My East Coast crew is always asking me where to stay when visiting sunny Arizona. Now I finally have a place to direct people who like to play, stay and enjoy Cambelback Mountain views at all times in Scottsdale, Arizona! Enter Hotel Adeline, which revamped and opened in January 2017, ironically the same time I moved across the country. Formerly a Days Inn, then Clarion Inn, and lastly Scottsdale Inn, the 4.5 acre property underwent a $12 million renovation. With a gated car valet (or open guest parking in the front), you don’t have to worry about your car which is nice. Just park and play!
It also boasts three restaurants and a speakeasy: Good & Proper for breakfast and lunch, Freestyle for casual eats by the pool and Selfmade, the fine dining concept. And you know it’s all good if the owner of Diego Pops and The Montauk in Old Town Scottsdale, Ryan Jocque, was the foodie consultant. But let’s not forget about the speakeasy! Surely the best crafted cocktails we’ve had in a long time and I mean all of us on this press trip. Called Straight Up, you have to have the code to call in on the British style phone booth that has a secret door into the space. More on that awesome sauce later…
Right before this trip was already scheduled, Choose Chicago reached out for a weekend getaway that overlapped this press trip. We tried to make it work but the timing wasn’t working out so I chose to honor my word with the sunny staycation. That day, I attempted to wrap up work early to get some rays in before it all began but alas I arrived right on time and was warmly greeted by the hotel staff and the visiting PR team from Texas. I checked in, was given a delicious prickly pear cocktail and sent along my merry way until it was time for drinks and dinner by the pool for social hour.
Welcome to the golden hour at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.You know I was in love with these sunset views at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona. That’s Camelback Mountain peeking out the back.I made a fun pun from this picture on Instagram. The pool is heated in the winter and cooled in the summer one of only two in the area to have cooling features at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.From the other end of the pool at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona. Those cozy little bird nest pods were nice to sit and chat a while.When the sun drops more, the colors warm up as the night cools down at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.The fireplace soon became a popular photography spot at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Some healthy snacks before dinner at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Our table all set up at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.The menu for the al fresco dinner night at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Chef Justin Landeis explains what he made at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Served buffet style, it was hard to keep it all warm on a chilly November night at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.My plate was overflowing but my stomach was starving at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona. The short ribs were perfect and the salmon went down easy especially with the cauliflower mash. We were all losing our minds over it!Olive oil cake was moist and delicious at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.After dinner we were led down the hallway past the reception desk at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Look for the old school telephone booth at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Pick up the receiver and ring on the tele with that month’s password at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.And then welcome inside to a world full of whiskey and other delectable spirits at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona. Also meet the master mixer Miguel Mora who creates magical drinks, potions and more!We started out with some of the best local whiskey at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona. Whiskey Del Bac‘s mesquite smoked, Thumb Butte (haha get it) Rodeo Rye and Copper City Bourbon take the lead in these parts.The lounge area inside Straight Up inside Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Miguel hooking it up in his domain at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.There’s also a wide array of cigars which you can’t smoke inside but there is a patio outside the speakeasy at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.What a beautiful golden sight at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.So many delicious cocktails at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona. This is the Yamamoto Sour with Kikori Japanese Whiskey, Japanese Yuzu juice, lemon juice and agave nectar which gives it that egg white hue without the actual egg whites.Infuse bitters made everything better and that clove I want to may buy for perfume at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Miguel’s magical potions made this Doctor Says almost purple at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona. He switched it up with some Botanivore Gin, Elderflower liquor, Creme de Violette, lemon juice, agave nectar and Cardamom bitters (shown).Our drinking buddy for the night Write on Rubee loved this pretty cocktail at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona. Meet the Payson Dew with Rittenhouse Rye, Fernet Branca, Amaro Angostura, hibiscus syrup, Aquafaba foam and lemon juice somehow makes it sweet and tangy.Switching up the normal old fashioned to this root beer style Sarsaparilla was delish at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona. Four Roses Bourbon with Arizona Mole bitters and root beer extract demerara syrup went down easy.For his next magic trick, Miguel burns a cigar inside the bar and is the only one allowed to do so!While we were busy being enamored by the smoke, Write on Rubee was getting this killer shot with her Samsung Galaxy 9, yes you read that right! We’re in love with that smoky taste it produces and this photograph!
Ending the night with a Howell Code sounded like a great idea at the time! Templeton Rye with Pernod Absinthe, Peychauds Bitters, Arizona Mole Bitters, Laphroaig rinse kicked my butt and put me to bed! Wickedly strong, there’s real wormwood in that absinthe.Thank goodness for bacon for breakfast at Good & Proper! Fresh squeezed orange juice, wickedly good coffee and lots of water brought me back to life from our night of cocktail tasting.
Up next was morning yoga by the pool with local Arizona Yogi Karl Anderson (who teaches at my current studio Moksha Yoga ironically) and I think I encouraged some newbies to join! After some hydration and more coffee, I was ready to go get my downward dog on in the sunshine.
The space where we rolled out our mats and got a good workout in to start the day of adventure in Scottsdale, Arizona! Photos were taken but turned out horribly so we were told… maybe we were all in happy baby pose with butts in the air?And to the right of our yoga space, let’s not forget Travis the outside bartender keeping pool patrons happy and well fed at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Early morning at the heated pool looking pretty perky at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Soon we were on a property tour and this is a master suite at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona with separate bedroom area in the back padded by the bathroom.The king suite at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona looked much like our smaller rooms minus the huge bed.Things aren’t always what they seem at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona as this stands for where’s the fun?We love the inclusive feel of our kind of people, the wanderers and explorers are welcome at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Fresh basil lines the walkway at the entrance to Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona and you can smell it everywhere, it’s lovely.Walking into the reception desk area at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona. Home is indeed where the heart is!Into the more formal dining area at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona featuring the indoor outdoor space.The indoor lounge near the bar at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.The outdoor space at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.And the outdoor space near the pool at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona where we enjoyed a casual lunch.More bacon with a maple bacon BLT for lunch at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Greek chicken sandwich was good for a sunny day at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Since we kept eyeballing other people’s plates, make sure you order the platter of fries at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Petit fours were nice and gooey from the sunshine and melting in your mouth at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona. After we were all fed, fat and happy, we were off on a golf cart tour of Scottsdale!We met the owner of Joy Rides AZ at The Saguaro Hotel as part of an Instagram tour they offer. This lovely lady and owner Monica Nicodemus was our tour guide for this part of the press trip (we figured go with the best)!Off we go on a golf cart tour with AZ Joy Rides in Scottsdale, Arizona.First stop this cool kiva inspired art exhibit at the Scottsdale Contemporary Arts Museum.Then to a line of hidden saguaro cactuses in Scottsdale, Arizona.An exquisite and amazing sculpture in Scottsdale, Arizona.Homage to a Native American smoking a peace pipe in Scottsdale, Arizona.Check out this cookie lover’s convertible in Scottsdale, Arizona.By the beautiful fountain that sits in the middle of Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona.A typical sunny street scene at Farm & Craft in Scottsdale, Arizona.Once our tour was over, we were delivered to Hula’s Modern Tiki in Scottsdale, Arizona for some snacks and some drinks.Calamari strips were delicious with that sweet drizzle at Hulu’s in Scottsdale, Arizona.Meat on a stick? Yes please at Hulu’s in Scottsdale, Arizona.These chicken wings were the perfect spicy to sweet ratio at Hulu’s in Scottsdale, Arizona.Dumplings to die for at Hulu’s in Scottsdale, Arizona.Shrimp spring rolls were high on my happy tastebud list at Hulu’s in Scottsdale, Arizona.Chicken sticks with sweet pineapple sauce are what’s up at Hulu’s in Scottsdale, Arizona.A welcome cocktail should always be as strong as this Mai Tai at Hulu’s in Scottsdale, Arizona.Our press trip for this tour of Scottsdale, Arizona. You may see some familiar Arizona faces but to me they were all new!We wanted some pretty cocktails and I loved the dark & stormy on the right (left is wicked strong Hurricane) at Hulu’s in Scottsdale, Arizona.The scorpion bowl was so very potent at Scottsdale, Arizona.Ladies at work at Hulu’s in Scottsdale, Arizona.
We had other options that day which included the above instagram tour, hosted by Experience Scottsdale or to relax poolside, enjoying some R&R under one of Adeline’s cabanas with snacks and drinks which some people enjoyed. The third option was Shop ’til You Drop at Scottsdale Fashion Square didn’t fare so well but Hotel Adeline would have provided discount cards for use in the mall.
Back to the hotel and everyone else went for a nap or rest and I was still excited to explore so outdoor bartender Travis hooked me up with a taste of this Skrewball Whiskey which tastes like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. So good!
I ended up chatting with an interior design woman and her realtor husband for the next hour or so from Los Angeles, CA. They were getting ideas of picking up and moving to Arizona and from all the things I told them, the one that I think sold them (hey, guys!) is that when I went home to visit the fam in October, everyone said I was so relaxed. Doesn’t everyone want that after grinding for so many years?
Dinner that night was at SelfMade the fine dining concept at Hotel Adeline which I was looking forward to. I love casual eating but the fancy pants part of me loves getting gussied up for a night of fabulous food, drinks, conversation and exploring.
To start, a prickly pear margarita at SelfMade at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona with Don Julio rum.Some guacamole to start any meal makes me happy at To start, a prickly pear margarita at SelfMade at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Some elevated prosciutto toast with goat cheese and heavenly jam was very tempting at SelfMade at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.I’ve never met a taco I didn’t like and these hangar steak tacos were appetizer size tasty morsels for me at at SelfMade at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Beet salad is one of my faves because I would never normally go all out with so many varieties of beets. I liked that ample lettuce and surprising apple slices were included at at SelfMade at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Stealing a photo of my neighbor’s short rib looked huge at at SelfMade at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona. If we didn’t have it the first night, I would have delved in!Instead I went off my usual dining choices and chose the sea scallops and cauliflower with red curry which was super spicy at at SelfMade at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona. With my pairings ofGentleman Jack Old Fashions at this point, I had dulled my tastebuds enough to not explode like they would normally do… I’m a spice lightweight!Bread pudding is either a hit or a miss and I had to have a bite of this spot on banana bread style at SelfMade at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Rice pudding with almond milk is amazing with dried blueberries at SelfMade at Hotel Adeline in Scottsdale, Arizona.Most of our crew ran off to enjoy more drinks at Straight Up but a couple of us meandered to the Canal Convergence in Scottsdale, AZ.A little send off of sorts as we just made the ending of the Canal Convergence in Scottsdale, AZ.
Of course as soon as we got back, we made our way to Straight Up speakeasy again where we found all of our crew and their friends and family! Miguel was so stoked to reunite our press trip fam and began giving us samples of the new cocktail menu straight away. We had such an amazing time, we came up with a Las Vegas style slogan: what happens in Straight Up, stays in the speakeasy! Not gonna lie, the next morning was rough and the “boots & cats” beats start booming at the pool around 10 a.m. if you’re poolside. I recharged with a late lunch, green tea and then enjoyed a lazy pool day which I desperately needed. The next day I was invigorated and lively! There’s something magical about Camelback Mountain and Hotel Adeline has captured that vibe perfectly.
