Rising like a phoenix within the Arizona desert, a brand new resort is taking form in Glendale, Arizona. Set on 60 acres and simply 1,000 ft from the Arizona Cardinals soccer stadium, Vai Resort guarantees to be essentially the most distinctive resort in Arizona when it debuts in 2024.
TPG lately visited the positioning of the brand new resort to see the event firsthand. Grant Fisher, president of Vai World Improvement, confirmed me round and shared his imaginative and prescient for this one-of-a-kind oasis within the desert.
What units Vai Resort aside from the opposite luxurious four- and five-star properties in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona? For starters, it won’t be a part of one of many main lodge manufacturers, in response to Fisher.
Plus, it would have distinctive points of interest, equivalent to a tethered scorching air balloon and a live performance venue dubbed “Vai Amphitheater” that may maintain as much as 8,000 visitors for A-list live shows and occasions — the resort is presently planning on internet hosting as much as 100 dwell exhibits per 12 months. There’s additionally the temperature-controlled sand on the 52,000-square-foot Konos Seaside Membership, which may have DJ events and 5 acres of refreshing swimming pools to chill off in.
The resort shall be residence to the Mattel Journey Park as properly. That includes the Scorching Wheels Bone Shaker curler coaster and a “Thomas & Pals”-themed land, the park offers visitors the possibility to get pleasure from every kind of distinctive experiences. Barbie followers will notably love the life-size Barbie Seaside Home and the rooftop bar and restaurant serving Barbie pink cocktails.
With 4 lodge towers, greater than 1,100 rooms and plans to make use of 1,800 full-time staff, Vai Resort would be the largest lodge in Arizona. The subsequent largest lodge is the newly reimagined Sheraton Phoenix Downtown, which has 1,000 rooms and sits close to the Phoenix Conference Middle.
Do not suppose the resort is only for leisure, although. With 80,000 sq. ft of deliberate state-of-the-art assembly house, company teams can even have the ability to benefit from the resort, and Fisher envisions group buyouts of whole towers for incentive journeys.
Resort tower themes
Every lodge tower may have its personal valet entrance and porte-cochere for visitors arriving on the resort, so there isn’t any dragging baggage throughout the expansive grounds to seek out your room.
We toured the Amphitheater Tower, the place the theme is rock ‘n’ roll. The constructing has a north-south configuration, and all 148 of the south-facing rooms look into the grounds and the $40 million stage that can have state-of-the-art know-how.
These rooms develop into non-public skyboxes the place visitors can view live shows from their very own balconies — the plan is for every room reservation to obtain six live performance tickets. For anybody seeking to host a bigger social gathering, the third-floor VIP Skybox can maintain as much as 60 visitors with prime live performance views.
Amphitheater Tower third-floor VIP Skybox live performance stage. BECKY BLAINE/THE POINTS GUY
“We’re dedicated to creating a brand new sort of venue — a visionary new idea that may be a true game-changer on this planet of music and hospitality,” Fisher stated. “Our purpose is not simply to construct the best venue in Arizona, however to set a brand new customary for dwell leisure globally. We’re excited to share this imaginative and prescient with the world and sit up for welcoming artists and music followers from each nook of the globe to the VAI Amphitheater on the VAI Resort.”
The rooms themselves are properly appointed with indoor and outside seating (for balcony rooms), a eating/work desk, a media middle and ample storage. The toilet options floor-to-ceiling Carrara marble, Bulgari bathtub merchandise and a choice of hair instruments. Open the closet and you will not discover an iron however somewhat a steamer and cozy robes and slippers.
Different resort towers embrace the family-focused Rhythm Tower, with quick access to the Mattel Journey Park and a primary view of the Scorching Wheels Bone Shaker curler coaster that wraps across the exterior of the constructing, and the Cadence Tower, which has a boutique really feel.
Maybe essentially the most spectacular tower is the Vai Villas Tower, which can characteristic 176 all-suite lodging starting from 1,100 to five,300 sq. ft. Every villa may have a kitchenette with a full-size fridge, a wine fridge and a sink, in addition to a powder room along with the primary en suite loos. The rooftop will characteristic two non-public swimming pools for the unique use of villa visitors.
Fisher additionally famous that under the Villas shall be as much as 80,000 sq. ft of luxurious retail procuring that includes curated manufacturers from SoHo within the Manhattan borough of New York Metropolis; Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California; Sonoma, California; and Mykonos, Greece.
Numerous food and drinks choices
If distinctive is the secret, anticipate to be wowed by Vai Resort’s choices. The property is planning to dominate on this class, with 12 totally different eating venues that includes a spread of worldwide cuisines.
We toured the house that can develop into the signature steakhouse on the eighth flooring of the Amphitheater Tower. Flooring-to-ceiling stacking glass partitions speak in confidence to let visitors benefit from the cool desert evenings and dwell leisure that can happen on the amphitheater stage under. The steakhouse can even characteristic a cigar lounge, a speak-easy and a non-public eating room.
There shall be 10 distinctive bar and cocktail experiences across the resort, too, from the Konos Seaside Membership to varied foyer bars to the mimosa bar within the “Thomas & Pals”-inspired land.
Backside line
When Vai Resort begins its phased opening in 2024, it will likely be the biggest resort in Arizona. It’s going to have essentially the most distinctive points of interest and leisure the Valley of the Solar has ever seen.
Keep tuned to TPG for extra data because the resort nears completion. You too can examine the dwell building digital camera on the resort’s web site for progress.