Arizona Biltmore Showcases Frank Lloyd Wright's Style In An Elegant And Historic Setting
After a multi-million dollar renovation in 2014 of the guest rooms and suites, spa, salon, and meeting spaces, the historic Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, offers guests modern accommodations while preserving the distinctive design and architecture of the property.
Renovations included the Paradise, Garden, Valley Cottage, and Terrace Court rooms and suites. The new design includes a light brown color palette juxtaposed with contrasting dark wood colors. Bronze and gold metal accents provide vintage ambiance while light green glass tops on bureaus and plush easy chairs and sofas add a certain cozy, warm feeling.
The Arizona Biltmore was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright's colleague Albert Chase McArthur and opened in 1929. Wright's influence is apparent throughout the resort. The lobby is a museum of Wright-inspired design housing a gold leaf ceiling, barrel chairs with curved wooden backs, low-slung oak tables, and a contemporary stained glass window design.
Housed within the resort's 39 acres are 740 guest rooms and the upscale Ocatilla 120-room boutique hotel. The 22,000-square foot spa includes a dry sauna, wet steam room, whirlpool, fitness center with daily classes, a full-service salon, and six tennis courts. The spa's natural healing treatments include a wide variety of scrubs, facials, massages, and body wraps, as well as nail and hair care in the salon. Guests can even enjoy eight swimming pools and two 18-hole golf courses.
Guests can also choose from a variety of dining options. Honoring Frank Lloyd Wright and Albert Chase McArthur, Frank & Albert's serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a casual setting with a cozy fireplace and al fresco patio dining. Dishes include lots of pizza and pasta choices, blackened salmon, vegetable risotto, scallops, short ribs, burgers, and skirt steak with a chipotle mash. Desserts include warm apple cobbler, butterscotch pudding, and tableside s'mores.
The resort's signature restaurant, Wright's at the Biltmore, offers contemporary American cuisine in an art-deco style setting. Deep orange leather booths, globe hanging light fixtures, and a floor-to-ceiling paneled window wall make the atmosphere upscale and comfortable. Diners can choose from a set five-course tasting menu or order a la carte. Dishes include smoked beef tartare with chorizo and saffron, salt-cured foie gras and fig, lobster bisque, beef wellington, sea bass with asparagus and crab, smoked gnocchi, and smoked tenderloin of bison. Desserts include a trio of soufflés, a dark chocolate spumoni torte, Bavarian cheesecake, and crème brûlée. Every table also received a nice sampling of cotton candy at the end of the meal.
For lighter fare, the Wright Bar offers a variety of signature cocktails, wines, whiskeys, and bourbons, as well as small bites including calamari, quesadillas, truffle mac and cheese, burgers, pizzas, and steak frites.
High tea is also offered and includes sandwich options like egg and cucumber, smoked salmon, lobster salad, chicken Waldorf, and melon and prosciutto, as well as scones and a variety of pastries.
The resort has also added a trio of new chefs, including Chris Vitanza as new Executive Pastry Chef, Brian Peterson as new Chef de Cuisine at Wright's at the Biltmore, and Steve Sprague, who was promoted to Chef de Cuisine at Frank & Albert's.