Checking In: Mountain Shadows In Paradise Valley Arizona

Mountain Shadows was originally built in the 1950’s and just re-opened this year (2017). Offering spectacular views of Camelback Mountain, an upscale vibe, lazy days by the pool, golf, or even a night in at the bar or dining at Hearth ’61 – the hotel is sure to meet all of your expectations and then some.

 
The Hotel:
From the moment you arrive, you can tell by the outside architecture in its sleek design that it is modern and has a minimalist desert feel. Which is actually pretty perfect for the area.
I love the wide open spaces, cactus spread throughout, the abundance of open areas to hang out and sit down to enjoy a drink or snack, and all the light that comes in through the windows.

 
The Hotel:
I genuinely loved the property at Mountain shadows. If you were to look at an aerial shot of the grounds, the hotel sort of makes a square W with a pool in between the one side of rooms and greens and golf in the other.
There are plenty of areas outside to lounge around the pool in chairs and they have cabana rentals. Just beyond on the pool area is outdoor seating that is plentiful if you have larger groups traveling with you or guests.
I also loved the indoor spaces of the hotel. One of my favorite areas is this crisp white while with minimal touches. There is a desert painting in the background with a vintage cactus and the couch is oh so cozy!
The Rooms:
The hotel has many options to choose from and without seeing any other rooms, I want to say that I LOVED my room and loved the concept design. During my stay I stayed in an Immerse Guestroom. When you walk in you have a vanity to the left and your open concept bathroom to the right. The shower is sort of in the middle of the room in a big glass box but it is done tastefully and is very modern. Beyond the shower is a large room with tasteful touches that are local. Then for the big finish, you have a balcony overlooking the grounds and Camelback Mountain AND on the other side you have a tub that is in the room but shares a window with the balcony overlooking the mountain. Relaxation at its finest.
Some of the amenities in the room included:

• Unlimited WiFi
• 55″ Flat Screen TV
• In room coffee and bottled water
• Curated minibar snacks
• Cocktail cart with recipes
• Vintage postcards
• Built-in work space
• Laptop sized safe
• Plush robe and slippers
• Earn points through iPrefer
• ..and so much more

Dining:
During my stay I dined for dinner at Hearth ’61 for an evening and I had breakfast on my patio one morning. Spoiler: I LOVE the food.
For breakfast I ordered fresh fruit, coffee, and ricotta pancakes that had bacon and pistachios! It was very delicious and I ate it on my balcony overlooking Camelback Mountain (I was so hungry I did not get a shot).
Dinner was another delicious meal! I make it a point to try different food when I travel and to ask for recommendations from the server or chef. In this case, my server recommended the blog orange old fashioned and short rib agnolotti. I will just be upfront and say that I thought both were amazing! I had never tried agnonlotti before and this was new to me. My server explained that they make the egg noodle and then put the ingredients inside. The noodle is a little less than done and a bit stiff but the flavors were sensational.
I also tried the roasted brussels sprouts and thyme-roasted fingerling potatoes! It was definitely delicious and both sides roasted to perfection – I suggest sharing the sides as they were in shareable portions.
Since I was dining alone and ate way too much, I did not get to try dessert – but I imagine its just as amazing as the rest of the food was.
Other Hotel Features:

• Fitness center and classes
• Golf
• Juice Bar
• Close to hiking for Camelback Mountain

Overall I loved my stay and wish I could have stayed longer. My love for the Phoenix area is immense. The grounds are just stunning, the customer service was incredible and my stay could not have been more perfect!
Additional Information:

• Address: 5445 E. LINCOLN DRIVE PARADISE VALLEY, AZ 85253
• Phone: 855.485.1417
• Email: info@mountainshadowsresorts.com
• Hearth ’61 Menu –> here

 

Disclaimer: I was hosted by the Phoenix Tourism Board, but as always, opinions are entirely my own.