The 8 Best Arizona Family Resorts of 2023

Four Seasons Scottsdale Arizona — Barry Winiker / Getty Images

The Rundown

Best Overall: Fairmont Scottsdale Princess – See Rates at TripAdvisor

"Seasonal activities run throughout the year, from fishing competitions and nature hikes in the summer to ice skating in winter."

Best for Golf: El Conquistador Tucson – See Rates at TripAdvisor

"The on-site tennis center is also highly regarded, with excellent facilities and professional staff providing coaching clinics."

Best Pool: Arizona Grand Resort – See Rates at TripAdvisor

"Guest rooms and suites have been recently renovated and all have walk-in showers in the bathrooms and private balconies or patios."

Best Ranch Experience: Rancho de los Caballeros – See Rates at TripAdvisor

"The resort also has a highly-rated 18-hole golf course with a driving range, putting green, a pro shop, and a grill restaurant."

Best Boutique: Enchantment Resort – See Rates at TripAdvisor

"At Camp Coyote, counselors guide young ones on hikes and scavenger hunts in the natural environment and explore local culture."

Best Luxury: Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North – See Rates at TripAdvisor

"If parents need a break, the kid’s club has table games, activities, and excursions to explore the local ecology."

Best for Antelope Canyon: Lake Powell Resort – See Rates at TripAdvisor

"The hotel is smart and modern, with many of the cozy rooms having views of the lake from small private balconies or patios."

Best for Grand Canyon: El Tovar Hotel – See Rates at TripAdvisor

"Larger rooms and suites can accommodate rollaway beds for families or groups."

Best Overall: Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

Created in a Spanish colonial style, the sprawling Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is one of the grandest resorts in the Phoenix area. Within its grounds, six pools include family-friendly options with slides, a zero-entry splash pool and sandbox, a separate adults-only pool—and quieter options with hot tubs, private cabanas, and pleasant views. The Well & Being Spa has a huge range of facilities including steam room, eucalyptus inhalation room, dry sauna, and therapeutic hot pool followed by cold plunge and Swiss showers. Treatments include diverse massages, facials, and body treatments. Guests can relax after a session around the exclusive rooftop pool. Golfers can play at the TPC Scottsdale just next door to the resort or book reservations at many other nearby courses. Seasonal activities run throughout the year, from fishing competitions and nature hikes in the summer to ice skating in winter. The kid’s club has games, activities, and social events and there are boutique shops in a small retail center.

Best for Golf: El Conquistador Tucson

Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf and Tennis Resort — Hilton Tucson

While the top-notch golf courses and facilities are the main attraction for the El Conquistador Tucson, a Hilton resort, there are plenty of other diversions to entertain guests. The resort has access to three local golf courses: the nine-hole Pusch Ridge Course is set amid the hills and dunes surrounding the resort, while the 18-hole championship grounds of Conquistador and Cañada are reached by shuttle. Also highly regarded is the on-site tennis center, with excellent facilities and professional staff providing coaching clinics, tournaments, and personal lessons. Three pools include one with a water slide. Enjoy SpaWell's signature facials and the adult-only outdoor spa pool with views of picturesque Pusch Ridge. From the resort, there is a network of trails for hiking and cycling, and a weekly activities roster includes cardio workouts, yoga sessions, and guided nature walks. A Native American flutist plays traditional songs in a daily sunset ritual before guests dine on Southwest-inspired cuisine at the elegant Epazote Kitchen. In addition, Desert Springs Bar by the pool offers light bites and refreshments throughout the day.

The Hilton is just one of many Tucson hotels we love. Check out some of our other top picks.

Best Pool: Arizona Grand Resort

Just a short drive from Phoenix International Airport and sitting at the base of the extensive South Mountain nature preserve, Arizona Grand Resort is upscale, featuring a spa, a golf course, and several restaurants and bars. However, the standout facility is the 7-acre Oasis water park, a series of pools lined with rock features and filled with waterfalls, lazy river rides, twisting slides eight stories tall, and a wave pool. There is also a giant hot tub and a separate shallow section for smaller children. Guest rooms and suites all have walk-in showers in the bathrooms as well as private balconies or patios. Visitors can enjoy cocktails and craft beers at the Lobby Bar, and can grab coffee and snacks on the go from the Marketplace Café.

Best Ranch Experience: Rancho de los Caballeros

Situated 75 miles from Phoenix International Airport, the Rancho de los Caballeros places guests in the heart of the arid Arizona landscape, offering a genuine rustic experience with a full set of modern amenities. Guest rooms come with authentic Southwest design and décor, while also including luxuries such as fireplaces and spa bathtubs. The resort offers dude ranch activities from horseback rides and guided hikes in the surrounding desert landscape to higher-adrenaline options such as trap and skeet shooting or ATV tours. Visitors can even take to the air in a hot air balloon for a unique perspective of the region. Rancho de los Caballeros also has a highly-rated 18-hole golf course with a driving range, putting green, a pro shop, and a grill restaurant. Other facilities include a spa, tennis courts, and a heated pool. Children are specially catered to with a kid’s club that runs supervised outdoor activities.

Best Boutique: Enchantment Resort

Set in a deep wooded valley with red sandstone buttes and cliffs rising on all sides, Enchantment Resort offers a secluded, 5-star retreat for visitors looking to relax and connect with nature. Constructed with clay adobe and stone that complements the desert setting, traditional building styles create cool indoor environments and sunny courtyard spaces. The Mii amo spa, rated #1 Resort Spa by Travel+Leisure for two years in a row, combines Western and Eastern therapies with elements of Native American spiritual ceremonies. They also practice mindfulness, meditation, and nutrition therapy. At Camp Coyote, counselors guide young ones on hikes and scavenger hunts in the natural environment and explore local culture with pottery and culinary classes. There are guided hiking and mountain biking tours and golfers can play at the nearby Seven Canyon Golf club. Several restaurants are here, with the Tii Gavo being best suited to families both for the food and the alfresco patio seating around the firepit.

Best Luxury: Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North

As the brand has become known for, the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North offers sophisticated luxury and impeccable facilities that specially cater to discerning families. The resort creates golf or spa packages and arranges outdoor excursions in Jeeps, on horseback, or in hot air balloons. Head to the on-site spa for a range of massages, including deep tissue and Swedish. The garden-like pool courtyard has private cabanas kitted with day beds and entertainment systems and there are plenty of cushioned sun lounge chairs around the pool. If parents need a break, the kid’s camp has table games and other activities, a display of local wildlife, and excursions to explore the local desert ecology. The hotel has access to many of the golf courses and facilities in the area, notably the Monument and Pinnacle courses which wind between dramatic rock formations. At both the Callaway Performance Center and the Troon North Golf Club, professional staff help players improve their technique.

Best for Antelope Canyon: Lake Powell Resort

Overlooking the vast expanse of Lake Powell and just a 20-minute drive from Page Airport, Lake Powell Resort is a little further from Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend attractions than other hotels, but the location and facilities more than compensate. From the surrounding docks and marinas, tourist boats leave on scenic rides and fishing trips and visitors can rent jet skis, powerboats, and kayaks. Guided hikes and horseback tours into the red, rocky hills surrounding the lake are available. The hotel is smart and modern, with many of the cozy rooms having views of the lake from small private balconies or patios. Enjoy the two mid-sized pools, one with lake views. There are several restaurants within the complex, with the Rainbow Room offering the best views of the lake through enormous floor-to-ceiling windows.

Best for Grand Canyon: El Tovar Hotel

Perched on the edge of the South Rim, the historic El Tovar Hotel has been the premier accommodation option in the Grand Canyon Village since opening in 1905, having hosted luminaries including Theodore Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, President Bill Clinton, and Sir Paul McCartney. The hotel is built with local limestone and timber and filled with classic hunting lodge décor, but guest rooms and suites have been renovated in more of a '70s style. Larger rooms and suites can accommodate rollaway beds for families or groups. For a gourmet experience coupled with an impressive wine list served in an opulent dining room, try the hotel restaurant. But families looking for a more casual atmosphere will be relieved to know there are abundant restaurants, cafes, and food trucks to be found in the surrounding village.