The Concierge

Through exceptional relationships with restaurants, vendors and attractions, our concierge desk is able to secure reservations at locations that do not typically accept reservations, and even reservations to popular, and often sold out, attractions such as Kartchner Caverns.

What are your group restaurant recommendations?
Janos is wonderful for French-inspired Southwestern cuisine using produce grown by a network of gardeners throughout southern Arizona. But for the ultimate in fine dining with majestic city views, we suggest the Ventana Room, the only AAA Five Diamond restaurant in Tucson.

What are your bar or nightclub recommendations?
Groups can kick up their heels at The Maverick or Cactus Moon for country and western line dancing and two-stepping and El Parador for salsa/merengue. For groups looking for the latest upbeat, live music, we recommend 4th Avenue or Club Congress. Some local restaurants such as McMahon’s Prime Steakhouse and Sullivan’s feature live jazz nightly.

Can you recommend a good place to take a stroll?
Tucson is well known for its myriad walking trails and hiking opportunities, but guests don’t have to go far with our new 1.5-mile paved nature path. Starting at the resort, the trail includes stops at an 80-foot natural waterfall, our koi pond and a new butterfly garden created in partnership with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Still another strolling spot is the Tucson Botanical Gardens.

Are there any quirky places we should check out?
Arrange a hike for your group with Purple Mountain Pack Goats, which includes a trailside gourmet lunch. Or, visit the “El Tiradito” Wishing Shrine. Legend has it a love triangle, broken hearts and a crime of passion brought about this shrine, which has been part of the local scene for more than a century. Finally, groups can visit Hotel Congress in the heart of downtown Tucson and check out its history of hauntings and great murals. Hotel Congress was also where one of the country’s most notorious criminals, John Dillinger, was captured in the early 1900s.

If we only have an hour or two, what should we definitely check out nearby?
The Arizona State Museum on the campus of the University of Arizona features exhibits about 23 Native American tribes. Or if your group prefers outdoor activities, take the Presidio Trail, a historic walking tour of downtown Tucson. Next, experience a century of aviation and explore over 250 aircraft at the Pima Air and Space Museum.

What is an unusual request from a group?
While hosting the 2006 Mrs. America Pageant, one of the pageant organizers asked if we could locate her father’s aircraft, which he had flown in World War II. It was known to be located in the “boneyard” of the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, home to 4,400 retired aircraft. The concierge team worked frantically for three days and finally located the actual plane flown by the guest’s father. Talk about finding a needle in a haystack! It was quite a thrill to satisfy this guest request.

A party of 12 wants to have dinner right away. What restaurant can accommodate last-minute requests of this size?
We recommend the Flying V Bar & Grill, as well as Sullivan’s, Terra Cotta, McMahon’s, Fleming’s, Bazil’s, Piazza Gavi, Guadalajara Grill, and Red Sky Cafe.

What’s a unique event that has taken place at your property?
We’ve hosted the 2006 and 2007 Mrs. America Pageant and we’re pleased to host the Tucson Lifestyle Magazine Cover Dog Contest, featuring over 400 applicants (dogs).