Scottsdale, Arizona

Hotels in the Go and Do Good® directory may be sponsored.

Hotel Valley Ho:

What a joy it was to experience Hotel Valley Ho in-person! This iconic, mid-century modern hotel, fun for couples but also super ideal for families, was the perfect way to experience the great state of Arizona. Upon arrival to the hotel, the 1950’s-era theme is vibrant and Hotel Valley Ho pops with culture and fun. The location is ideal, just 15 minutes from the Phoenix International Airport and also within walking distance to all of the shoppes, restaurants and activities that Old Town Scottsdale has to offer.

The room layout in the Two-Bedroom Tower Suite was beyond perfect for our little family of four. Carrying the vibrant colors and fun mid-century modern accents into our suite, we settled comfortably into our new Arizona quarters which offered a full kitchen, a washer and dryer, two bathrooms, a common area and the best of all: a stunning view of the local mountain. Each morning felt like a gift as we woke up to the beautiful Arizona sunrise on our Hotel Valley Ho balcony.

Zuzu, the on-site restaurant of Hotel Valley Ho, was our go-to for meals from a big brunch to grabbing some sweet treats. We all loved the Mini Donuts, mini-homemade donuts served with dipping choices from warm, melted chocolate to toasted marshmallow. The peach cobbler chicken and waffles were one of the tastiest breakfast dishes I have ever experienced!

The boys loved the common areas around Hotel Valley Ho where the could run around and play tag under the beauty of swooning palm trees, string lights and cacti. The grounds were beautifully maintained and cared for providing gorgeous backdrops to spend our days in Old Town Scottsdale. The mural at the OH’Asis pool states, “It’s Always Sunny in Scottsdale” and we found that to be true! When we weren’t adventuring around Arizona, you could find our family sitting poolside at Hotel Valley Ho, enjoying the hot tub and soaking in some sun rays.

The two pool areas at Hotel Valley Ho offered a lap pool, a splash pool, the main pool, two hot tubs, a full-service bar and several cabanas. The bright orange pool chairs and turquoise pool umbrellas set the tone for mid-century modern which was also carried out from the hotel throughout the pool area. Food service is available the majority of the day at the pool so we enjoyed a late-night dinner with good eats from Zuzu with the comforts of being pool-side. The boys also experienced Hotel Valley Ho’s famous shakes, Short-Stopper shakes! Landon chose Orange Crush, and Griffin enjoyed the Jam Packed shake, both which were refreshing and fun. Short-Stopper shakes’ flavors are changed out monthly, all with unique flavors, while their biggest shake, the Show-Stopper shake, is always available year-round.

It’s always great to chat with hotel staff as we explore new Go and Do Good® hotels, and one thing was for sure: the staff seemed to really enjoy working at Hotel Valley Ho. When we got into a conversation with a staff member, they all said how great the hotel and leadership were to work for and how appreciated they felt. 

So many Phoenix residents and Uber drivers that we met during our stay raved about Hotel Valley Ho and mentioned how it was the place to be in the 50’s-60’s (and how it still is that way today!) It was so wise of the hotel leadership to restore and maintain that mid-century modern uniqueness which really made Hotel Valley Ho so special.

A stay at Hotel Valley Ho is just simply so much fun. The mid-century modern theme threw us back in time but the gorgeous amenities, first-class service and beautiful hotel room met us right where we are today. Of all of our years of traveling, the two-bedroom Tower Suite’s layout was one of the most ideal layouts for young families that we’ve experienced. The staff were incredible, the location was beyond convenient to Old Town Scottsdale and the food at Zuzu was spot-on. Should we ever return to Arizona, we would absolutely choose the unique and fun Hotel Valley Ho again.

Excursions around Arizona:

Desert Monster Tours Dune Buggy ATV Ride:

What a fun afternoon spent at Tonto National Forest! We suited up with bandanas, helmets and goggles and hopped into our 4-seater ATV where we (literally!) ate dust and flew around the desert on our exciting ride. We raised our arms up high as we whisked around the desert and ultimately stopped for a family photo shot.  On this guided, 2-hour ride, we were able to see wildlife like cattle and elk and we kept our eyes peeled for rattlesnakes and other desert critters. Super fun!

Across Arizona Grand Canyon and Sedona Bus Tour:

Our little family hopped on a bus tour with Across Arizona which picked us up at Hotel Valley Ho and headed first to Grand Canyon National Park. The ride, just over four hours, was filled with beautiful scenery changes and lots of laughs with our hilarious tour guide, Taylor, and the other tourists in our group. While we experienced some unexpected delays including a long wait time at the National Park for entry, we were so blessed to be able to experience the Grand Canyon in-person.

The majesty and expansiveness of the Great Canyon was beautiful and breathtaking. In early April, when we visited, it was very, very busy, with every gift shoppe and food option having long lines for entry. Also, traveling to Grand Canyon National Park with young children (ages eight and six), ended up feeling a bit more stressful than expected. There were very little railings around the South Rim border of the Grand Canyon and several opportunities for the boys to easily fall. While I don’t typically have a fear of heights that disables me from enjoying experiences, it was honestly pretty nerve-wrecking for me as a parent with young children. Logan and the boys enjoyed it, though, and we did enjoy having the boys become Junior Rangers and earning a new badge at the Grand Canyon. We all enjoyed spotting and learning about new mountain wildlife, such as elk, ospreys, mountain lions and more. 

The highlight of our time at the Grand Canyon was marveling over God’s beautiful creation (albeit from afar ;)), purchasing stuffed animal mountain lions from the gift shoppe (therefore adopting a real mountain lion at the park through their Adopt-a-Mountain Lion program) and discovering Canyon Crunch, the signature ice cream of Grand Canyon National Park. Yum! We feel blessed to be able to have experienced the Grand Canyon as a family together.

The drive from Grand Canyon National Park to our final stop on the tour, Sedona, was so beautiful. With windy roads and tree-covered valleys and mountains, we found ourselves in awe of God’s creation as we stared out of the tour bus window. Visiting Sedona was unexpectedly one of the highlights of our trip. We were blessed to be able to enjoy sunset at Sedona and the sun shining off of the red rocks was indescribable.

The boys enjoyed a bit more freedom there to roam as the valleys are smoother and the drop-off points are way less severe than at the Grand Canyon. Landon loved getting to see a kangaroo rat’s nest and the boys loved the red rocks and the stunning views of Sedona as well. 

And Do Good:

Hotel Valley Ho has been a leader in giving back to their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as in their local community.

Due to temporary furloughs during COVID-19, the Hotel Valley Ho team provided care packages for their employees that included essential items ranging from produce to snacks, meat, and toilet paper.

In May 2020, the Hotel Valley Ho team put on a donation-based car wash where all donations went towards the fund for the hotel’s furloughed employees. The staff came out on a weekend and personally washed several dozen cars to raise money.

In addition to their good works during the pandemic, Hotel Valley Ho has been a longtime supporter of The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona by adopting a room at their facility and by providing dinners for the families and supplies for the organization.  For Mother’s Day, General Manager Ronen Aviram and the Hotel Valley Ho team put together chef-prepared meals for all 18 families that were staying with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona. The meal packages included everything from fresh-baked scones to short ribs, parfaits, and more. 

You Can Stay, Too!

If you and your family are planning a trip to Arizona, use code GOANDDOGOOD to receive 20% off your stay through December 31, 2021. Bookings through this code will receive a welcome gift and the possibility of an upgrade pending hotel availability.