Meet the Most Luxurious Resort in Scottsdale

Montelucia's Prado will surprise business travelers who often encounter lackluster hotel restaurants or have permanently written off hotel food. Named for the Madrid museum, the restaurant features an Andalusia-inspired menu. The Montelucia resort as a whole captures the more soulful side of Spain and features the ambiance of the southern region of Andalusia, where culture is vibrant and flavors distinctly alive. Prado and the adjacent Mbar focus on fresh drinks and a cultural atmosphere that promises to impress. A venue where food enthusiasts and wine connoisseurs can dine in luxury, enjoying signature dishes and regional cocktails while overlooking the majestic Camelback Mountain.

Chef Claudio Urciuoli couldn't have asked for a more idyllic spot. The restaurant at this luxe new resort offers an elegant interior that screams relax. The kitchen sources many artisanal products: half the meats on the menu have private labels. Urciuoli samples the sublime ingredients with more of his supremely confident, creative constructions: divine lamb cathedrals, cured sausages over seared artichoke. Hotel food has gone through a renaissance, clearly, at Prado, which offers so many culinary wonders. Dining at Prado proved an extraordinary event.

Joya Spa, the jewel of the resort, is an expansive Moroccan-inspired 31,000 square foot spa, with 5,200 square feet of outdoor space. The spa houses 19 treatment rooms including five opulently over-sized treatment suites with terraces, king size daybeds, dual treatment tables, fireplaces, flat-screen televisions, outdoor and indoor showers, in-suite bathrooms with sunken tubs and direct poolside access. Joya Spa is the first in Arizona to offer a Hammam and Hammam-inspired therapies and treatments. Joya also includes a Wellness Program, the Joya Salon, a fashion-forward luxury boutique, Joya Bazaar, multiple lounges, a state-of-the-art fitness center, juice bar, and Joya Terrace restaurant at Joya's rooftop pool. The six unique restaurants and venues will more than satisfy any desire. Enjoy a night of a million stars, a stupendous landscape of reddish dunes and mountains.

On my last evening at Montelucia, I took in the energetic vibe of MBar. I wondered if my friend's girlfriend was going too far. She was dancing free form and barefoot in a clingy summer dress that left little to the imagination. The lively crowd was going wild. There was spontaneous close-harmony singing, a LOT of grilled meat, and toasts in whichever fiery local spirit you chose. The waiters smiled indulgently as they kept the vino flowing. After all, they know all about Prado's powers of seduction.

By Si Si Penaloza, Editorial Director, WOMAN.ca

InterContinental Montelucia Resort and Spa

4949 E. Lincoln Drive
Corner of Lincoln and Tatum boulevards
Paradise Valley , Arizona
85253
Tel: 888 627 3010 (toll-free)
Tel: 480 627 3200

www.icmontelucia.com

Si Si Penaloza
		About the author:
		Si Si has cultivated strong ties with editors, producers and publishers at all major Canadian media outlets. She is a seasoned print, radio and broadcast specialist. Graduating Magna Cum Laude from Bowdoin College in Maine, Si Si moved to Manhattan to study Film at New York University. Her strengths lie in contextualizing relevant content for a broad audience. She's driven to stay competitive and at the top of the market - commissioning exclusive features and launching bold initiatives.
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