Two Great Hotels in Scottsdale AZ: Bespoke Inn and Valley Ho

Why Hotels in Scottsdale AZ

Scottsdale AZ is one of the most popular destinations in Arizona, with people coming to visit even in the hottest part of our extremely hot summer. There are amazing museums, great food, endless hiking, and unique places to stay. If you are thinking of visiting, but don’t know where to stay- I got you. Here are two of my favorite Scottsdale hotels that you should check out whether you are looking for a local staycation or you’re planning a vacay!

Bespoke Inn: A Beautiful Boutique

Story of Bespoke Inn

Bespoke Inn is a passion project that began construction in 2012. In my opinion, it is one of the best hotels in Scottsdale AZ. The dream was to create a boutique hotel with personal touches found nowhere else in the city. After years of planning, and a year of construction, that dream came true in 2013 when the Inn opened its door for the first time. Now you can explore the many loving touches in this beautiful city oasis for yourself.

Rooms 

Every single room at the Bespoke Inn is a unique experience, personally decorated and themed. This is what makes it my favorite from among Scottsdale hotels.

The Ralph and Maggie has two queen beds, with signature blue décor above each, and the bright sunlight of a private, ground floor porch. Relax on the plush leather sofa or lounge in the claw-footed bathtub.

The George and Anna is the hotel’s most accessible room, with a single kind bed and a curbless shower. This room has a classy, black and white motif, and also includes a beautiful, private terrace.

The Leo and Isabelle has a single king bed and terrace, and is characterized by warm woods and a classic style of furnishings.

There are two suites, the Giuseppe and Lotte, and the Roberto and Suzzana. Both have a small kitchen area (no stove), a living space with a couch, a comfortable bed, swiveling TV, and a luxurious bathroom with a shower and claw-footed tub. Both have a lovely modern aesthetic and a terrace.

The Garden is a smaller room with a single kind bed, but a beautiful rustic style accented by wood ceilings and wood sliding doors leading to the bathroom. This room also has direct access to the “secret garden” area of the hotel.

The Gio and Maria is a second floor room with two queen beds, and more standard hotel amenities. The Terrace is a similar room with a single king bed.

Finally, Bespoke Inn also has loft and penthouse rooms. If you are made of money, I would highly suggest either- they are some of the most unique among the hotels in Scottsdale AZ.

Restaurant

Bespoke Inn is connected to Virtu, a gourmet restaurant that features constantly changing menus that focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients. If you’d like to know what you might be able to order when you visit, it will be best to give them a call on the day of your visit to find out what’s on offer that day. If you are looking for a classy anniversary or celebratory dinner, Virtu is a great option. Not only is the food great, but it is tucked away from the often insanely busy Old Town Scottsdale main street. There are many Scottsdale hotels, but only one Virtu.

Amenities

When it comes to picking where to stay in Scottsdale AZ, amenities are pretty important. Besides your standard fare, like Wifi, comfy beds, and big bathtubs, Bespoke Inn has made special touches that make staying there more enjoyable. For one, they have a crystal-clear infinity pool on the second floor. Relax in the cool waters while taking the city in (and have fun experiencing one of the most instagrammable pool types out there!). The Inn also has an interior courtyard that is quite the oasis for visiting with friends and family or just relaxing with a good book if you prefer to do some people watching.

What I loved about it

Bespoke Inn has a style that really appeals to me. I am not a huge fan of all the Scottsdale hotels that have the same old decorations, and lack of heart. This little hotel is so far from suffering from that problem. The interior design is bright, modern, and has all the little surprises that us Millennials love to find inspiration in. The building itself is also a perfect fit for Arizona’s Southwestern culture, with its elegant adobe appearance. The central courtyard also feels like a world away, with bright patterned tiles, soft lights hanging from the walls and trees, and various narrow walkways that feel like little passages into a secret world. It’s a quiet place in an otherwise, sometimes obnoxious part of town. And it’s oh-so romantic!

Valley Ho: A Hip and Historic Hotel

Story of Valley Ho

The Valley Ho, a mid-century icon of a hotel nestled on the edge of Old Town Scottsdale, was originally opened at the end of 1956. Hollywood celebrities used this little getaway as an escape from the paparazzi. Back then, Scottsdale was a little bit more of a “wild west” to LA photographers, apparently. Thus, the likes of Bing Crosby, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh and Zsa Zsa Gabor are said to have taken respite here. From 1973-2002, Valley Ho went through a “corporate” hotel phase, losing much of its character.

Luckily for us, however, Westroc Hospitality bought the property at that point and they have done an amazing job bringing the mid-century flavor back to the Valley Ho as well as delicious food spots like ZuZu. Now, it’s a great place for a mid-price stay that’s unique and close to the action of Scottsdale. It’s the perfect option among Scottsdale hotels for history, modernity, and fun.

Rooms

The hotel rooms at Valley Ho are pretty standard in terms of amenities- bed, bath and shower, TV, wifi, a small porch, and some sitting areas. What makes the rooms special, however, are their 50s flare. The furniture is all gracefully themed, but the interior designers did a great job keeping these designs modern with concrete ceilings and an avoidance of dated colors.

My absolute favorite part of the room, however, is the bathtub (make sure you get one when you book), because there is some AMAZING mood lighting surrounding the tub. Between my blurry pictures and this description, I hope I can get you excited to experience it for yourself. The tub is beautifully deep, and the outer wall of the bathroom is a thick, frosted glass.

The white bathroom counter reveals a secret when you turn down the lights, namely, that if you flick the right switch a light under the counter will turn on. And this shines through the counter, lighting it up like a cloudy crystalline surface from a fantasy (or 50s Hollywood scene). Then, soft, purple lights shine down from above. Get the shimming water into the bathtub and break open some of Valley Ho’s unique soups and bath bubbles. I’m telling you, this will be one of the most atmospheric dips you will ever take. It’s amazing. You won’t find a better bathtub in any other hotels in Scottsdale AZ.

Restaurant

ZuZu is Valley Ho’s restaurant and it has certainly made a name for itself with its highly instagrammable milkshakes. I will be honest here and say (1) I have only ever had dessert here, and (2) that dessert was not the milkshake. BUT I can tell you, no matter what you get, it will be good. The desserts are a work of art and they are so so good. Not only that, but ZuZu will give you some nice, romantic flare without breaking the bank. It’s a great little spot to try out. You definitely shouldn’t miss it if you are staying at Valley Ho.

Amenities

If you are thinking about where to stay in Scottsdale AZ, amenities are an important consideration. Valley Ho has two pool areas, and while they can get a little rowdy with young adults at times, quieter times of day will make these nice little spots to hang out with the family. On a cold day, if you enjoy people watching, you might also want to post up in the lobby, because it is very cool. It’s not too hard to imagine that you are a character in a Bond movie when you are down there. Finally, if you want to splurge on some pampering there is the VH Spa.

What I loved

Hands down, my favorite thing about Valley Ho was the bathtub. I know that sounds insane, but I love taking bathes and I LOVE mood lighting. These guys hit it out of the park, and it was such a unique experience. Second, I really enjoyed dessert at ZuZu. It is super nice to have something that tasty so close at handle, especially if you tucker yourself out with a day on the town. Finally, I enjoyed the unique quality of this historic hotel. The current owners have really done it justice and created a special place among Scottsdale hotels.

What I could have done without

I don’t know if it’s just because Arizona was California’s party place in 2020 with the lockdowns, or if that’s the norm, but I found Valley Ho to be a little more rowdy than I would have liked. In fact, shortly after we reopened (which was way too soon), there were people already partying at Valley Ho’s pool. I also think the people next to us were partying in their room. While I am glad that they did that in a hotel rather than in an Airbnb- ruining a poor neighborhood, it didn’t make for the best sleep. You could ask for a quiet room if this is something that would bother you too. And it didn’t ruin the experience for me! It’s still one of the most unique hotels in Scottsdale AZ.

Please help Arizona communities and DON’T stay in Short Term Rentals like Airbnb

If you are planning on coming to visit Arizona and wondering about where to stay in Scottsdale AZ, please consider one of our beautiful hotels. We have some really amazing places to enjoy that are genuine and unique.

If you care about responsible travel, in Arizona, Airbnb is not a responsible option.

Let me tell you why.

Airbnb and STR (short term rental) owners lobbied our local government to prevent the regulations that are needed to protect our communities from the hosts that encourage bad behavior or do nothing to prevent it. Party houses, where people have been murdered, COVID-19 is known to have spread, and which constantly kill the peace the people look for in residential areas, are a huge negative impact. But other crime is unfortunately associated with Airbnb as well, including human trafficking.

Due to Airbnb’s meddling in local politics, Arizona is the LEAST protected state in the United States. Furthermore, Airbnb has done nothing to protect neighbors on its own. This means that it has become a negative actor in Arizona (and many other places).

There are some good hosts here, it’s true, but there’s no way to guarantee that you will find them unless you stay in a room in someone’s house or a guesthouse on their property.

As someone who traveled religiously with Airbnb and really enjoyed it for 5 years, I hope that the company makes some positive change to protect local people soon. The good hosts deserve it, and so do the communities that we travel to enjoy.

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