Westward Look Resort

"A family friendly resort that brings the Sonoran Desert experience to life"

If your family is heading to Tucson and you have a love for the outdoors and the Sonoran Desert, look no further than the Westward Look Resort. The resort sits on 80 acres in Northwest Tucson at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains, and focuses on green practices and celebrating the beauty of the desert.  

The guest rooms are all spacious, and many are suite sized.  They all seem to have a view of either the pool, desert gardens, city, or mountains. It was so nice to be able to sit out on our balcony with my morning cup of coffee and watch a mother quail and her babies scurry by.

I love the vaulted ceilings with exposed beams and the adobe exteriors.  Note that while the rooms are very large and suite sized, they do not have a door separating the living area from the sleep area.  All rooms have 42 inch flat screen tvs and spacious bath rooms with wonderful smelling bath products.  

The hotel features 8 tennis courts and 3 pools so be sure to bring along your tennis racquet and bathing suit!  If you do happen to forget your racquet, fear not- ball machines, racquet rental, and tennis lessons are all available. There is even a junior clinic program available for younger guests.  

One of my absolute favorite parts of staying at the Westward Look are the two 2/3 mile trails that run alongside the property.  The Hummingbird Trail is more of a nature trail with signed stops at beautiful ramadas along the way. Be sure to stop in the chef's garden and smell all the fragrant food growing that might end up on your dinner plate.  The Saguaro Trail meanders through desert terrain, giving you an excellent opportunity to spot some little critters that call the Sonoran Desert home. Binoculars are complimentary so don't forget to grab some before you head out on your walk.

There is a a sports park on site with basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, and shuffleboard courts available to guests. Equipment can be checked out at the fitness center.  

The resort boasts a full spa which offers everything from massages to yoga classes.  I did not have the opportunity to check out the spa but believe me, I wanted to!

My children's favorite part of the resort was the horse stables.   Even though they weren't old enough to take a horseback ride (children must be at least 7) they did enjoy saying hi to the horses and the caretaker was nice enough to bring a horse out of the stable for the kids to see up close. Scenic 1 hour rides around the property start at $35 per person.

There are a couple different dining options on site. Gold is the upscale and sophisticated dining option, perfect for a dinner with older children or perhaps with no kids at all!  The Lookout Bar and Grille is very family friendly with a view of the twinkling city lights of Tucson below. Be sure to order the chocolate dessert nachos which are available at the restaurant or through room service. They have become legendary in our family. In the morning, stop by the Monsoon Cafe for coffee and specialty drinks.

On of the more unique aspects of the resort is the Tinaja Desert Gallery which is located onsite in part of the original hacienda which was built in 1912. The gallery is a nice place to show children things like rattlesnake skins, cholla cactus "bones" and nests from birds created inside of saguaro catci. There is also a telescope on the main terrace which is great fun on a clear night (and Tucson has plenty).  There is astromical information available at the front desk.

Overall, I highly recommend this resort to families.  While the resort is not in the heart of downtown Tucson, it is in a very nice area and in close proximity to outdoorsy opportunities. My family found it to be a nice home base for exploring Saguaro National Park.

Disclosure: My family did receive a free one night stay in order to complete this review. The resort did not request that I express any particular opinion and, as always, all reviews are my honest thoughts. I truly do love this resort!