The Golden Door Spa at The Boulders:

Desert Tranquility

Look closely at the 12-million–year-old rock outcroppings of the Sonoran desert outside Scottsdale, Arizona, and you will find a resort that seems to have grown out of the rocks themselves, with natural terrain and plant life virtually unaltered by the private hideaway.

Within the setting of the resort there lies an escape, the 33,000-square-foot Golden Door Spa, inspired by the original Golden Door in Escondido, California. This luxury spa offers panoramic desert views, whirlpools under boulders, rock and sand gardens, a labyrinth (meditative maze), a 2,000-square-foot fitness center, outdoor patios, hydrotherapy, a full-service salon, a tea room, Vichy treatment rooms, a yoga studio, an outdoor pool with a cascading waterfall, a shiatsu room and a classroom. This long-awaited oasis promises to combine the philosophy of the original Golden Door with Native American themes and cultures and a hint of Asian flair.

The Boulders offers many additional ways to relax in its natural beauty: golf, tennis, a festival-style marketplace, horseback rides, hot-air balloon rides, mountain-bike or Jeep tours, as well as hikes, nature walks and rock climbs. All the resort's restaurants feature organic, local produce and Southwestern decor with desert views. The Latilla is the signature dining room; other dining areas include the Palo Verde, The Boulders Club, the Bakery Café, Cantina del Pedregal, the Golden Door Spa Café and On the Rocks.

There are 215 individual guest casitas offering unique accommodations with refreshment centers, wood-burning fireplaces, private patios or balconies, and spacious bathrooms. All the standard amenities are provided. Pueblo Villas are available to those who desire more space, and include a kitchen, dining area and living room, laundry facilities and garage.