Review of our weekend at the Boulders Resort

Hey, with everything going on lately, I realize I never got a chance to tell you about the weekend beloved boyfriend and I spent down in Arizona. The purpose of our trip was a Lucinda Williams concert on Saturday, May 30, at the Mesa Arts Center.

Remember this post about our last trip to Arizona when we stayed at the Cottonwood Resort in Scottsdale? Remember how the photos on their website compared to the photos I took?

Well, the Cottonwood actually ended up being quite okay, but this time we decided to try out another place—the Boulders Resort in Carefree, just north of Scottsdale. This is a Waldorf Astoria property, so our expectations were high. The guard at the front gate, the woman who checked us in, and the guy who drove us to our casita in a golf cart did not disappoint--all demonstrated superior customer service.

Our casita looked exactly like this photo from their website, so no surprises there.


It was nice and roomy enough, and the bed was the best I’d ever “slept” in. (TMI, sorry.) (But so true.) The bathroom area was enormous, with a giant closet, vanity, dual sinks, huge tub, and separate stall shower.

But this part was a surprise.


Seriously, a Hoss Cartwright swinging saloon door to the toilet area?

Between that and the clear glass door on the shower stall, let's just say our relationship was brought to a whole new level of intimacy I hadn’t quite expected. That bathroom was clearly designed for people with a high level of familiarity.

We left Vegas that Friday night after I got out of work, so it was dark when we arrived. The next day we woke up to beautiful sunshine out on our patio.

The grounds of this place were absolutely gorgeous.



There’s a tremendous amount of wildlife around there, and I’d been warned to be on the lookout for some kind of wild pig monster type of beast called javelinas. I’d never heard of them, but with my animal anxieties, I knew I didn’t care to encounter one face-to-face. Fortunately, all we saw were some lizards and birds (yikes) and this rabbit that is shitting a substance that's an alarming shade of nuclear-waste green.


I thought rabbits were supposed to shit pellets, no? Anyway, for safety’s sake, you can bet I drank only bottled water.

The pool area was lovely, just as their website promised.


However, this was my favorite view. I LOVE THIS MAN.


OMG he is so going to kill me for posting that! I hope he doesn’t retaliate by posting a pic of me shaving my legs in the shower (not pretty) on his site. I never told you that beloved boyfriend has a blog, did I? Oh, you must take a look! It’s um… not at all like mine. He’s kind of, well… Check it out and then come back and let me know what you think. He wants to be a guest blogger on my site someday--should I say yes?

Anyway, I highly recommend a stay at the Boulders, as long as bathroom privacy is of no concern. Seriously, that bathroom was huge, but it just wouldn't work unless you're with someone you know really, really well. Also, the property is laid out in a way that requires you to valet your vehicle; you can’t park in a lot next to your casita (ours is shown below), so if you leave your sunglasses in the car, like I did, there's no making a quick run out for them. Just something to keep in mind.


Off-season, we paid $153/night, which included a $30 charge for the wireless Internet and all tips (except food and beverage). So we didn't have to worry about tipping the maids or the guys in the golf carts.

One more thing: I mentioned on the online follow-up survey they sent me that I got stung by a bee at the pool and today I got a snail-mail letter of apology from the resort manager. That was nice. As I said, the customer service was superb. And, oh, the Lucinda Williams concert was great—her opening/back-up band Buick 6 freakin’ rocked and the Mesa Arts Center is a fine venue.

On Thursday, Mensa Man and I will be traveling fools once again, when we fly to Albany for Courtney and John’s party to celebrate their wedding. You know I’ll have some good stories after that!


Note to my Twin Cities lurker who sent me a private message: Thanks so much for your kind words! You've given me a couple of ideas for future posts--one of which will be entitled "Twitter Can Kiss My Ass." Now there's something else to look forward to!