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| - Some friends and I recently spotted a deal on Expedia and decided to book a Scottsdale getaway at the Phoenician.
The grounds of the Phoenician are meticulously kept, and the staff is extremely warm and friendly. The hotel layout is quite strange though, with many different wings to it and very odd placement of exits to the grounds, none of which are labeled.
While the decor is somewhat dated, overall the interior of the hotel is very well maintained and clean. There are several shops and restaurants on the property, all operating on the premise that you never have to leave (and therefore spend all your money here)!
Make no mistake, this place will wipe you out if you let it. A game of tennis cost us $50, not to mention the $20 pair of socks (I KNEW I forgot to pack something!). A round of golf w/ rentals ran us $150 a person; However, the desert course was beautiful and they do a fabulous job maintaining it, which ain't cheap.
On to restaurants. Most of the spots had pretty good food. All were incredibly overpriced. The one exception was the poolside restaurant - In addition to being overpriced, the food there was disgusting!
With Old Town only 5 min away, I would suggest taking a car into town for dinner and checking out some of the fabulous restaurants there. A towncar/cab ride should be $10-13 each way, so beware of un-metered cabs that will try to rip you off. $15 max!!
All in all, the Phoenician is a very well-run resort with some great amenities and impressive golf courses. However, if you are like me and your enjoyment is hampered by paranoia of being constantly ripped off, then you may not find it so relaxing.
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