After years of delays, the Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley is expected to be completed by the end of 2024, with an official opening date coming soon. The project features 80 villas, 32 estate homes and a resortwith 215 rooms. The sold-out villas, which range from 1,700 to 4,800 square feet, are beginning to be occupied by residents. Each space was customized to the specifications of the buyer, making every villa distinct. One of the villas visited during a tour included an indoor/outdoor shower along with a barbecue area in the backyard, both with stunning views of Camelback Mountain.
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“Developing these hyper iconic products are labors of love. They take time and patience,” says John Hearns, senior vice president of global residential operations for Marriot. “One of the reasons it has taken a little longer to get to this moment is that Ritz-Carlton residences are unique. There are only two in the world.”
The estate homes range from 5,500 to more than 12,000 square feet with pricing starting at $7 million. Like the villas, these homeowners can customize their residence with different configurations, including an option for an auto showcase gallery to display an exotic vehicle in the lower level of the home. According to a press release, there will be four different home plans with three different elevation styles that “emphasize modern, prairie and Mediterranean-inspired architecture, designed by Scottsdale-based C.P. Drewett.”
The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley is located within the $2 billion master-planned community The Palmeraie, which spans 122 acres. The project, owned and developed by Five Star Development, includes 160,000 square feet of mixed-use space, 140,000 square feet of office space and 52 Fendi-branded residences.
Five Star Development says in a press release that sustainability is integrated into The Palmeraie’s identity, with design standards such as sunshades and canopies to blunt the effect of direct sunlight on buildings. The developer is also “exploring site renewable energy concepts with rooftop mounted photovoltaics, a solar trellis shade canopy capable of producing half the total energy used in the first phase of The Palmeraie, resulting in substantial energy savings.”
Originally proposed in 2007, the development was paused due to the Great Recession. Plans were revisited in 2015 with construction scheduled to start in 2016 but was pushed back until 2018. The pandemic further stalled the project, but it is slated to open by the end of the year.
World-class oasis
The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley resort aims to be one of the finest hotels in Arizona. Steven Szenasi, general manager for the resort, says there is no other property like what is being built in Paradise Valley in the company’s portfolio — which is the reason he says his nearly four years on the job have been “worth the wait.”
There are only 215 rooms across 20 acres, Szenasi explains, meaning there is plenty of space and privacy for guests. 137 of the rooms will be located in one of two casita villages, including the six-bedroom, 7,500-square-foot presidential suite. The remaining 78 rooms will be in the resort’s main building.
One of the highlights of the resort will be a two-story, 16,000-square-foot spa. The building will feature a full salon with six chairs and pedicure and manicure stations. The downstairs area will also include sauna and steam rooms, and a co-ed lounge that opens up to an outdoor private deck.
“We’re going to have 13 treatment rooms that will include a beautiful couple’s room, which will be close to 1,500 square feet,” Szenasi says. “You’ll have all the amenities — Jacuzzis, couple massages and a private balcony.”
The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley will also have more than 20,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, including a 10,000-square-foot grand ballroom, 6,000-square-foot ballroom and a smaller ballroom just over 4,000 square feet. This, combined with the open-air amphitheater, will make the resort a destination for weddings and large galas.
“There is about 80,000 square feet of outdoor meeting space,” Szenasi says. “We also created a beautiful lawn area specifically for weddings on the other side of the hotel, which will have a 180-degree view of Camelback Mountain.”
The resort will also feature a robust food and beverage program, including a bar servicing the 400-foot-long pool. In March, the Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley announced the first of three restaurants at the resort — Mott 32, a globally renowned Chinese restaurant.
“We’ve been looking for years to find the top restaurants in the world, and we finally landed on one that fits that,” says Jerry Ayoub, president of Five Star Development. “We want to be an international destination, and Mott 32 has been the No. 1 restaurant in Hong Kong for many years.”
Mott 32 will serve traditional Cantonese dishes with Bejing and Szechuan influence, including a 42-day apple wood roasted Peking duck and barbecue pluma Iberico pork glazed with yellow mountain honey and an expansive dim sum selection. Guests will enjoy poolside and mountain views in the 4,600-square-foot restaurant — with interiors inspired by traditional Chinese aesthetics yet fused with modern elegance — and will include a 4,100-square-foot outdoor patio.
“Scottsdale’s reputation for luxury and discerning tastes aligns perfectly with the Mott 32 experience,” says Malcolm Wood, founder of Mott 32, in a press release. “The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley provides an unparalleled canvas for us to showcase the essence of Mott 32 — a blend of tradition, innovation and uncompromising quality.”
