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You don’t have to go deep in the desert to find a little tranquility these days, at least not in Arizona, where the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort has just unveiled a new $25 million spa renovation that completely reimagines the celeb-loved space, just in time for the property’s 90th anniversary.
A destination steeped in Scottsdale history, the JW Marriott property was one of the first full-service spa resorts in the Southwest, and Camelback Inn quickly became a restful retreat for both locals and guests through the years like Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Bette Davis and John F. Kennedy. It was also known as one of J. Willard Marriott Sr.’s favorite haunts, a tidbit the staff at the property still regale you with to this day.
Tim Chan
The new spa draws inspiration from the resort’s Sonoran Desert surroundings, with limestone walls bathed in sandy beige tones and custom stone mosaics, while sculptural furnishings mirror the crecendos of Camelback Mountain outside. Textures and textiles welcome you to the co-ed relaxation room — dubbed “The Sanctuary” — where guests can lounge in deep chaises or curl up with a cup of tea after their treatment. The space is airy and inviting, with a thatched ceiling and views of the outdoor pool offering a surprisingly buoyant alternative to the dark and insular spaces that have seemingly become de rigueur at other spas. A circuit of ice showers, aromatherapy stream rooms, Himalayan salt saunas and hot tubs, meantime, sits among terra cotta-style walls and custom cacti sculptures that introduce some greenery indoors. The spa says the materials and details selected for the renovation were intended to “blur the line between indoors and out, encouraging relaxation, introspection, and reconnection with nature.”
Tim Chan
Of course, the weather is almost always sunny in Scottsdale, and guests are encouraged to explore the outdoor pool, which sits separately from the resort’s main pool and is accessible to spa visitors only. The Spa at Camelback Inn is one of the only places in the region where you can experience a multi-temperature hydrotherapy circuit set entirely outdoors, allowing you to hop from a main pool to a salt pool and a cold plunge all while basking under the desert sun. Cascading waterfall spouts that line the middle of the pool, meantime, are specially angled to target stress points on your body.
Tim Chan
Perhaps the most innovative part of the Camelback Inn spa update is the space’s new “Stillness Lounge,” which is designed as a post-treatment room that continues your wellness journey using zero gravity loungers, weighted blankets, eye masks and noise-canceling headphones. As a spa attendant explained, we are so often jolted out of a state of bliss when a massage or facial ends, and it can actually re-create stress for the mind and body. The Stillness Lounge offers a warm seat, soothing sleep soundtracks and guided meditations to help you continue your calm for a few more minutes, before slowly returning to the present.
AS SEEN IN THE STILLNESS LOUNGE
L’AGRATY Weighted Blanket for Adults
This microfiber weighted blanket is similar to the one you can find at the spa, with 15 pounds of pressure that mimic a gentle “hug” or feeling of being coddled.
The Spa at Camelback Inn offers four “Pathways to Well-Being” as part of its menu of services, with each path aligned with a focus area of intention. The “Detox” pathway includes a “juniper sage grounding massage” and an adobe clay detox, the latter of which uses a mud wrap to cleanse and purify the body; the “Soothe” pathway includes a facial, along with a lipid body renewal, which features a “warm oil cleanse and rich lipid infusion to cocoon the skin in hydration;” the “Harmonize” pathway seeks to balance the body, with an invigorating massage focused on the head and feet; and the “Restore” menu offers a regular refresh, with hydrating and brightening face and body treatments.
Guests can compliment their treatments with a calendar of intimate, instructor-led classes (think sound baths, breathwork, yoga and meditation), with a guided hike up Mummy Mountain (a more beginner-friendly hike than Camelback) or with a smoothie and power bowl at the spa’s new Ora Cafe.
“With deep respect for our heritage and excitement for the future, we’re honored to debut this fully reimagined spa experience,” says Richard Romane, general manager of JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, in a release. “The Spa at Camelback Inn’s transformation reflects a renewed commitment to providing a meaningful, personalized, and deeply restorative environment where guests can reconnect with themselves and with the healing energy of our desert surroundings.”
The Spa at Camelback Inn is now open. Make a booking and see room rates for the resort here.