Review of HOTEL ADELINE in Scottsdale, Arizona

by Scott S. Smith and Sandra Wells 

In February 2021, we were assigned to write a travel article about things for visitors to do in Greater Phoenix,  Arizona, which is a vibrant New Southwest emerging destination, overlooked by some travelers because of its stereotype of being a literally hot destination. While average highs May to September are in the 95-104 range, it's dry, not humid, so comfortable in the shade and everything indoors is air conditioned. Oct.-Apr. average highs are in the 60s-80s. We consulted with VisitPhoenix https://www.visitphoenix.com/ about hotels to review that were either new or had undergone an upgrade. We were referred to Hotel Adeline https://www.hoteladeline.com/play/about/ in the affluent suburb of Scottsdale, which had recently been remodeled extensively to be able to join Marriott's newest upscale brand, Tribute Portfolio.

Located at 5101 N. Scottsdale Rd. (480/284-7700), it is near the lively Old Town, which is filled with top restaurants, nightclubs, luxury shops, art galleries, spas, wineries, and entertainment. Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright's former home and education center, provides an overview of his legacy for architecture and interior design buffs. Nearby is the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art and Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West.

(Adeline's Pool) 

Set away from the bustle, Adeline bills itself as a "4.5 acre contemporary urban retreat that draws savvy leisure and business travelers." The first thing one notices is the 3,000-square-foot pool with a bar at one end, lined by cabanas, surrounded by lawns where games can be played. There is an elevated deck for lounging or yoga classes and the elevated restaurant patio has a fireplace. 

We shared breakfast inside at Selfmade by Adeline, a delicious avocado toast with heirloom tomatoes, watermelon radish, and argula, plus Greek yogurt with blueberries, breakfast potatoes, and scrambled farm fresh eggs. There is also a whiskey bar. The walls everywhere have abstract or other contemporary art. 

There is a meeting boardroom for 12 and a 1,708-suare-foot ballroom that can host a reception for 120 or seat an audience of 75 for a presentation (it can also be divided in half for smaller events). Everything is accessible for wheelchairs. The entire hotel is kept thoroughly sanitized and staff friendly and helpful. 

(The front room) 

We had not known exactly what kind of room we would get and when we opened the door were stunned to find Addy's Suite, 587 square feet, with a social room at the front, lined by a large couch, sofa chair, flat-screen TV, a volume of African photography, a cabinet with plenty of storage space, and a mini-fridge. At the far end of the suite was the bedroom and in between a large bathroom and shower. This was largest suite we had stayed in since one in Las Vegas 20 years ago. 

The temperature controls were easy to use (not always the case at even top hotels). The 50-inch Samsung TV, with closed captioning, matched the one in the bedroom and was easy to use (unlike some hotels).

One other thing that distinguishes Hotel Adeline is that it is "pet friendly," so pets are welcome to bring their humans to stay with them.

 (Bedroom)

Because the bedroom was set at the far end, it was away from the pool, so there was no noise (thanks also to well-insulated walls). The king bed itself had a Beauty Rest mattress by Simmons, which was among the best we've ever slept in. Truly extraordinary were the pillows: called Sahara Nights by Sobel, they were so comfortable, made of material that retained the fluffiness despite frequent use, the next morning we ordered two for our home.

(Desk and TV)

There was plenty of space on the long wood counter for a single-cup coffee maker, ice bucket, and working desk. The closet held an iron and its board, as well as a safe. The lights and blinds were easy to use. Floors were wood laminate and walls pale, a soothing combination. Because of COVID, regular housekeeping was replaced by leaving dirty linens outside the door for replacement, and a packet of amenities were left outside daily.

(Bathroom sink)

Like most hotels, subtle lighting is supposed to convey sophistication, but we found the rooms were a little too dim for our preference at night. This was particularly true of the bathroom, whose sliding door was also hard to close (renovations were still refining things). Neither of these issues was really very important, since we spent most of our time in the room watching TV and reading.

(Shower)

The walk-in shower's rain showerhead was easy to use, dryer was effective, and toiletries were spa-quality. 

The bottom line: Hotel Adeline receives four out of five stars, with attractive rates for the brand level and area.