The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North

Set in a luxurious world of its own, the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North overlooks Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun from far away in the Saguaro cacti-dotted foothills of Pinnacle Peak. The drive from the airport took me about an hour, but it was worth every minute.

Sitting on the Lobby Terrace sipping the refreshing Arnold Palmer (lemonade and iced tea) I received at check-in, I felt uplifted in body and spirit as I contemplated the rugged desert hills rising on either side of me and the lights of Greater Phoenix twinkling to the horizon below.

The 40-acre resort is beautifully designed to blend with the lush Sonora desert in both its pueblo-style architecture, with floor-to-ceiling windows everywhere and terraced lawns and gardens, and in its use of indigenous desert products and Native American traditions in the Spa.

“All the local ingredients at the Spa at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale have been researched and tested to ensure that they match the use for which they were intended by Native Americans generations ago,” Spa Director LaRae Burr, told me.

After hearing this, I decided to indulge in the “Four Seasons In One” 80-minute extravaganza. More than a signature, this treatment was invented here and is unique to the Spa at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale. “It will take you on a journey through the four seasons of life,” Burr enthused.

My journey began with tea, served while I was still curled up in an over-stuffed chair amid the soothing natural colors and contemporary Native American furnishings of the Relaxation Room. “This is to relax you from the inside,” Abby, my masseuse, explained, handing me a cup and small pot filled with peppermint tea. “After you’ve had time to enjoy it, I’ll return,” she promised.

In the treatment room, Abby began by gently exfoliating my skin with a cool, invigorating peppermint scrub. It smelled good enough to eat. “Winter” arrived when she placed an ice cold towel under my back – which took a bit of getting used to -- and wrapped icy towels on the soles of my feet. A steamy hot towel went under my neck. “Spring” came simultaneously, as Abby covered the top of my body with a linen cloth soaked in willow bark extract followed by a heavy insular blanket and three wool blankets. “Native Americans use willow herbs to relieve aches and pains,” she explained. Resting alone in the softly lit room, I could feel hot and cold, but I wasn’t sure where the sensations were coming from. I felt as if I were floating in a warm cocoon.

When I emerged, a medley of Thai stretching techniques on my arms, legs and neck welcomed in “summer.” Gently pulling my arms up over my head, Abby stretched the muscles, and used long, pulling movements the length of my legs and neck. I was in heaven. Next, she massaged by body with a fragrant cocoanut and vanilla lotion in preparation for the “fall” finale: a deeply relaxing hair and scalp massage using clove-scented oil. My skin has never felt so soft, creamy and conditioned. Truly blissed out, I retired to the sauna to enhance the purifying properties of this fabulous treatment.

Afterward, I drank plenty of the lemon-laced water (teas and coffee are also available) and enjoyed a fresh apple. Had I wanted more, I could have ordered a Spa Cuisine Light Lunch delivered to a table on the spa patio.

Perhaps next time I’ll try the yummy-sounding “Sonora Honey Body Polish,” “the Ayurvedic Rebalancing Ritual” or the “Verbena Lemon Peel Pedicure.”

If I’d been with a significant other, the Spa at the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale’s signature “Massage 101” would have been a must. It combines a couple’s massage with lessons in professional massage techniques to use at home. And what better place to enjoy it, than in one of the luxurious private spa suites, complete with a private sauna, steam/shower and specialty jet bath

Suggested Improvement

The E-Zone Personal Entertainment System consoles mounted on the cardiovascular treadmills in the Exercise Room are great for guests who want to watch cable and network TV and custom-produced eTV channels while they exercise. But for people like me, who prefer to admire the wide-open Valley of the Sun panorama in front of us, the consoles block the view! Perhaps the consoles could be adapted to swing out of the way. I know of few other resort fitness rooms with such fantastic views.

The Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale has recently added a ballroom, the new Troon (events) Lawn, with majestic views of Pinnacle Peak, and a new Lobby Courtyard. The generously sized accommodations are arranged in one-, two- and three-story casitas and many of the suites feature plunge pools and outdoor garden showers. Residential villas up to 1,670 square feet are also available. Guests have priority use of the two Troon North golf courses and guest privileges at the Troon North Clubhouse. Delicious cuisine and spectacular views are pared at the Crescent Moon bistro and the fine dining Acacia Restaurant. Two tennis courts, a split-level pool and fitness activities from spinning classes to sport-specific training programs for golfers, tennis players and joggers insure that a visit to the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale Troon North is a vacation high point.

Barbara Beckley

Destinations : Arizona : Scottsdale : The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North