Top Reasons to Stay at the AAA Four Diamond Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort & Spa

• Built in the early 1900s, this hacienda-style hotel sits on 80 acres in the desert foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains.
• The hotel recently underwent a $14 million renovation that updated all the guest rooms, outdoor areas, and restaurants.
• There are two onsite dining venues. At Gold, you can use the included $45 breakfast credit to sample specialties such as southwest omelets with roasted corn and chorizo. Lookout Bar & Grille serves casual comfort food and assorted tequilas on the terrace.
• Head to Sonoran Spa for a massage or a botanical facial. The shirodhara, an ancient desert ritual, includes an herbal hand-and-foot treatment and an oil-based scalp massage.
• Just outside the hotel, you’ll find miles of scenic hiking, biking, and horseback-riding trails running through the mountains and the Sonoran Desert. The front desk offers rental bikes and will organize guided hikes and private horseback rides.
• Each guest room features a private balcony or patio with views of the mountains, desert, or city. Chic southwestern decor fills the 650-square-foot junior suites, and the Posada rooms have vaulted wood-beam ceilings.
• Original design features include wrought-iron chandeliers, mahogany floors, a beehive fireplace, and a ceiling covered with native ocotillo branches.

Tucson, Arizona: Southwestern History and Culture Amid the Cacti

Tucson—or the Old Pueblo—is a bastion of southwestern history surrounded by mountains and desert. A blend of European, Native American, Mexican, and Asian traditions shaped the city’s culture. This unique blend is especially evident in the downtown restaurant scene, where you can get authentic chilies rellenos, delicately prepared sushi, and upscale bistro fare with fine wines from nearby vintners. Those willing to make the short trip outside of downtown can soak up the area's gorgeous natural landscape at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, a combined botanical garden and zoo. There, mountain lions, gila monsters, and more than 1,200 kinds of plants spread across 21 acres of desert scenery. Mission San Xavier del Bac, the "White Dove of the Desert," is one of the oldest intact European structures in Arizona. The sprawling white adobe church, located about 10 miles south of downtown, was built in the 1700s. It's a striking example of the area's Spanish colonial architecture, with interiors lined with frescoes and sculpture.

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