The Boulders :

It might be a coincidence that The Boulders Resort is located in Carefree, Arizona, but you certainly won’t be able to tell from a visit. Dotted with casitas and villas, the 1,300 acre property of Sonoran desert landscape will relax you with its scenery and impressive you with its details: Gigantic piles of 12-million-year-old granite boulders (hence, the name), wood-burning fireplaces, on-site rock climbing and mountain biking, and two Jay Morrish designed golf courses. While the rooms are very comfortable (especially in the spring and fall when the nights are cool and the fireplace is going) and the spa first class, this is definitely an outdoorsy kind of place. 

Plan to Play Outdoors
The location about a half-hour outside of Scottsdale puts you in prime position to tackle outdoor sports. Phoenix, while extremely hot in the summer months, has great weather three quarters of the year. On site at the Boulders, you’ll find rock climbing and mountain biking guides and programs for all levels of experience (although we didn’t get to try it, we think the moonlight mountain bike ride sounds incredible). On our visit, we rock climbed up one of the highest piles of boulders on the property with instructor Rico Riley. Now, while I wouldn’t write this article and recommend the experience to avid climbers, the controlled environment is perfect for those looking to try out the sport for the first time. A three-hour session will run you over a hundred dollars. 

Playing Golf at the Boulders 
Despite all the other activities offered and the fact that Scottsdale is known for its golf courses in general, The Boulders could very well be a golf destination in itself – which becomes obvious when you arrive and the staff transports you via golf cart to your room. Designed by Jay Morrish, the two courses have won some of the industry’s highest accolades including Golf Magazine’s “Platinum Medal” Award, Golf Digest’s “Top 25 U.S. Resorts” and Links’ “Top Five - Best of the West.” 

Plus, it’s absolutely beautiful, and it didn’t take long for us to fall for the desert scenery. All different kinds of cacti, from short barrels to towering Saguaro, kept us from keeping our eye on the ball. You’ll see in the photos just how pristine the grounds are, the green of the course looks incredibly vivid in comparison to the beige, sand-colored surroundings.  

The resort’s practice facility includes a driving range, chipping and sand play area, and putting greens. Complimentary bag storage and locker facilities are available to resort guests. You can take lessons at the Boulders Golf Academy with PGA and LPGA instructors (Donald Crawley, for example). Men’s and women’s Nike golf clubs are available at $70 per 18 holes of golf and includes 2 sleeves of Nike golf balls. There are two restaurants on the links, and we found The Grill to be unique in that its terrace seating affords views of the 18th hole of both courses.  

Greens fees vary based on the time of day and get cheaper in the summer due to the midday heat. From now until May 26^th, fees range from $75 to $219. From May 27 thru Sept 12, fees are $45-$75. 

The Boulders Rooms and Restaurants
We stayed in a Sonoran Casita during our visit in December and really enjoyed the wood-burning fireplace – a perk that is growing less common thanks to lawyers and liability. Dressed in a southwest style, the rooms contain leather chairs, wood beams, walk-in closets, large bathrooms with oversized tub and separate shower, sitting area by fireplace, desk, and private balcony/patio. Ours overlooked groomed desert scenery with large cacti, but some overlook the golf course. There are seven different room categories – villas, haciendas, suites, and casitas – and you can get an overview of them all on the resort’s web site http://www.theboulders.com/Guestrooms. All have fireplaces, but the space, amenities, and views differ.

The Spotted Donkey is a casual yet festive Mexican cantina on-site at the Boulders, known for its tequila menu. Pull up to the bar and learn the difference between reposado (aged 2 to 12 months), anejo (aged 1 -3 years), and blanco (unaged). We liked the fajitas ($18.75) and would recommend the guacamole ($11.75) as a starter. The cocktails range in price from $7 to $15, and we’d suggest the el Pedregal ($15), an old fashioned made with tequila, if you feel the need to mix your tequila. http://www.spotteddonkeycantinaelpedregal.com

For more upscale dining, Sassi in Scottsdale has an Italian villa setting and serves Southern Italian fare (go with kakis over jeans). The chef’s specialty is octopus that he cooks with wine corks (seriously), a ....