call served with a choice of fresh-brewed tea or coffee, a seasonal fruit amenity presented by the Executive Chef, and a Canyon Ambassador to take care of the guest's every desire. The Canyon Suites features 20 guestrooms, 38 luxury suites and two Presidential suites, as well as its own secluded “edgeless” pool and cabanas.

A short stroll from the main building adjacent to the Necklace Lake Lagoon, the casitas include an additional 119 guest rooms and suites offering doorstep parking and private entrances. The first-floor casitas are pet-friendly, and guests are allowed to bring their cat or dog up to 50 pounds into their guestroom during their stay.

A sampling of additional fine amenities includes a sumptuous spa, championship golf, magnificent tennis facilities and fine dining options.
Source: www.ThePhoenician.com

Mummy Mountain is Preserved Paradise Valley Real Estate

Intimately nestled in the midst of the Phoenix metropolitan area, Paradise Valley, Arizona encompasses a scant 16-or-so square miles, but the majesty of her mountains and desert landscape rivals anything seen in Arizona’s numerous posh communities. In fact, although Paradise Valley’s real estate is relatively small in terms of its land and population, its plethora of multi-million-dollar mansions, spectacular estates and stunning topography have made it one of the state’s premiere tourist destinations. Adding to the wonders of Paradise Valley are a dozen or so exclusive resorts and some of the best-known natural formations in all of Arizona, including Camelback Mountain and Mummy Mountain.

Speaking of Mummy Mountain (so-named because way back when, an old miner named Charlie Mieg decided that the mountain closely resembled an Egyptian mummy lying down), a non-profit group known as the Mummy Mountain Preserve Trust was created to help preserve the mountain’s rugged terrain. In fact, the group’s goal, as stated on their website, is “to perpetuate the natural landscape, desert plants, wildlife and scenic beauty of the mountain areas of the Town”.

Similar trusts have been created that have succeeded in saving the treasures of Camelback Mountain and the Phoenix Mountains. The Mummy Mountain Preserve Trust’s intention is to protect as much land on the mountain as possible from further development, to help ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy a lasting gift of sensational scenery right in the heart of Paradise Valley.

The Trust’s website also indicates that they are seeking to add approximately 100 acres located on the upper reaches of Mummy Mountain to the 217 acres already a part of the Preserve area.
Those who participate in the Mummy Mountain Preserve Trust can receive tax benefits and contribute to the preservation of this magnificent mountain landmark.

Camelback Mountain is Most Famous Landmark of Paradise Valley

Nestled in the midst of Paradise Valley, Arizona, Camelback Mountain is one of the most famous landmarks in the entire Phoenix metropolitan area. This majestic mountain sprawls across some of the most expensive real estate in Paradise Valley, providing a dramatic backdrop for luxurious homes, stunning estates and sumptuous resorts.

Here are a few “fast facts” about this beloved hallmark of the Valley of the Sun. (Source: http://phoenix.gov/parks/).

History: During the late 1800s, the federal government reserved Camelback Mountain for an Indian reservation, but by the 1940s, most of the mountain had fallen into private hands and remained so for the next two decades. Efforts on the county, state and federal level to restrict development above the 1,600-feet level largely were unsuccessful, including failed efforts in 1963-64 in the state Legislature to arrange land exchanges.

Barry Goldwater to the rescue: In 1965, the Preservation of Camelback Mountain Foundation, led by local resident and United States Senator Barry Goldwater, was created to spearhead community efforts to save as much of the summit as possible. Ultimately successful, this effort was capped off by a ceremony in 1968 marking a land exchange that then-President Lyndon Johnson and then-Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall attended.

Geology: The “head” of Camelback Mountain, which comprises the area of Echo Canyon Recreation Area, is made up of layered sandstone. The “hump” is primarily composed of granite that, in geologic terms, is much older than the sedimentary rock that makes up the head section of the mountain.

Flora and Fauna: Because of urban encroachment, large mammals are not normally found on the mountain, however a number of smaller animals typical of the Sonoran Desert populate the park including cottontail rabbits, lizards, Harris antelope squirrels and a variety of birds. In addition, rattlesnakes are common on the trail; the best advice is that if you see one, allow it space and time to escape. Cactus species on the mountain include saguaro, barrel, hedgehog, pincushion, jumping cholla, christmas, staghorn, cholla and prickly pear. Tree species include palo verde, mesquite and ironwood.

Highest Point: The summit of Camelback Mountain is at 2,704 feet above sea level. Elevation gain from the two summit trails is approximately 1,200 feet.

Paradise Valley Residents Have The Arts All Around

Those with Paradise Valley real estate are offered convenient access to some of the top places to view and experience art in the Phoenix metropolitan area. For example, not too far away, the Scottsdale Center for the Arts offers world-class comedic, dramatic and musical performances that range from cutting-edge to traditional, plus interactive, thought-provoking educational programs. A highlight of its recent $16 million renovation is the high-tech Virginia G. Piper Theater’s intimate atmosphere, plush seats and state-of-the-art lighting and acoustics. A public art installation by artist Kana Tanaka showcases more than 100 blown-glass pieces illuminated with fiber-optic lighting.

The nearby Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art shows off a variety of contemporary art and architecture. The five-gallery minimalist building itself is a work-of-art that award-winning architect Will Bruder designed as a remodel of a movie theater. A sky-space allows visitors to experience the changing desert lights safely out of the desert heat, and a constant rotation of educational programs and new exhibits keeps visitors coming back.

A wide variety of museums in neighboring Phoenix host an amazing array of cherished exhibits and art-works. The Phoenix Art Museum, about a twenty-minute drive from Paradise Valley, offers a glimpse of some of the world’s most beloved art, and boasts traveling exhibits ranging from Rembrandt to Cezanne to the mummies of ancient Egypt. In addition, the museum’s permanent collection spans the art of Asia, Europe, America, the Southwest and more.

Also in Phoenix you will find the Arizona Opera, Ballet Arizona and the Phoenix Symphony. Known for their first-class performances, these theatrical and musical troupes perform at Symphony Hall, which is just across the street from the Herberger Theater Center. The Herberger is home to several theatrical companies and a dance company and features an upper-level gallery that exhibits an ever-changing display of works from local artists.

Paradise Valley Houses Great Annual Events

Thanks to a wealth of sunshine and an upscale lifestyle, residents of Paradise Valley, Arizona live near a plethora of cities and towns that boast numerous indoor and outdoor events, many of them just a hop, skip and jump from homes in Paradise Valley itself.

For example, neighboring Scottsdale has a number of signature events. In January you can expect P.F. Chang's Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon; the Native Trails Celebration of Native American culture, song, dance and food; the PGA’s Waste Management Open (known forever to locals as The Phoenix Open); and Barrett-Jackson’s dramatic multi-million-dollar auction of classic and collectible automobiles. About a half-hour away in Glendale, the Fiesta Bowl is held shortly after New Year’s, pitting two of college football’s best teams against each other.

Early February marks the beginning of rodeo season with parades and professional rodeo competitions to delight the whole family, while March is one of the most exciting times in the Valley, as Major League Baseball teams from across the country come to stadiums all across the Phoenix metropolitan area for Spring Training.

In April, nearby Scottsdale celebrates the Scottsdale Culinary Festival as well as Arizona Bike Week, which offers daily charity motorcycle rides, bike races and parties. Things tend to slow down in the summer, but September brings the Scottsdale Classic Horse Show and Arizona Restaurant Week where three-course dinner menus are offered at amazingly discounted prices at over one hundred Valley restaurants.

The fall is also host to Scottsdale Fashion Week, which allows fashion designers to show off some of their finest creations. Wearable ArtWalk, an on-the-street Milan-Style fashion show, adds to the fun. Then it’s on to the Goodguys Southwest Nationals’ Show featuring customs, classics, rods and muscle cars. ArtFest of Scottsdale and “Book Street” round out September.
Finally, it wouldn’t be December in the Valley of the Sun without ZooLights at the Phoenix Zoo and Holidays at the Heard Museum, with artist demonstrations, music and dance performances, and special programming that celebrates the Southwest.

Excellent Medical Facilities for Paradise Valley Residents

Paradise Valley homeowners are primarily served by Scottsdale

medical facilities, with Scottsdale Healthcare being the largest nearby provider of quality care. In fact, Scottsdale

Healthcare (SHC) has three separate hospital facilities and all three— Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson Peak Hospital,

Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center and Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center—are accredited as Certified Chest Pain Centers.
Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center has been recognized with the Magnet Hospital designation, which is awarded to the

top five percent of outstanding hospitals nationwide for excellence in nursing. In addition, it is the only hospital in the

Phoenix metropolitan area to earn the 2009 Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals National Benchmarks Award, which recognizes

facilities that deliver high-quality, efficient care. Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center earned Primary Stroke

Center certification from The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
Located adjacent to Paradise Valley in North Phoenix, the Mayo Clinic and Hospital offers outpatient surgery and diagnostic

testing as well as laboratory, imaging and pharmacy services. The Mayo Clinic Specialty outpatient clinic houses a variety of

outpatient specialty services, and the Mayo Clinic Hospital offers emergency and urgent care, a transplant center and a

full-service clinical laboratory with diagnostic imaging, lung testing services and noninvasive heart tests.
The Howard S. Gray School, also located in Scottsdale, provides a safe and nurturing environment to emotionally fragile

children and those with autism and Asperger’s syndrome.

Meanwhile, Banner Behavioral Health has several locations around the Valley including one close to Paradise Valley in

Scottsdale. Banner is well-known for providing exceptional behavioral health care to children, teens and adults with

behavioral health-related challenges.