If you haven’t entered any dates, the rate shown is provided directly by the hotel and represents the cheapest double room (including tax) available in the next 60 days.
Prices have been converted from the hotel’s local currency (USD1,439.10), via openexchangerates.org, using today’s exchange rate.
Style
Rock steady
Setting
Life on Mars
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A bottle of wine from a local vineyard
40.
11am, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 4pm.
Double rooms from £1310.80 ($1,639), including tax at 13.9 per cent.
Rates include an á la carte breakfast.
Early riser? Swing open those black-out shades to spot the local wildlife hitting the creek for their daily dose of H20.
Golf carts, electric bikes, valet parking, spa, pool. In rooms: Retractable TV, motorized black-out shades, private rooftop patio with fire pit, Plum wine dispenser, Hinoki tub, air-purification system, Firecreek coffee, Byredo Gypsy Water bath products, Matouk spa robes, slippers, and gourmet minibar.
Each of the cubed atriums are alike in layout, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a private rooftop terrace (complete with a fire pit and day-bed, no less). The only differences are the statement artworks that line the wall behind the bed and the 180-degree view you’ll enjoy when tucked up inside. Choose from forest and red-rock vistas or lazy waterways.
You’ll find the curvy pool conveniently located a few steps from the bar. Four platforms, punctuated by fire pits and shaded with parasols, allow lovebirds to cozy up in warmth and privacy. There’s a built-in Jacuzzi, too, as well as fountains for a refreshing spritz. And, for special occasions – the Superbowl or Kentucky Derby, say – a retractable TV has been fitted into the landscaping.
The Velvet spa is serviced by a spiral staircase that runs from the top floor to the bottom, spanning three treatment rooms, one of which is reserved for couples. There’s also a sound lounge where over 250 soothing tracks – from storms to whale whistles – will have you nodding off in no time; and in the soaking room, two heated Japanese tubs are filled with oxygenated water helping to deeply hydrate skin and boost the immune system. Fitness fanatics can get their fix at the hotel’s partner gym, less than a mile up the road; but for those who prefer an alfresco workout, the on-site trailhead has access to over 300 miles of pristine hiking ground.
Leave your snow-white linens and pristine tennis shoes at home, unless, of course, you’d prefer them in an earthier hue.
The Creekside Reflections atrium is well-equipped for those with mobility issues, and features a ground-floor patio, roll-in shower and grab bars. There’s also an adapted phone and doorbell for the hearing-impaired.
Leave the little ones at home, Ambiente is more of a grown-up retreat.
In addition to maintaining one of Sedona's most popular trailheads, Ambiente has revitalised the existing waterways in order to recycle rainfall and irrigation water. In the kitchen, ingredients are sourced from local farmers, who in turn, use the resort’s waste and organic matter as plant-ready nutrients when preparing their next yield. What’s more, all the resort’s vehicles are electric and single-use plastic is very much a no-no.
Take your pick…they don’t call it ‘a Landscape Hotel’ for nothing.
Red, red rocks call for red, red lipstick.
Ambiente’s restaurant was the last of the resort’s structure’s to be built, the 41st to be precise, hence its name Forty1. Inside, mirrored walls and floor-to-ceiling glass windows give the space an open-air feel, juxtaposed with leather banquette seating and warm teak tables. It goes without saying – or, well, actually we quite like going on about them – that the views are splendid. And in the kitchen? Chef Lindsey Dale’s Modern-American fare uses high-quality, sustainably-sourced ingredients acquired from leading-the-way local farmers and ranchers. For special occasions, Ambiente’s alfresco private-dining space can be booked for up to 12 people.
In the corner of Forty1, the hotel bar is the place to be for a post-dip daiquiri or a poolside piña colada. In the summer months, its windows retract to act as serving hatches, making it all the easier to shuffle spirits to and from the fire pit-flanked sofas.
Catch breakfast at Forty1 between 7am and 10.30am, lunch from 11am to 4pm and dinner from 5pm to 9pm. The bar mixes its last negroni at 10pm.
Sure, order anything from the restaurant straight to your door between 7am and 9pm.
Straddling Arizona’s county line between Yavapai and Coconino, you’ll find Ambiente, a Landscape Hotel nestled between lush forests and dry, desert landscapes, just a five-minute drive from Sedona’s Main Street.
Flagstaff Airport is the closest commercial hub, but only has direct links with Phoenix, Arizona and Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. International arrivals should fly direct to Phoenix Sky Harbor International. From here, Ambiente is a two-hour drive and transfers can be arranged for approximately $450 each way. Alternatively, Tucson International is around a three-hour drive away.
As the hotel’s landscape can attest to, Arizona is vast. As such, wheels are essential for those planning on exploration. For a journey through Sedona’s signature scenery, take the snaking 89A road through Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff or the 179 south toward Lake Montezuma, known by locals as the Red Rock Scenic Byway. For further-flung follies, you can reach LA’s star-studded coast in just under eight hours. Overnight valet parking is available free of charge to guests, and there are electric chargers on site for eco-friendly fuelling.
Taking the chopper for a spin? Touch down at Sedona Airport, just a five-minute drive from Ambiente.
Sedona is known for its soul-stirring red rocks and an abundance of outdoor pursuits. Conveniently the Adobe Jack trail, one of the most popular, sits just steps from Ambiente’s entrance, with access to over 300 miles of scenic terrain. The Munds Wagon trail is another worthy walk, which traces a historic cattle and wagon road all the way up to Merry-Go-Round Rock, where you’ll be greeted by dazzling views of the surrounding buttes and formations. For minimum-effort marches with maximum reward, try the Long Canyon Trail, which follows a wide, flat path. Top tip; half a mile in, veer left to climb the Birthing Cave, a diamond-shaped grotto nestled into the cliff edge. Those who prefer burning rubber to calories can get their fix along the ‘museum without walls' that is the Red Rock Scenic Byway. While you’ve got your wheels, the drive toward Flagstaff is another head-turner. Pack your bathing suit and a picnic and stop off at the Grand Canyon’s little sister, Oak Creek Canyon for a splash-happy sojourn in one of the picturesque swimming holes. Back in Sedona, Chapel of the Holy Cross in Coconino National Forest will leave architecture buffs swooning over its soaring minimalist form, built into the rock. And that’s not the only divine encounter you’ll find here: Cathedral Rock’s oxidised minerals are said to be sacred energy centres, though it’s best for seasoned scramblers. Due to its good vibrations, Sedona’s become a spiritual hub, where you’ll find all manner of holistic healers, from yogis to astrologers, namaste-ing their way around town. Fancy a tarot reading or a spot of aura photography? You’ll find it all in Sedona’s Main Street district. Keep an eye out for the bronze plaques dotted around, which commemorate the many western’s filmed here, grab a bite in one of the town’s courtyards and plazas or pick up one-of-a-kind artisan crafts at Tlaquepaque Arts Village.
A two-minute walk from the hotel you’ll find Mariposa, the hotel’s sister restaurant, which you could say was the blueprint for Ambiente. The sweeping views from the restaurant’s patio inspired the owner to create a place where guests could not only dine in such landscapes, but live within them, too (at least, for a little while). Food-wise, expect Latin cuisine expertly prepared by celebrity chef Lisa Dahl. Further along, the Cowboy Club – formerly the Oak Creek Tavern, which the likes of John Wayne, James Stewart, and, by some accounts, Elvis himself were known to frequent after filming – retains its status as a bastion of high desert fare and (wild) western hospitality. Warm up in front of the cosy fireplace with elk steak, bison pot roast or baby-back ribs, and a side of the signature cactus fries. For a change of scene, René is more of a white linen and candlelight affair. Head here for intimate fine dining and a taste of the Med.
Ok, admittedly Elote Café and its offerings are, as café’s go, rather refined. In fact, we’d be tempted to rename it ‘Elote Restaurant’. Helmed by Arizona native Jeff Smedstad and inspired by his travels around Oaxaca, Veracruz and Puebla, its offerings draw on Mexican classics while incorporating the farm-fresh flavours of the Southwest. If it’s coffee you’re after, you’ll find ethically-sourced brews at family-owned spot Oak Creek Espresso, along with homemade pastries, loose-leaf teas and a mean affogato.
Get hoppy at Oak Creek Brewing Company, Sedona's only microbrewery, where you’ll find a variety of craft ales, a fire pit-flanked beer garden and a rather generous happy hour running from 4pm to 7pm daily. Those seeking something sweeter to sip on should head to StageCoach Roadhouse, where craft cocktails are complemented by live music, including Karaoke Tuesdays and DJs at the weekend. We’re particularly fond of their blood-orange mezcalita (Bruxo mezcal, blood orange purée, lime and agave) and pineapple-infused speciality margarita.
Every hotel featured is visited personally by members of our team, given the Smith seal of approval, and then anonymously reviewed. As soon as our reviewers have returned from this landscape hotel in the Arizona desert and unpacked their stargazing binoculars and aura-cleansing crystals, a full account of their Red Rock romp will be with you. In the meantime, to whet your wanderlust, here's a quick peek inside Ambiente, a Landscape Hotel in Sedona…
Sedona newcomer Ambiente, a Landscape Hotel knows a thing or two about natural beauty, In fact, that’s what Sedona’s all about. You may well have caught a glimpse of the city’s iconic red-rock formations adorning the background of a 1950s western. It’s also known for its mystical allure, as a hotbed of swirling energy centres, or ‘vortexes’ that – according to some – promote healing and restore balance in our souls, minds and bodies. And, while we can’t claim that Ambiente, spread across three acres of cacti-studded plains, is privy to such phenomena, we can wholeheartedly vouch for its knee-weakening vistas, sleek ‘n’ sustainable design and eagle-eyed attention to detail. Let’s call it light-on-the-land luxury; built by ASUL Architects, great care has been taken to not disrupt the site’s natural assets, revitalising existing waterways and blending each of the resort’s 40 elevated cubed cabins into the landscape, using bronze-tinted glass windows which reflect the mountains. Inside, bespoke furnishings have been made by local artisans using reclaimed juniper, and freestanding tubs make a fine spot for a midday dip – made all the more pleasant with a chilled glass of Copper State wine poured straight from your room's Plum wine dispenser. Come evening, head to your private rooftop terrace to swoon under the stars. And, with a picture-perfect pool, modern American restaurant and cutting-edge spa on site, you’ll be leaving transformed, vortex or not.
Price per night from $1,439.10
