It won’t be long before we bring you TripKick.com Reviews of over 20 new Hotels & Resorts in Phoenix and Scottsdale Arizona.  Until then, we wanted to give you a glimpse at the new Sheraton Phoenix Downtown, the first new hotel to be built in the Downtown Area in over 30 years!

The Sheraton Phoenix showcases some of Sheraton’s newest looks, including an entirely new guest room experience, an efficient Lobby Space, and a new design theme that we think most guests will appreciate.

Traditional Room, 1 King Bed  (Room 1811)

Minibar Area  (Room 1811)

The Sheraton Phoenix Downtown was primarily built with Convention/Business travelers in mind, but the guest rooms are tastefully designed, and perhaps among the best we’ve seen at a Sheraton.  You will find that rooms are decorated in warm tones that reflect a Desert theme, and are so much better than what you’ll find at The Hyatt Regency Phoenix (Sorry Hyatt, but it’s really time for a renovation)

One Bedroom Suite w/ Separate Living Room & Bedroom, 1 King Bed (Room 3109)

Traditional Room, 2 Double Beds (Room 1812)

If your travel plans call for Downtown Phoenix, The Sheraton is a no-brainer, really.

InterContinental Chicago O’Hare, Reception Desk

Main Entrance

We’ve all experienced Airport Hotels, usually in consequence to a canceled or missed flight. Generally mediocre at best, we expect something clean and efficient, but nothing more.

On a recent trip to Chicago however, we were stunned by the InterContinental Chicago O’Hare. You might wanna miss your flight for this one. Yes, the hotel’s about five minutes from Chicago O’Hare’s main terminal, but this property is anything but your typical airport hotel. We were met by an overwhelmingly gracious staff (and this was late in the evening) and a lobby that puts most New York City hotels to shame!

The InterContinental Chicago O’Hare has an Impressive Contemporary Art Collection in The Lobby

The InterContinental Chicago O’Hare could easily compete with some of the top hotels in any major city across North America. Guest rooms also share a modern design, with contemporary inspiration, and digs that are on par with other four and five star hotels we’ve seen in Chicago. There are several room types from which to choose, including Standard Rooms, Junior Suites, One-Bedroom Suites as well as a handful of Specialty Suites including a Governor’s Suite and Presidential Suite.

Room Number 1129, One-Bedroom Suite

Room Number 1129, One-Bedroom Suite, Main Bathroom, Separate Shower/Tub Note: Standard Rooms Have Similar Bathroom Setup, With Glass Shower Only

Room Number 1129, Living Room & Second 1/2 Bath

Room 1129, View

Regardless of your room type, expect to be pampered with luxurious products and a bath experience that everyone’s looking for. A Glass shower with a Rainforest Shower Head was definitely a nice touch.

In addition to what’s already available to guests (An Extensive Art Collection, Club Lounge, Impressive Fitness Center, Lobby Bar) there are a few other services that are in the works including an adjacent Capital Grill Restaurant and an On Property Theater.

Adjacent Capital Grill Restaurant, Almost Finished

Even if your hotel occasion doesn’t call for an airport visit, The InterContinental O’Hare is also just minutes from several Rosemont Area happenings, and only a 30-40 minute drive from Downtown Chicago.

Montelucia Resort & Spa, Lobby

Resort Grounds

The Montelucia Resort & Spa (formerly the La Posada Resort) has been recently remastered and is now managed and owned by InterContinental Hotels & Resorts. On our most recently visit to the Scottsdale area, we were quite excited about seeing the finished product. We were in awe over the attention to detail, from the imported Spanish Entry Doors to the on property Chapel, to the main Lobby Area. Clearly, InterContinental has gone to great lengths to restore the former La Posada, apparently to the tune of $250 million!

Although built on the former site of the La Posada, the Montelucia is essentially brand new. Some original guest room buildings were kept, however completely overhauled, so much so that most won’t discern any differences from the new. Perhaps the only noticeable difference in these buildings are the exteriors, which still sport an older stucco style.

The Montelucia offers a guest room experience that competes well with its 5 Star caliber neighbors. Guest rooms reflect the Spanish style of the resort, and feature luxurious oversized bathrooms, most with separate showers and bathtubs. Depending on your location, views often include the surround Desert landscape of one of several pools on property.

Standard Guest Room

Standard Guest Room Bathroom, Separate Shower & Bathtub

Guest Room Balcony & Desert/Pool View

The Montelucia is ideal for families or couples looking for a Desert Getaway, and one that now boasts some of the very best Scottsdale Area accommodations.

Montelucia Main Pool Area

Well, as promised, TripKick.com will soon be bringing you Phoenix & Scottsdale as new destinations. We had an opportunity to stay at the W Scottsdale this past weekend, and as expected, this property was Wonderful. As many of our travelers know, the W Brand is always clever, and rarely disappoints those seeking utmost style and comfort. Having seen every W Hotel in North America, Scottsdale is definitely at the top of the list.

We especially appreciate this property’s ability to blend in with its surrounding, from the Lobby to the Guest Rooms, you know you’re in the Desert, a very hip Desert of course. Perhaps W Scottsdale’s biggest attraction is its Rooftop Pool Scene. We’ve seen our fair share of Rooftop Pools, but this one offers sophistication while also being practical. So often you seen Rooftop Pools that barely leave room for more than 100 people, but the W Scottsdale has cleverly designed this space to allow for Beach Cabanas, 3 Bars, Sweat (W’s Fitness Center) and a Zen Rooftop Garden. Weekend evenings are quite the scene at the W Scottsdale Rooftop, so arrive early- or just be an in-house guest for preferred access.

Of all the W’s we’ve seen, the guest rooms at the W Scottsdale are at the top of our list. An enormous amount of thought was put into the overall design of these rooms, as you’ll see by the “Open Floor Plan” layout. Bathrooms in the Wonderful, Spectacular and Fabulous categories all feature an Open Bathroom (which can be closed off with a sliding door) with a freestanding frosted glass shower, and vanity area that is finished with desert stone to remind you of your surroundings. All rooms include the W Signature Beds (which are among the best you’ll find in any hotel, and we’ve seen them all) along with the W Munchie Box, functional working desk, and a nice view of the Desert, Rooftop Pool or Zen Garden. The W Scottsdale also features a variety of Suites, some of which offer front row views of the Rooftop Bar (ideal for watching the weekend nightlife action.)

Room Number 519, Wonderful Category, Bedroom, Bathroom, Sitting Area

Room Number 509, Wonderful Category Room, Shower, Munchie Box

Room Number 301, Cool Corner Suite with Rooftop/Beach Area View

Room Number 249, Spa Suite, Upgraded Bathrooms w/ Soaking Tub, Walk out Patio to Zen Garden/Rooftop

The W Scottsdale is a nice hybrid of hotel & resort and offers guests the best of both worlds. You can walk to almost everything in Old Town Scottsdale, yet relax endlessly while laying poolside or enjoying one of the many Spa treatments available at Bliss Spa. In either case, you’ll likely be Wowed by the W Scottsdale.