Sedona Rouge Hotel and Spa

Overall Impression Sedona Rouge was on our left on the road to into town on Arizona State Route 89A as we arrived by car from the Phoenix Airport following a day of travel from the east coast. Within minutes we were settling into the air conditioned comfort of our third floor hotel room. Right away we liked the easy to reach parking lot, comfortable double queen beds, flat screen television, electric fireplace and complimentary WiFi connectivity.

That night we discovered Reds, the property restaurant on the ground floor, where we had a tasty and well served dinner. The following day we visited the spa, my favorite area of the hotel, where I indulged in a throughly relaxing deep tissue specialty massage.

We liked the hotel’s stylish inclinations, new looking, clean and well maintained facilities, pool facing fitness center and roomy pool area as well as the convenience of an in house spa and a restaurant serving comfort food. We would recommend this property for conference attendees and spa oriented guests wanting to stay a few minutes drive from the heart of Sedona.

Class Of Accommodation Luxury hotel

Concierge Sierra Smith

Connectivity There was complimentary WiFi connectivity in our room.

General Manager Ed Conway

Handicapped Access The property welcomed handicapped guests and was compliant with the American with Disabilities Act requirements.

Length Of Stay Two nights

Location In the town of Sedona, about two hours drive north of Phoenix, Arizona

Owned And Managed Sedona Rouge, LLC (Bill Kassling, Robert Brooks, Jim Apple and Al Walburg)

Pets Allowed Dogs weighing under 50 pounds were welcome with the payment of a deposit and cleaning fee.

Size There were 77 guest rooms and suites on the 2.5 acre property and 100 employees.

Year Opened-Renovated Sedona Rourge first opened in 2005.

Lobby And Common Areas Past the main entrance to the hotel there was an open courtyard with a mermaid sculpture,a water feature in the background and some outdoor furniture. To the right of the entrance there was a stand for the bell service staff and just behind it an air conditioned reception and office area. Reds, the hotel’s restaurant, was directly across the courtyard from the reception area. Stairs led up two flights of steps to our third floor room. An elevator situated to one side of the courtyard served the same purpose. To reach the fitness center and pool we walked a few steps past the elevators. On the right there was a fitness area with stairmasters, elliptical machines and weights as well as glass walls and a view of the pool area. Just beyond the fitness room there was a gated pool area (we could enter using our room key cards) with a Jacuzzi, fireplace and lounge chairs and umbrellas.

Seeking to emulate the Spanish Mediterranean design of the southwest of old times the hotel was designed with Moorish and Spanish Mediterranean influences supported by authentic 18 ^th century Tunisian touches. The hotel contracted Raouf Benfarhat, a native of Tunisia and exporter of artifacts, antiques and architectural pieces to assist with the décor. His influence resulted in hand-painted tiles for the base of the swimming pool, decorative planters, intricate copper containers and terra cotta pots. Cascading fountains, round etched columns, and delicate Gothic iron lacework were some of the elements incorporated into the décor to remind guests of those places and heritage. Marni Leis was responsible for the interior design for the hotel and Cass Calder Smith, Principle; CCS Architecture handled the interior design for Reds, the hotel restaurant.

Bathroom The bathroom was on the right side of the room. It had a sink, large mirror, toiletries basket and a spacious walk-in shower with regular and overhead rainshower spray.

Room Our third floor 275 square foot room, number 311, was in the North Courtyard of the hotel facing the Column Garden. It had putty carpeting, walls and ceiling and two queen beds in the center of the room. In the middle, there was a rectangular table with a wicker ice cooler, telephone and lamp and on each side there was a red lacquer night table with a lamp. The beds were comfortable and cushy with goose down feather duvets and brick colored headboards and throw blankets. A 32 inch LG flat screen TV hung on the wall in front of the bed nearest the bathroom. Below it there was an electrical fireplace. To the right there was a desk with a coffee/tea maker and a khaki arm chair in the corner. The night tables and desk were glass covered. A small closet was located immediately to the right of the door at the head of the entrance hallway. In it we found an ironing board, luggage rack and two Kashmere synthetic fiber bathrobes. There was an oversize mirror on the wall in the hallway.

The room temperature was controlled with a remote control. The electric fire place was operated via a light switch. Sliding glass doors led to a small balcony with a view of the property, nearby residential area and Sedona mountains in the background. The accommodations were designed with Andalusia in mind.

Food And Restaurants There was a ground floor 150-seat restaurant, bar and lounge, Reds, under the direction of Chef Ron Moler. Dinner at Reds the night we arrived was just what the doctor ordered. Comfort food is what my heart called for after a day of travel and flying with only snack food on board and airport meal options on land. Reds delivered well. After a shared appetizer of crab and artichoke dips, my dining partner sampled a vegetable pasta and I had sea bass with angel hair pasta and steamed vegetables. Everything was cooked just right so that the sea bass had a light and juicy texture and the vegetables were still crunchy. Dessert was chocolate torte with sabayon cream.

Amenities There was complimentary high-speed wireless Internet throughout property, c omplimentary gourmet coffee service and house brand bottled water, two Kashmere bathrobes, travel size toiletries and scented soap.

Facilities A restaurant, bar and lounge area, fitness center, pool, Jacuzzi, spa and observation terrace with a view of Thunder Mountain.

Fitness Center And Spa There was a pool side 700 square foot fitness area and a 5,000 square foot stand alone spa with ten treatment rooms on the property. The spa had a tranquility room and garden for guests to relax before and after treatments as well as an outdoor whirlpool and a steam room in the ladies lockers area. There was also a retail gifts section next to the spa lobby.

Beyond the pool there was a walkway that led to the hotel spa. The day after our arrival, I enjoyed a 90-minute Deep Tissue with cupping specialty treatment courtesy of Nancy, one of two therapists offering cupping treatments. I learned of the cupping option from Regina, the staff receptionist who also confirmed my appointment the day we arrived and showed us around the spa the day of my appointment. As they explained it, the cupping aspect of the massage allowed the therapist to rely on the glass cups to reach deeper into the tissue.

Pool There was an outdoor swimming pool (40 feet by 16 feet with 4 feet as the average depth, Jacuzzi and fireplace in a gated 2,600 square foot pool area.

Conference Facilities There was 4,000 square feet of meeting and event facilities on site.

Other Sedona Rouge was a AAA four diamond property at the time we visited the property.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Review August 2009

Reviewers Article by Elena del Valle

Photos by Amparo Cadavid

Would You Stay There Again? Yes