I arrived at the Spa at Camelback on a sweltering day in mid-July. Did I mention that it’s in Phoenix? The temperature throughout the week hovered in the low 100’s. But the price was so irresistible that it was worth every melting penny in my pocket.
The Camelback Inn Resort & Spa set the tone for their outstanding customer service the minute I pulled in. Despite the Arizona heat, a group of greeters met me in the parking lot, with smiles. The front desk cheerily welcomed me as well and pointed out on a map which building I’d be staying in.
My room was missing the spa slippers and blow dryer. I called the front desk, and they immediately sent me the slippers, but the blow dryer took a long time to arrive, as my hair began to dry, style-less, in the desert heat. When someone finally knocked on my door to give me the blow dryer, it occurred to me that someone had just gone to the store to purchase the brand-new appliance.
The next day, I hit the spa. The check-in was simple, and again, a round of smiles, “My pleasure,” and “Please let me know if you have any questions.” The desert rain loofah was heavenly, with the Vichy shower washing away my worries about the due date of my next book review. (I even got to keep the loofah.) The Native Hot Stone Massage ended blissfully, with my therapist gently shaking a rain stick around my body. The salon at the spa even lent me a round brush to take to my room when I realized that I had forgotten to pack mine.
Dining options overflowed from their array of on-site establishments. Rita’s Kitchen offered gluten-free choices and “gluten-free upon request” selections. The beet & goat cheese salad had me peeing red for days because I simply could not stop ordering it.
My particular package offered $159 a night for my room, plus a $50 daily credit good for the spa, golf, and other activities. When I ran into a snafu with a spa store purchase, I mentioned it to Joseph, the uber-kind front desk manager, and he immediately apologized and offered me a $25 resort credit.
I honestly cannot think of anything that disappointed at the Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, and I am one scrutinous spa-goer. Well, okay, I wish they had told me that they were going to have to purchase my replacement blow dryer and that it would take a while. But how could I complain while waiting in a spacious room with a patio outside my sliding-glass doors and a pool I could walk to from there?
If any of you have been to the Spa at Camelback, I’d love to hear your story.
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