Foodies and Nature Lovers Will Rejoice at Castle Hot Springs
For those seeking truly marvelous dining experiences sourced from the freshest ingredients in a tranquil, peaceful setting, replete with a good selection of outdoor activities, look no further than Arizona’s Castle Hot Springs.
A member of both the Small Luxury Hotels of the Word and Historic Hotels of America, Castle Hot Springs is located in the Sonoran Desert about an hour north of Phoenix. Guests can easily make the drive, with the last seven miles on a dirt road home to wild donkeys, or take a helicopter ride from Scottsdale airport, a 20-minute cab ride from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Food Fit for Royalty
To say that the culinary experience at Castle Hot Springs is a foodie’s Eden would be a vast understatement. Under the direction of the talented Executive Chef Chris Knouse, my colleague and I, both die hard foodies – and I had just returned from Paris where I had dined at two Michelin-starred restaurants – were consistently blown away by the artistic presentation, the intricate flavors, and the mouthwatering freshness of the ingredients at the resort’s Harvest Restaurant, much of which came from their farm. More on that in a minute.
Breakfasts boasted a complete array of made-to-order items of the usual variety, but also house made granola and prickly pear Greek yogurt. Specialty items such as barbeque beef Benedict, chicken Tinga chilaquiles, and smoked Scottish salmon with maple Ricotta and fig jam were also delectable headliners. You will also likely see flit about the comical Jacomo – a translucent orange cardinal – who makes routine appearances on The Harvest’s patio.
Lunches had sharable items, notably delicate tempura, pesto flatbread, and my personal favorite, the house made hummus with crudites so fresh they were no doubt in the ground that morning. These were joined by mouthwatering soups, sandwiches of all varieties including buttermilk chicken, American Wagyu carne asada, and my staple, a seared tuna poke bowl. You will want to save room for the gelato cookie sandwich even though you’ll swear you have none, until of course you taste it.
Dinners here are what make foodies swoon in delight. The Harvest chef’s tasting menu was a five-course fete with a greenhouse tomato and sweet corn chowder laced with applewood smoked bacon, roasted beet salad with watermelon radish and Marcona almonds, a carrot emulsion with fennel, and four selections for the main dish. Opting for Provençal beef tenderloin with cauliflower purée, it was perfectly prepared, bursting with flavor, and so tender my knife looked on in abject boredom. Naturally the meal can be wine paired and ended with a marvelous tiramisu.
Guests visiting should certainly opt to take the property’s Farm Tour with Agronomist Ian Beger. Nine acres are dedicated to agriculture: one is dedicated to fruit and vegetable production, another to citrus, and seven for agave. There are also bee hives producing 50 gallons of honey annually. Of course, like all desert communities, effective water management and preservation is key and here mainly spring water is utilized.
Chef Knouse joined us on the Farm Tour. It quickly became evident that he was in his happy place amid the edible flowers, herbs, and spices made clear by his comment that his favorite thing to do on property is “playing at the farm.” There were among other things, sea beans, flat leaf garlic chives, rattail radishes, bronze fennel, and divine edible flowers like black pansies that reminded me of ‘The Munster’s’ all things black maven matriarch Morticia.
At the greenhouse we sampled several items so flavor explosive that I immediately understood why in addition to Chef Knouse’s culinary skills, Castle Hot Springs meals were so memorable.
Comfortable Accommodations
Staying with a colleague in one of Castle Hot Springs’ twin-bedded Sky View Cabins, it contained a roomy 378 square feet. The king-bedded Spring Bungalows are slightly larger, containing 575 square feet and boast outdoor fireplaces. There is also a historic cottage with three bedrooms and two baths and the Top of the Lodge accommodation containing three bedrooms and four bathrooms, the latter two perfect for a small group of friends, family, or multi-generational travel experience.
Our Sky View Cabin had high ceilings and a large deck with deliriously comfortable seating. Inside, two half bottles of wine, the all-important Nespresso machine, creamers, and specialty teas, in-room gourmet snacks, and a mini refrigerator stocked with sodas and sparkling waters.
The cabin was light filled with additional windows just below the ceiling pitch to take in tree top views and happily, there were automatic window shades taking the guess work out of retiring at night. It was decorated in a woodsy, Pottery Barn chic manner with bronze hardware and light fixtures. Most convenient: wonderfully comfortable, waterproof wristbands serving as room keys allowing us to blissfully and literally walk out empty handed.
The bathroom had environmentally sized amenities, enveloping towels and luscious bathrobes made from microfiber chamois manufactured by Majestic International. The pièce de résistance was the private outdoor soaking tub where one could reflect on the explosive and ethereal light show against clear black skies with Mars, Jupiter, Sirius, Orion’s Belt, and a plethora of other shining, twinkling stars in full view to the naked eye. This of course served as a reminder of just how insignificant we mere mortals are on earth in this vast universe.
Healing Hot Springs and Activities
In addition to the food, many guests come here to experience the healing properties of the natural, mineral-rich hot springs containing potassium lithium, magnesium, and sodium sulfate, but happily sans any sulfuric smell on a delightfully flat sandy bottom. The benefit here in addition to having three separate outdoor pools at 86, 96, and 106 degrees respectively, is that the setting is a natural wonderland of rock formations and distinctive colors. Along the path to the springs amid hopping, tall-eared jackrabbits are signposts bearing inspirational thoughts like, “The best cure for the body is a quiet mind.” Gospel that.
There are two couples and two single spa treatment bungalows containing comfortable massage tables donned with luscious microfiber sheets. Here skilled masseuses ply their trade instilling calmness.
There is a History Room on property next to the boutique containing the resort’s preserved original furnishings, including – bestow my heart – a black Royal typewriter. Daily activities run the gamut from regular and paddle board yoga, tai chi, meditation, scenic E-bike tours, archery, axe-throwing, agave tasting, horseback riding, and unique to the resort, Via Ferrata climbing. There’s also a variety of walks and hikes for all fitness levels guided by knowledgeable experts who clearly love and embrace the desert landscape. Two paddle tennis courts and a golf putt area round out the options.
Whatever physical activities in which you opt to partake in this unique desert setting, they will be enjoyable. And without doubt, you will dine in ways that will make you contemplate naming future progeny some form of Chris. Happy travels!
Julie L. Kessler is a journalist, attorney, and the author of the award-winning memoir: “Fifty-Fifty, The Clarity of Hindsight.” Her work has appeared in several major publications around the world, including The LA Times, The SF Examiner, The Asia Times, U.S. News & World Report, The Jerusalem Post, The Vancouver Courier, The Daily Journal and The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, among many others. She can be reached at Julie@VagabondLawyer.com.
