- Castle Hot Springs ranked No. 1 on Travel + Leisure’s 2025 list of best Arizona resorts.
- This is the fourth year Castle Hot Springs has topped the list.
- Mii amo in Sedona was named the best destination spa in the U.S.
A hidden desert oasis, cherished for more than a century for its hot springs, again topped a national ranking of Arizona’s best hotels.
Castle Hot Springs was No. 1 on Travel + Leisure’s list of the best Arizona resort hotels in its 2025 World’s Best Awards, compiled from reader selections.
The historic, Oprah-endorsed wellness retreat in the Bradshaw Mountains about 51 miles northwest of Phoenix topped the ranking for a fourth year, repeating victories in 2021, 2022 and 2024.
Other hotels spotlighted among 2025’s best Arizona resorts include two of Arizona’s first Michelin Guide honorees, a Sedona spa resort and a midcentury landmark in Old Town Scottsdale.
Why Travel + Leisure readers like Castle Hot Springs
Castle Hot Springs is a perennial favorite of Travel + Leisure readers, ranking as Arizona’s best or second-best hotel in each of the last five years. (It placed second to The Hermosa Inn in 2023.)
The all-inclusive 31-room, 1,100-acre resort is praised for its assortment of activities. Of course, there’s the namesake magnesium- and lithium-rich natural hot springs that feed three geothermal pools, with waters said to have healing properties.
Readers also praised the via ferrata climbing course (the only one in Arizona), guided tours of the on-site farm where the hotel’s restaurant gets its ingredients, archery and sunrise yoga. Others appreciated how the resort is adults-only.
“Being named the No. 1 resort in Arizona is an incredible honor and a testament to the dedication of our team,” said Tina Newman, Castle Hot Springs’ director of sales and marketing.
“It reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering authentic, meaningful experiences, thoughtful service and immersive offerings that resonate with our guests. Each season, our activities and adventures continue to evolve, designed to help guests connect more deeply with the stunning natural surroundings and the history that makes this place so special.”
Phoenix hotels on the World’s Best list for 2025
Five metro Phoenix hotels appear on Travel + Leisure’s list, two of which had big improvements from their placements last year.
Mountain Shadows Resort in Paradise Valley was the No. 2 resort in Arizona, up from No. 8 last year.
“We’re honored to be recognized by Travel + Leisure’s readers as one of the best resorts in Arizona,” said Andrew Chippindall, vice president and general manager of Mountain Shadows Resort. “It’s a true testament to our team’s unwavering commitment to providing exceptional experiences for our treasured guests. We pride ourselves on creating memorable moments and look forward to continuing to do so in 2026 and beyond.”
Royal Palms Resort and Spa came in at No. 4, up three places from No. 7 in 2024. The resort’s general manager, Tyler Stirrett, said that “offers a testament to our unwavering commitment to exceptional guest experiences across the resort, T. Cook’s Restaurant and Alvadora Spa.”
Mountain Shadows and Royal Palms were among the first Arizona properties recognized by the Michelin Guide when it introduced the Michelin Key designation for hotels, similar to its Michelin Star awards for restaurants.
One of the hotels new to this year’s Top 10 is Hotel Valley Ho, a midcentury hotel in the west end of Old Town Scottsdale. The hotel is undergoing an $18 million room renovation blending contemporary and vintage styles.
“We’re honored that Travel + Leisure’s readers ranked us among the very best hotels in Arizona,” said Ronen Aviram, the hotel’s vice president and general manager. “As a locally owned and independent hotel, nothing means more to us than seeing how much our guests loved their experiences here.”
Sedona has the No. 1 destination spa in the US
Sedona hotels got love from Travel + Leisure, too. At No. 3 was L’Auberge de Sedona, praised by readers as a “one-of-a-kind property” suited for relaxation and romantic getaways.
Maintaining its No. 5 position from 2024 was Enchantment Resort, a wellness resort nestled in Boynton Canyon, an area believed to have healing energy. But its spa got a higher honor from readers: Mii amo was named the best destination spa in the United States.
Travel + Leisure said Mii amo is “simply put, unparalleled when it comes to personalized transformation,” citing its multiday wellness journeys tailored to each guest’s needs.
The publication recognized Mii amo’s reopening in February 2023 following a $40 million renovation as one of the world’s best new hotels of 2023.
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Travel + Leisure best hotels for 2025 in Arizona
- Castle Hot Springs, Morristown.
- Mountain Shadows Resort, Paradise Valley.
- L’Auberge de Sedona.
- Royal Palms Resort and Spa, Phoenix.
- Enchantment Resort, Sedona.
- Sanctuary Camelback Mountain, A Gurney’s Resort & Spa, Paradise Valley.
- The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, Marana.
- The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa, Tucson.
- Hotel Valley Ho, Scottsdale.
- Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows.
How were the Travel + Leisure 2025 World’s Best hotels chosen?
Travel + Leisure, America’s largest travel media brand, selected the hotels based on feedback from nearly 180,000 readers. They were surveyed about their travel experiences around the world, including hotels, cities, islands, airlines, cruise ships and other experiences.
Readers rated hotels based on their rooms and facilities, location, service, food and overall value for the experience. They scored each category on a scale from excellent to poor.
You can read all of the rankings at travelandleisure.com/worlds-best.
Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com.
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