What’s New in Scottsdale This Winter: Resorts, Wellness, Dining & More
Scottsdale Winter 2025: New Resorts, Restaurants & Events
Scottsdale is lighting up this winter with exciting transformations in its resorts, wellness scene, culinary landscape, arts programming, and seasonal celebrations. Whether you’re a resident or visiting, here’s your guide to what’s new and noteworthy in Scottsdale for the 2025 winter season.
Resort & Hospitality Highlights
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ADERO Scottsdale Resort kicks off a phased redevelopment starting January 2026. Plans include reimagined casitas, a new signature restaurant, expanded spa facilities (hammam, infrared sauna, cold plunge, juice bar), redesigned pool deck, and deeper celestial programming—Solar Sundays and full-moon Sacred Sky Float sessions.
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Scottsdale Golf Retreat at Troon North is under construction and slated to open in early 2026. The property will offer enclave-style accommodations, ideal for golf groups or executive retreats.
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The Phoenician’s Villas at Canyon Suites, debuting in December, introduces eight standalone villas with private pools and luxury resort amenities blended with home-like comfort.
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Fairmont Scottsdale Princess earned the Blue Zones Award for promoting wellness, sustainability, and environments that support longevity. It stands among the first resorts globally to receive this distinction.
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Castle Hot Springs is amplifying its “challenge travel” programming with rappelling, e-bike adventures, backcountry hikes, and 3D archery to blend exhilaration and mindfulness.
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The Hermosa Inn launches its first star-studded concert series under the desert skies—romantic dinners, holiday concerts, and intimate performances on the patio.
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Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale rolls out holiday markets, winter solstice celebrations, curated family programming, and seasonal festivities under the desert sky.
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Royal Palms Resort & Spa is offering multiple Thanksgiving dining options plus a holiday event “Pawlidays” for pets and their owners.
- Great Wolf Lodge transforms its indoor water park into a festive winter wonderland during Snowland (Nov 24–Jan 4), featuring nightly snowfall, Santa visits, crafts, and snow-globe activations.
Wellness & Spa Innovations
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Sanctuary Camelback Mountain introduces the Oxylight Machine (combining light therapy, oxygen infusion, microcurrent tech) plus new fitness classes like Cycle Sculpt, Aerial Restore & Sound, and paddleboard yoga.
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CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa hosts visiting wellness guide Dr. Cassie Holmes on Nov 15, with a workshop on managing time, presence, and fulfillment.
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The Spa at The Boulders debuts the Desert Lovers Ritual, a multi-hour experience combining movement, Watsu, desert botanicals, and massage.
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bluSONIL, a longevity and regenerative aesthetics studio, opens December at Scottsdale Quarter, offering advanced wellness therapies and aesthetic treatments under one roof.
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Shanti Sound hosts the final Human More Happily event (Nov 15) blending clairvoyant Reiki, meditation, and spiritual teachings.
Sip, Savor & New Restaurants
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Drake’s Hollywood is expanding into Old Town Scottsdale in early 2026. The 8,000 sq ft location will feature plush booths, Art Deco lighting, cinematic ambiance, and energetic dining.
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Society Swan launches at Scottsdale Fashion Square, blending the aesthetic of NYC’s swans with French-inspired brasserie energy — champagne lunch, happy hour martinis, and dinner.
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Catch Scottsdale, adjacent to Society Swan, opens with a menu spanning seafood, sushi, wagyu hot rock, crafted cocktails, and high-end wine.
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COURSE, helmed by Chef Cory Oppold, unveils a “Batch Burning” seasonal cocktail series and a wine dinner in collaboration with DANA Estates.
- Craft 64 secures its fifth consecutive “50 Top Pizza” ranking (26th nationally) in part due to scratch-made dough and house-brewed beers.
Arts, Events & Cultural Programming
- Taliesin West offers new experiences for winter: Golden Hour Sunset Hikes, architecture workshops, artist residencies, and the Desert Mirror exhibition (Jan 15–May 31, 2026).
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FRAMERATE: Desert Pulse is now live at the Desert Botanical Garden — a multi-sensory art experience using LiDAR, video, visual pulses, and sound to reinterpret desert landscapes.
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Scottsdale Public Art / Cattle Track unveil “Artists of Cattle Track” (through Dec 31) and launch new arts programming (ArtSpark, Artists in Residence).
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The Museum of the West debuts “Mac Schweitzer: A Southwest Maverick Rediscovered” starting Oct 18.
- Musical Instrument Museum opens “The Magical Flute” exhibit Nov 7, showcasing ancient and modern wind instruments.
- Electric Pickle offers themed nights (Taco Tuesday, Margarita Monday, Wings Wednesday). Meanwhile, PURE Pickleball & Padel is coming soon to the Talking Stick district as a major new facility.
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The International Dark Sky Discovery Center opens next summer in Fountain Hills, featuring the largest telescope in the Phoenix metro and full observatory plans.
- McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park continues its Holiday Lights display (Nov 29–Dec 30), plus a Noon Year’s Eve event on Dec 31.
- Canal Convergence returns Nov 7–16 along the Scottsdale Waterfront, with nightly large-scale art installations, performances, workshops, and food trucks.
- Scottsdazzle, the city’s major holiday festival, runs this winter with tree lighting, holiday markets, scavenger hunts, Segway light tours, and more.
Q&A: Commonly Asked Questions
Q: Which resort is undergoing a major transformation in Scottsdale?
A: ADERO Scottsdale Resort is launching a multi-phase redevelopment starting January 2026, including new rooms, spa enhancements, and celestial programming.
Q: What new dining options are opening in Scottsdale this winter?
A: Notable additions include Society Swan, Drake’s Hollywood (Old Town site), Catch Scottsdale, and COURSE’s expanded cocktail programming.
Q: What are some new wellness or spa innovations to watch?
A: Sanctuary Camelback’s Oxylight Machine, bluSONIL’s longevity studio, and Desert Lovers Ritual at Boulders are among the top new offerings.
Q: When does Scottsdale’s holiday festival season begin?
A: Holiday events begin as early as November with Great Wolf Lodge’s Snowland (Nov 24), Canal Convergence (Nov 7), and the start of Scottsdazzle festivities.
Q: How can new resorts and amenities affect Scottsdale real estate?
A: Enhanced resorts, dining, arts, and wellness will drive property demand in nearby neighborhoods. Homebuyers often prioritize walkability, lifestyle access, and proximity to these evolving amenities.
