Biltmore Hotel Arizona : Phoenix Family Vacation

We have been traveling to Phoenix for years for a fun desert getaway.  A quick drive from our home in Orange County and home to many of our extended family, we usually find ourselves there several times a year. Over spring break this year John was fortunate to have a conference at the Arizona Biltmore (a Waldorf Astoria Resort) so we all tagged along to sit in the sun, play at the pool and visit some of favorite family, friends and food spots.  (Phoenix has some of the best restaurants!)  I’m excited to fill you in about our stay at the Biltmore Hotel Arizona, and hopefully if you are looking for a Phoenix family vacation or the best staycations in Arizona, this will help to give you an idea if it’s a good fit for your family.  Affiliate links are included in this post.

Biltmore Hotel Arizona Location

The Biltmore area in Phoenix is a gorgeous spot conveniently located just north of Camelback road, between 24th and 32nd street.  This area is one of the most beautiful residential areas in the city with well manicured golf courses, a pretty outdoor Biltmore shopping center, and the famous Biltmore Hotel. The hotel itself is tucked in amongst gorgeous estates and a golf course.  There are cute shops and incredible restaurants all along the Camelback corridor, making it an perfect spot to park yourself for a relaxing Phoenix family vacation. 

Arizona Biltmore Rooms

Upon arrival at the Arizona Biltmore we were checked in to a spacious and beautifully designed room in the Paradise wing located right next to the Paradise pool complex.  We had a ground floor room which I was a little worried about because I usually like to be on a top floor so I am not listening to people up above us, but we didn’t hear a peep from up above all weekend. 

It was also super convenient to have a ground floor room in this building because all of the rooms bordered the pool.  The ground floor rooms had nice patios with a table and chairs and gates that opened up right into the pool area.  A great spot if you are staying with kids that want to swim all the time! We were there at a relatively quiet time of year, so my one caution would be that if you are looking for peach and quiet on your vacation, I can imagine that the pool area gets very noisy during the day at peak season, so rooms bordering the pool might not be the quietest. Ok, on to the room itself! 🙂

These Paradise wing double queen rooms…(yes, I said double queen!) have plenty of room for a family or four.  They are quite large.  There’s a nice big desk, a console and TV, as well as another chair next to one of the bedsThe bathrooms have a separate toilet area so that someone can be using the sink while someone else is using the toilet.  That is so helpful when you are on vacation with a family!

Arizona Biltmore Pool

There are eight pools on the Biltmore hotel property. A little bit about each one from the Biltmore website:

• Paradise Pool: Three pools combine to create a spectacular desert oasis featuring a 92. ft.-water slide, swim-up bar and luxury pool-side cabanas.
• Catalina Pool: A relaxing and tranquil retreat built by the Wrigley family in the 1930s. Peaceful and beautiful; this pool features colorful tiles from California’s Catalina Island.
• Ocatilla Pool: A spacious pool adjacent to Ocatilla at Arizona Biltmore.
• Terrace Court Pool: A quiet and secluded pool on the Terrace Court.
• The Saguaro Pool: A quaint and intimate pool located among the Villas with Catalina Pool-style tiles.
• The Bougainvillea: A family pool located among the Villas with vistas of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve and surfaced with the distinct Catalina Pool-style tiles.

The Paradise pool, which we stayed adjacent to, is the largest and has the coveted waterslide. This is definitely the gathering spot for families with the waterslide, swim up bar and poolside cabanas.  Poolside service makes it easy to sit here and enjoy yourself all day long.  

Arizona Biltmore Spa

While I did not get to take advantage of the spa on this trip, the Biltmore Hotel Arizona does have a gorgeous 22,000 sf spa with every ammenity.  Of course I had to take a peek at the services they offer including:

• Full-service salon
• Men’s and ladies’ private locker rooms
• Dry sauna, wet steam room, whirlpool and power shower
• State-of-the-art Fitness center
• Fitness classes including yoga, aqua aerobics, power step and sculpting
• Bicycle rentals
• Tennis courts

If you can sneak away from the kids for a few minutes, you can treat yourself to your favorite service. 😉

Arizona Biltmore Restaurants

The Biltmore may be surrounded by tons of great restaurants in the Phoenix area, but truly, if you never wanted to leave the resort, you would have plenty of amazing restaurants right on the property to choose from.  We made good use of the pool side service, food and beverage service on the patio, and often sent the kids for snack and a light breakfast over at the cute little cafe/market on site. 

Frank and Alberts is a great all-day dining restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The menu varies with everything from pizza to steaks, so there is something for everyone.  

Wright’s at the Biltmore is a beautifully designed Fine Dining restaurant usually only open for dinner, except for Sunday’s when they offer a delicious brunch buffet. 

Arizona Biltmore History

The Biltmore Hotel has such an interesting history.  It was designed by an architect that had studied under Frank Lloyd Wright…and Wright himself was hired on as a consultant for a period of time during the construction.  It is an art deco masterpiece and truly lives up to it’s name “the jewel of the desert.”  When you arrive at the Biltmore, be sure to pick up an Arizona Biltmore map so that you can wander around the 39 acre property and see all the gorgeous architecture and original Frank Lloyd Wright pieces that dot the property.  The hotel offers walking history tours at different times during the week, so check with the concierge for a schedule.  If you’re lucky, your visit to this beautiful property will coincide with a tour offering.  You will see why presidents and Hollywood royalty have often visited the Arizona Biltmore hotel through the decades, and learn interesting facts about it’s construction.  Don’t forget to ask about the secret password to the speakeasy. 😉

The Biltmore Hotel Arizona and Kids

If you are looking for hotels that are kid friendly in Arizona, there are so many.  These grand resorts were made for families to come and stay and play, and the Biltmore is no exception.  From the waterslide and 8 pools, to play equipment, giant lawn games, movies in the pool, kids’ cooking classes, live music, arts & crafts, kids’ tennis camp, guided family hiking and biking…there is something for every age range.   

I hope that this inside look at our stay at the gorgeous Arizona Biltmore A Waldorf Astoria Resort, help you to decide if this might be the perfect spot for your next Phoenix family vacation.  Let me know if you have any questions!  You can find the best rates and availability and book your stay here.

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Happy travels!
Tammy