The Royal Palms Resort and Spa ~ Phoenix, Arizona

The Royal Palms Resort and Spa was first opened in 1948, but its original history started out in 1929 as a mansion built by Delos Willard Cooke, a New York industrialist and financier who came to the desert to aid his wife’s poor health.

Because of the Royal Palms Resort and Spa’s historical significance, and its early appeal to Hollywood-types like Groucho Marks and even President Bush, this iconic resort has also found its way to a listing in the Historic Hotels of America.

On-site Roaming Boomer Photo Journals

• Day #1 at the Royal Palms Resort and Spa
• Day #2 at the Royal Palms Resort and Spa
• Dazzled by Executive Chef Lee Hillson’s Cuisine

As you can see from our following video, the Royal Palms Resort and Spa is a stunningly beautiful place with perhaps the valley’s most mature gardens:

From our visit, here are the things that were left foremost in our minds:

• The look and feel of a Mediterranean estate.
• Unbelievably lush gardens for being in the middle of the Sonoran desert.
• Our spa suite was really cool.  Two flat screen TVs, a steam shower, Bose Stereo system, free WiFi, and all the little extras that you would expect from a world-class resort.
• Carol really enjoyed her Alvadora Spa facial.  She said, “I look five years younger”.
• T. Cook’s restaurant is phenomenal.  I am very happy that we can go enjoy Chef Hillson’s cuisine when ever we like.
• Amazing chilled White Sangria at lunch.
• Our poolside cabana was nice, and the service was impeccable.
• There must be 50 little nooks around the resort where four people could sit and visit, have a cigar, enjoy a glass of wine, enjoy a fireplace, enjoy a fountain, or simply read a book.  I really like this about the Royal Palms.
• Everyone was very friendly, helpful, and bent over backwards to create a wonderful experience for us.

I would encourage you to poke around in our articles and video.  I am quite confident that you will begin to see why The Royal Palms Resort and Spa has enjoyed such great success for over the last 60 years, and is greatly worthy of your consideration.

Disclosure:  our wonderful experience was provided by the kind folks at The Royal Palms Resort and Spa.  Thank you very much!  It was fabulous!

Carol w/ Executive Chef Lee Hillson

T. Cook’s Restaurant ~ Royal Palms Resort & Spa ~ Phoenix, Arizona – It is a most wonderful thing to live in vacation/convention/resort destination area.

With the 4.5 million people who live in the Greater Phoenix Area, plus the millions of visitors who come each year to the Valley of the Sun, we are blessed and able to sustain a large cadre of world-class restaurants and chefs.

One of the notable examples of this is Chef Lee Hillson, Executive Chef of  T. Cook’s Restaurant within the Royal Palms Resort & Spa.

Chef Hillson has garnered national attention battling on television’s popular Iron Chef, has cooked on more than one occasion at the James Beard House in New York, hosted a Friends of James Beard dinner at the resort, and has received the prestigious AAA Four-Diamond Award for the last six years running.

T. Cook’s Chef Hillson is also very popular with local foodies where they have voted the restaurant “best” in a number of categories in the Arizona Republic Reader’s Choice Awards:

• Best Hotel for Dining 2010
• Best Splurge Restaurant 2010
• Best Romantic Restaurant 2010
• Best Place for First Date 2010
• Best Weekend Brunch 2010

If this hasn’t convinced you of my claim to world-class cuisine, then let me share with you our dining experience at T. Cook’s.

Carol w/ Chef Hillson and Director of Romance Robert Vickrey

After settling in with a glass of wine, and some most excellent bread and pesto, we began to peruse the menu.  I could immediately tell the decision making process was going to be difficult because I wanted a taste of everything on the menu.

But alas, decisions must be made.

For our first course, Carol opted for House-Made Paté with Chef’s Fixings, while I, in my typical fashion, ventured off into untraveled gastronomical lands and chose Wild Burgundy Escargot (with crisp brioche, lightly scrambled eggs, mushrooms and roasted garlic Mascarpone).

The paté was delicious, but the escargot was stand on the top of your table and start dancing good!  Wow!

For our entrées, Carol went for Butter Poached Maine Lobster (with sour cream raviolis, asparagus, and champagne chive butter sauce), while I elected the T. Cook’s Mediterranean Paella (with 1/2 lobster tail & claw).

For me, Carol’s lobster was typical.  However, her accompanying raviolis were outstanding.  I was prone to sticking my fork in one of her raviolis only to be shooed away.  “All you get is one ravioli, Buster!“, she replied.

Now, you must understand, when I see paella on a renowned restaurant’s menu, I am going to get it.  I love paella!

This paella however…..oooooh….it was put into an iron skillet and finished off in the wood fire.  On top of all the wonderful tastes in this Spanish dish of all dishes, there were the most wonderful crusties.  Did I spell that right?  You know… crusties?  Right?  Those crunchy little pieces of wonderfulness you get when you cook something in an iron skillet.

High Fives to Chef Hillson, the King of Paella!

OK!  Dude, calm down!

Phew!  Alright.  Now.  We are stuffed to the gills right?  But you know what happens when you are being hosted at a world-class restaurant…right?

Dessert.

There is no way they will let you out of the restaurant without sampling their desserts.

Fortunately, I figured this out a long time ago, and now I have a most excellent take-home bag of paella.  YAHOO!

Ahem!

If you look at the photograph above, Chef Hillson brought us a very special dessert with our names written in chocolate.  Cool!

On the plate was Chocolate Fantasy (French chocolate silk on a decadent chocolate cake with chocolate sauce served with vanilla gelato), and Caramel Cheesecake Créme Bruleé (served with fresh berries & guava sauce).

Decadent is right.  It was so good, some might think it darn right sinful.

Well, all good things must come to an end.

Listen, all the accolades are well deserved.  This was a spectacular dining experience, the cuisine was sensational, the service was impeccable, and T. Cook’s has earned it’s way into our hearts as one of our favorite dining experiences.

Thank you Chef Hillson, and thank you T. Cook’s team!  You all deserve a standing ovation!

Disclosure:  this dining experience was provided by the Royal Palms Resort and Sap.  Thanks!

As we were contemplating this most special day, we decided that it would be fun to create a Caribbean island tour and share with other baby boomers a few of the Caribbean’s most luxurious and romantic island resorts.

We are greatly pleased to share with you our 25th Wedding Anniversary Caribbean Island Tour which contains:

• Many articles sharing our experiences
• Photo-journals
• Scores of photographs
• and three visually striking videos all set to the music of the Caribbean islands

Our tour includes three fabulous resorts on three different islands.

25th Wedding Anniversary Caribbean Island Resort Tour

• The Ritz-Carlton – Island of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
• Caneel Bay Resort – Island of St. John, US Virgin Islands
• Jade Mountain Resort – Island of St. Lucia, Caribbean West Indies

We  hope that you enjoy this series.  We have many more features up our sleeves and hope that you will follow along.

Get a free subscription to our on-line travel magazine in one of four ways:

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Not to take anything away from the other resorts we have visited on this tour, but Jade Mountain, along with its sister resort Anse Chastanet, is quite simply romance personified.  Note:  click the photograph for a much larger view!

Take a look at our five on-site photo journals from our stay at Jade Mountain:

On-Site Roaming Boomer Photo Journals

• St. Lucia’s Jade Mountain Resort Creates Unforgettable Memories for our 25th Wedding Anniversary
• Ah! Another day in St. Lucia’s Jade Mountain Resort Paradise
• Day #3 at St. Lucia’s Indescribable Jade Mountain Resort
• Day #4 of our 25th Wedding Anniversary Visit to Jade Mountain Resort and Anse Chastanet
• Day #5 of Romantic Bliss at St. Lucia’s Incomparable Jade Mountain Resort

And here is our video review:

As you can see, Jade Mountain is quite the place.  Just look at a few of the awards they have garnered:

• #1 Resort in the Caribbean – Travel & Leisure
• #3 Resort in the World – Travel & Leisure
• #1 Hottest Caribbean Escape – The Travel Channel
• One of the Top 25 Caribbean Resorts – Conde Naste Traveler
• One of the Top 10 Luxury Hotels with the World’s Best Views – Luxury Travel Magazine
• Sexiest Skinny-Dipping – Brides Magazine
• Newly awarded the AAA Five-Diamond!

When Jade Mountain was asked to describe their “sanctuaries” (that’s what they call their rooms), here is how they described them:

“Expect grand sweeping spaces beyond your imagination, with your bedroom, living area and extravagantly sized private infinity edge pool gliding into one another to form an amazing platform floating in space, with the 4th wall missing entirely – the result is a stage-like setting from which to embrace the full glory – and infinite views – of St. Lucia’s twin Pitons and the shimmering Caribbean Sea – a view you are not likely to ever forget.”

We completely agree!

Our Jade Mountain, and sister resort Anse Chastanet visit was absolutely everything we had hoped it would be.  Peaceful, romantic, great food, unparalleled service, ocean activities, and an unforgettable sanctuary to hide ourselves away to enjoy the company of each other.

We could not possibly think of a better place to steal ourselves away for our 25th wedding anniversary.

Thank you Nick!  Thank you Karolin! And thank you Jade Mountain team!  It was perfection, and a job well done!

To understand all that Jade Mountain offers, make certain that you poke around all of our articles, the above video, and the Jade Mountain website.

Disclosure:  a portion of our wonderful stay was provided by Jade Mountain. Thanks!

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]]> http://www.theroamingboomers.com/video-review-jade-mountain-resort-st-lucia-caribbean-islands-baby-boomer-travel/feed 2 http://www.theroamingboomers.com/photo-journal-day-2-royal-palms-resort-and-spa-phoenix-arizona-baby-boomer-travel http://www.theroamingboomers.com/photo-journal-day-2-royal-palms-resort-and-spa-phoenix-arizona-baby-boomer-travel#comments Sat, 21 Aug 2010 19:18:08 +0000 David Porter http://www.theroamingboomers.com/?p=2760 Royal Palms Resort and Spa, Phoenix, Arizona (Day #2) – As is my custom when visiting a beautiful resort, I arose quite early and explored the lush, oasis-like grounds of the Royal Palms Resort and Spa.

As I was roaming, the only stirring human beings were me and the resort’s gardeners.  I also enjoyed the company of scurrying rabbits, desert songbirds that were busily sounding their throaty tunes, and an occasional small lizard.

I made my first photographic stop of the resort’s pool.  I had to get my shot off quickly as there was a young father present with his very young son who was simply dying to swim in the pool.  It was only a smidgen past seven o’clock in the morning.  I smiled as I imagined the scene in their hotel room as this young family was dealing with a very persistent young swimmer wannabe.

As I pressed on past the pool, and into the resort’s nine acres at the foot of Camelback Mountain, I was immediately taken with how incredibly lush this place was for being in the middle of the desert.  These gardens are over 80 years old, and the lush magenta bougainvillea, the many exotic plants, the palm trees, the orange groves all made testament that this is truly one of the Phoenix Valley’s most mature landscapes.

Here is a beautiful Mexican Bird-of-Paradise that was begging to be photographed.

Another striking feature of the Royal Palms Resort and Spa are the copious numbers of fountains, doorways into private alcoves, antique wooden doors, iron gates, outdoor fireplaces, and comfortable small sitting areas that are discovered as you explore the resort’s maze of curving walkways.

At nearly every turn, I felt as if I had discovered yet another secret garden hideaway.

Even further, the terra cotta Spanish architecture that lays the foundation to the resort is simply stunning.  Here’s an example…

Later in the morning,  we headed over to the pool to enjoy a cabana that the Royal Palms Resort and Spa had reserved for us.  We were greeted by eager pool waitstaff, ushered a metal bucket full of iced bottled waters, and told that they were there to wait on us hand and foot.

When it was time for lunch, all I had to do was gaze towards the wait-stand and immediately there was someone rushing to our aid.

We enjoyed mahi mahi tacos, wonderful olives, and a wonderful smokey humus.

Here’s a photograph of Carol in ultimate pool luxury wearing her secret agent sunglasses.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.  Around two o’clock we packed up our things and headed back to our home in North Scottsdale.

But, stay tuned.

We still have a video to share with you, and we simply can’t forget to tell you about our wonderful dining experience at the Royal Palms Resort and Spa’s T. Cook’s restaurant.

Clearly, the Royal Palms Resort and Spa understands and has mastered the art of the first impression.

We arrived at 12:00 and our room wasn’t quite ready yet.  Therefore, we enjoyed a wonderful lunch at their on-property fine dining restaurant, T. Cook’s.  As a side note, their White Sangria was cool, refreshing, and out of this world!

Shortly after our lunch, my cell phone began vibrating in my pocket to alert me that our room was done.  When our bellman opened the door to our Alavadora Spa Terrace Suite, this was the opulent luxury that was beckoning our entrance.

As our optical systems were firing great pleasure messages to our brains, our auditory system noted that there was also immensely beautiful Spanish accoustic guitar music playing on our spa suite’s Bose stereo system.

This is a photograph of our room!

Note:  this particular photograph is from the Royal Palms Resort and Spa Digital Photograph Library.

When we stepped out onto our patio, there was below us a most beautiful courtyard with the Camelback Mountains serving as a backdrop.

Next on the agenda was a wonderful eucalyptus steam bath for David, and Carol was slated for the Alvadora Spa‘s signature Omorovicza Facial:

This classic Hungarian facial, cleanses and re-mineralizes the skin. Cleansers, exfoliaters and moisturizers are formulated with mineral – rich Hungarian thermal waters which are used in different combinations to suit each customer’s skin ensuring the best result. After gentle exfoliation, a mud mask packed with calcium and magnesium carbonates, cleanses and detoxifies the skin. A unique facial massage stimulates micro-circulations and combats stress.

Carol walked out beaming that the skin on her face was glowing and looked five years younger.  I agreed, and certainly wouldn’t have had the courage to do otherwise. 

Here is a stock photograph, from the Royal Palms Resort and Spa, showing one of their beautiful spa suites.

After a few hours of luxuriating in the Alvadora Spa, we returned to enjoy some time in our wonderful room and prepared for our dinner at the resort’s renowned T. Cook’s restaurant.

I can’t possibly explain the exceptional cuisine we enjoyed in this short photo journal.  Therefore, I will tell of this experience is a separate post.

However, to tease you a bit, think Iron Chef, AAA Diamond Awards, most romantic, best hotel dining, best place for a date, to mention just a few of their many awards.

For now, just know that T. Cook’s spoiled us rotten.  Check this out photograph with Chef Lee Hillson…

After dinner, we strolled in the Royal Palms Resort and Spa’s stunningly beautiful grounds.

Well, that’s it for now.  Stay tuned!

Note:  all photography, except where noted, is by David A. Porter and is protected by copyright.

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]]> http://www.theroamingboomers.com/photo-journal-day-1-at-the-royal-palms-resort-and-spa-phoenix-arizona-baby-boomer-travel/feed 1 http://www.theroamingboomers.com/video-review-caneel-bay-resort-st-john-us-virgin-islands-baby-boomer-travel http://www.theroamingboomers.com/video-review-caneel-bay-resort-st-john-us-virgin-islands-baby-boomer-travel#comments Thu, 19 Aug 2010 04:08:25 +0000 David Porter http://www.theroamingboomers.com/?p=2713 Caneel Bay Resort, St. John, US Virgin Islands – This second stop on our 25th wedding anniversary Caribbean tour has been one of our favorite resorts for many years.

Quite a number of years ago, when our former business in Michigan began to taste success, we booked an unforgettable stay at the Caneel Bay Resort on the island of St. John in the US Virgin Islands.

Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort is set on its own private peninsula amid 170 acres in Virgin Islands National Park, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea.

Laurance S. Rockefeller “discovered” Caneel Bay in 1952 while sailing in the Caribbean. In 1955, Rockefeller began developing an infrastructure on the island to provide the resort with power, fresh water and roads.  Caneel Bay opened in 1956 as a wholly original and ecologically sensitive resort.  In 1993, Caneel Bay became a Rosewood resort, and in 2006, Caneel Bay celebrated its 50^th Anniversary.

On-site Roaming Boomer Photo Journals

• Caneel Bay Resort, St. John USVI, Wild Donkeys, and a Spectacular Sunset
• The Caneel Bay Resort, the Island of St. John, Stingrays, Sea Turtles, and Seductive Azure Waters
• A Photo Tour of the Caneel Bay Resort on the Island of St. John, US Virgin Islands
• Snorkeling Caneel Bay Resort’s Scott Beach

Here is our video review of Caneel Bay…

We spent 4 unforgettable nights at Caneel Bay, and here are the things that we remember most:

• Our beachfront room sat right on Scott’s Beach, and we were literally 50 paces to the ocean from our back patio.  It was very, very quiet, and much like having our own bungalow right on the ocean.  Amazing!
• Because of its location inside the 5,000 acre US Virgin Island National Park, there was abundant wildlife everywhere.  Wild donkeys visited our location each day, and iguana and small deer were also ever present.
• The 1950s styling in the rooms was a hoot.  Everything was brand new, but styled in the 1950s.  The Big Ben clock reminded me of my grandmother’s bedroom clock.
• I don’t know how to begin to describe the incredible beach that lay outside our back patio.  The water was crystal clear, the sand was the whitest of whites, and the brilliant turquoise, azure, and deep blue colors were absolutely mesmerizing.  We spent every waking hour sitting under a shade tree reading a book, swinging in the hammock, snorkeling, or simply bobbing in the ocean.
• The snorkeling was amazing.  We saw scores of sea turtles, stingray, and brilliant colored fish.  Furthermore, the coral teaming with these colorful fish was blazing and brilliant to see.
• Scott’s Beach was adults only.  Therefore it was oh so very quiet.
• Without a television to lure us into staring submission, we found ourselves talking more, enjoying our books, and simply enjoying peace and quiet.  Frankly, I had kind of forgotten what quiet was.
• Our dinner at The Equator, high atop 18th-century sugar mill ruins.
• Our half-day walk around the 170-acre former Rockefeller estate.
• When the sun would go down, the rain forest came alive with the sounds of birds, frogs, and fauna completely unfamiliar to our ears.
• Enjoying fresh fish from the ocean each day.

After our second stay at Caneel Bay, it remarkably holds an even greater grip on our hearts.  Caneel Bay is certain to remain one of our favorite places in the world, and we are already pondering when we might go back again.

A friend asked me the other day where I would go if I could only visit one of our many visited resorts.  Without hesitation, Caneel Bay poured from my heart and through my lips.

Caneel Bay is simply that special, and a place you should attempt to visit at least once in your life.

As we began to study lodging options for St. Thomas, it became abundantly clear that the resort to visit was the Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas on the eastern side of the island.

The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas has graced the Travel & Leisure Top 500 List,  features 180 guest rooms and suites (each with a private balcony or terrace), and sits aloft with easy resort access to the splendid beaches of Great Bay and Coconut Cove.

On-site Roaming Boomer Photo Journals:

• The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, Iguanas, and a Stunning Caribbean Sunrise
• Curried Goat, New Bling, and an Unforgettable Evening at the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas

The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas also features The Ritz-Carlton Spa, has its own 53 foot catamaran (The Lady Lynsey) for popular snorkel and sailing excursions, tennis courts, every imaginable water sport at their private beaches, is within 15 minutes of The Mahogany Run Golf Course (the islands only 18-hole professional golf course), as well as four exceptional dining establishments.

We spent four wonderful nights at the Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, and the things that really stick out in our minds are:

• The beautiful setting with the lights of St. John twinkling in the night across the channel.
• We spent 2 1/2 days luxuriating at the large infinity pool. The pool waitstaff were available to adjust your umbrella, bring you some rum punch, or simply pamper you.
• Walking on the beach at night, enjoying the ocean breeze in the glow of a full moon.
• Our evening dinning at Bluewater, the Ritz-Carlton’s fine dining restaurant.   This was easily one of the top ten meals of our lives, and Head Chef David Benjamin (Chef Benji) was frequently stopping by our table to enjoy the worthy praise that continually flowed from our lips as we sampled his 8-course chef’s menu.  Chef Benji is also the team captain for the Virgin Island Culinary Team and is leading other Caribbean chefs to hopeful gold in the upcoming Taste of the Caribbean Competition.
• Our couple’s massage in an ocean-side cabana.
• We look back with fond memories of the staff, and their dedication to our relaxation and enjoyment of this beautiful resort.

Let me be clear, if you are planning a stay on the island of St. Thomas, and are looking for a resort completely dedicated to pampering you in luxury, fine foods, and dramatic Caribbean vistas, then the Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas must be your only consideration.

Disclosure:  a portion of this wonderful experience was provided by the fine folks at Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas.  Thank you!

This view, Jade Mountain, and my bride of 25 years all combined to create the absolutely perfect ending to our 25th wedding anniversary tour of the Caribbean’s most romantic resorts.