The Saguaro

Photo by Lisa E White

jdvhotels.com

For the perfect Scottsdale downtown hotel location, The Saguaro is set right on the corner of Civic Center Plaza near Old Town and the Arts District close to shopping and great nightlife.  If you like bright colors, this hotel will delight you with 12 vibrant shades taken from desert wildflowers.  Intense hues tie the hotel together with each door and room having its own color.  The happy colors are also reflected in the super friendly staff, as the hotel is part of the "Joie de Vivre" or Joy of Life hotel group.  Iron Chef Jose Garces, a James Beard winner, revamped the dining experience with a Southwestern flare at the Old Town Whiskey, a frontier saloon-style bar, and Distrito with small plate Mexican street food.  Before The Saguaro opened in 2011, it had been The James, another upscale hotel with great dining and bar.  However, I remember when the original Doubletree Inn opened in 1975 which was designed by Peter A. Lendrum, where thick white stucco walls mimic those of Bennie Gonzales'  architecture of the City Hall and Civic Center Library, with  deep, recessed windows to keep out the summer sun.  (See blogs of:  City hall-Sept. 19, Scottsdale Center for Performing Arts-Aug. 19, and Civic Center Library-June 6.)  Decades of good times have taken place at this hotel, under any management.