PRESS

Ritz-Carlton at Dove Mountain shares top SW resort ranking

The Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain in Marana tied for the top spot among the best resorts in the Southwest in the 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards issued recently by Condé Nast Traveler magazine.

Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort and Spa and The Lodge at Ventana Canyon also made the top-25 list.

The Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain tied for the top spot with the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa, Paradise Valley, with a score of 92.5. The Ritz got its highest marks for its rooms, design and activities, including “dive-in” movies in a pool.

At 13th in the rankings, Loews Ventana Canyon was rated most highly for its location, design and activities.

The 540-room JW Marriott Starr Pass tied for 14th with high marks for rooms, service and design.

The Lodge at Ventana Canyon ranked 24th with top ratings for its location, service and rooms.

In all, 18 Arizona resorts made the regional top-25 list, including seven in the top 10. In the non-resort hotel category, three Arizona inns made the top-25 list for the Southwest region (Arizona, New Mexico and Texas): L’Auberge de Sedona (9th); The Saguaro, Scottsdale (14th); and Adobe Grand Villas, Sedona (17th).

More rankings
For the complete list, go to tinyurl.com/asrltbf

For other rankings, including hotels, cities, cruises and airlines by region, go to
www.cntraveler.com/readers-choice-awards

Top 25 resorts in the Southwest

A partial list of rankings of resorts in the Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Texas) from the 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards by Condé Nast Traveler magazine (score for each property).

1. Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain, Marana (92.5)
1(T)*. Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa, Paradise Valley (92.5) 3. Amangiri, Canyon Point, Utah (91.4)
4. Royal Palms Resort and Spa, Phoenix (90.9)
5. Four Seasons Resort at Troon North, Scottsdale (90.4)
6. Enchantment Resort, Sedona (90.1)
7. El Monte Sagrado, Taos, N.M. (89.9)
8. The Phoenician and Canyon Suites, Scottsdale (88.7)
9. Montelucia Resort & Spa, Paradise Valley (87.8)
10. La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa, Montgomery, Texas (86.8)
11. Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch (86.4) 12. Fairmont Scottsdale Princess (85.5)
13. Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson (85.3)
14. Westin Kierland Villas, Scottsdale (85.2)
14 (T). JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, Tucson (85.2)
16. Boulders Resort, Scottsdale (84.9)
17. Hermosa Inn, Paradise Valley (84.6)
18. JW Marriott Camelback Inn, Inn Scottsdale (84.5)
19. Sandia Resort & Casino, Albuquerque (84.3)
20. Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa, Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M. (84.2) 21. JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, Phoenix (84.0)
22. Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas (83.9)
23. Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, Scottsdale (83.6)
24. Lodge at Ventana Canyon, Tucson (82.5)
25. San Luis Resort, Galveston Island, Texas (81.9)
*(T)=tie

Source: Condé Nast Traveler