Arizona resorts in July...suggestions....

Hello,
Just as a background, I have a family of 4 with 2 young children. We
always try to go to a warm weather resort which is usually considered
off season in July so I can afford a resort level place.
This way the kids can swim for a week without getting bored. If there
is no water slide or lazy river, they just want to eat or have us go
somewhere off the resort to spend money on activites, which is
definitely not in the budget this year due to the current economy.
We usually do all-inclusives in Mexico or do Orlando where you can get
resonable food off the resort so we don't have to spend $200 on food
everyday.
Being that we are bored with Mexico and Orlando, and have lots of
frequent flier miles, I was thinking of doing something similar
somewhere else in the US.
Arizona looks like just the ticket.
Does anyone know of a good resort with nice water activities, close to
off site restaurants, and good off season (early July) rates?
Any suggestions other then Arizona are OK too, but not the East Coast.
Thanks.

I wouldn't recommend it because I live here and it is hot, but if you
are thinking about Arizona in the summer, it is almost the same
thing. Look at Palm Springs. We have a water park, mountains that
you can escape the heat and the hotel prices for the big resorts drop
to real affordable levels. We don't have bugs.

It is hot, very hot, but if you are looking at Phoenix, Scottsdale,
Tempe, etc. it is also equally as hot there.

Janice

On Feb 15, 9:05*pm, wrote:
I wouldn't recommend it because I live here and it is hot, but if you
are thinking about Arizona in the summer, it is almost the same
thing. *Look at Palm Springs. *We have a water park, mountains that
you can escape the heat and the hotel prices for the big resorts drop
to real affordable levels. *We don't have bugs.

It is hot, very hot, but if you are looking at Phoenix, Scottsdale,
Tempe, etc. it is also equally as hot there.

Janice

Well, we've done Mexico and Orlando several times in July, so we know
what we are in for.
That's the downside to getting big discounts on a resort. But we work
around that. You have to know where the shady spots are, and try to
time when to be at the pool.
Does anyone know of any particular resorts that they can recommend
from experience?

I would check out Marriott Desert Springs. With a rental car, you can
get to the mountains or the water park. Stoeffer Esmerelda and Hyatt
Grand Champions are several other big names.

I have several friends who live here, but to take their kids on
vacation go to the big resorts for a week just to stay in a hotel and
use the facilities at a very inexpensive price.

Janice

On Sat, 16 Feb 2008 08:51:57 -0800 (PST), hotpprs
wrote:

On Feb 15, 9:05*pm, wrote:
I wouldn't recommend it because I live here and it is hot, but if you
are thinking about Arizona in the summer, it is almost the same
thing. *Look at Palm Springs. *We have a water park, mountains that
you can escape the heat and the hotel prices for the big resorts drop
to real affordable levels. *We don't have bugs.

It is hot, very hot, but if you are looking at Phoenix, Scottsdale,
Tempe, etc. it is also equally as hot there.

Well, we've done Mexico and Orlando several times in July, so we know
what we are in for.

The only similarity between Orlando and Arizona is high
temperatures in the summer. There is a definite qualitative
difference due to the low humidity in Arizona.

I don't know what part of Mexico you mean since it's a very big
place, but you would have to be in the far north to have climate
comparable to Arizona.


--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

hotpprs wrote:
Hello,
Just as a background, I have a family of 4 with 2 young children. We
always try to go to a warm weather resort which is usually considered
off season in July so I can afford a resort level place.
This way the kids can swim for a week without getting bored. If there
is no water slide or lazy river, they just want to eat or have us go
somewhere off the resort to spend money on activites, which is
definitely not in the budget this year due to the current economy.
We usually do all-inclusives in Mexico or do Orlando where you can get
resonable food off the resort so we don't have to spend $200 on food
everyday.
Being that we are bored with Mexico and Orlando, and have lots of
frequent flier miles, I was thinking of doing something similar
somewhere else in the US.
Arizona looks like just the ticket.
Does anyone know of a good resort with nice water activities, close to
off site restaurants, and good off season (early July) rates?
Any suggestions other then Arizona are OK too, but not the East Coast.
Thanks.

Since others are reminding you about the heat you'll encounter, I'll see
if I can recommend some hotels.
First, there is the Arizona Grand Resort. It used to be the Pointe
South Mountain. I stayed there years ago for a weekend while
househunting, so my experience won't be much use. I have some friends
with kids who played soccer - when they went to Phoenix for tournaments,
they always stayed there. But, if you go to their website, you'll find
a rather large waterpark on the grounds. It's an easy drive on I-10 from
the airport. It could be a good place for your family.
-www.arizonagrandresort.com

Second, there is the Mariott Desert Ridge. It's out in North
Scottsdale, so it's about a 30 minute drive from the airport. I haven't
been there, but I've heard they have some nice pools and a "lazy river"
float area. They used to do "dive-in" movies - movies at the pool at
night, but I don't know if they still do.

I hope this helps you out.

On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:05:41 -0800 (PST), wrote:
I wouldn't recommend it because I live here and it is hot, but if you
are thinking about Arizona in the summer, it is almost the same
thing. Look at Palm Springs. We have a water park, mountains that
you can escape the heat and the hotel prices for the big resorts drop
to real affordable levels. We don't have bugs.

It is hot, very hot, but if you are looking at Phoenix, Scottsdale,
Tempe, etc. it is also equally as hot there.

It is much hotter than that. Think sahara desert hot. Think death valley
hot. How are you with 105 degrees? That's a cold spell. Temperatures
above 115 aren't uncommon. At 10pm, it'll still be above 105.

If you're going to be inside all day, there's simply no reason to travel to
such a hellhole. I live here and I'd rather be anywhere else in the summer.
I only stay here to work; I leave town at least every third weekend.

Second, there is the Mariott Desert Ridge. *It's out in North
Scottsdale, so it's about a 30 minute drive from the airport. *I haven't
been there, but I've heard they have some nice pools and a "lazy river"
float area. *They used to do "dive-in" movies - movies at the pool at
night, but I don't know if they still do.

That sounds like what I am looking for. Last summer we stayed at the
Omni Championsgate near Orlando and they had a lazy river and did the
movie by the pool too. My younger daughter was asking about going back
there this summer while we were still at the resort. But we are
Disney'd out, we need a change of pace.
We did Cancun and Puerta Vallarta at different years in July. They
were both unbearable at certain times of the day, other times it was
pleasant. But with my frequent flyer miles I could do almost a 2 week
trip for a family of 4 for around 3,000 dollars, with all food and
entertainment. So unfortunately, we have to put up with the heat to do
a nice resort at that price,which is the limit of my travel budget.
If you go someplace in the high season with a family of 4, you will be
talking 5 grand before all is said and done.
(travel to and from the airport from home, meals, entertainment, and
all the little things that no one includes when they talk about the
price of their vacation over the hotel and airfare). People also talk
about cruises being affordable, but add on drinks,tips,excursions,port
fees,etc and you will be up around 5 grand too for a family of four.