We recently stayed at the Boulders, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, in Carefree Arizona (just north of Scottsdale).  For those who may be considering a stay (or a staycation) at The Boulders, I am sharing some photos and a brief review of the resort.

The resort is pretty large.  It is built around a beautiful golf course.

General overview: We enjoyed our stay.  The resort fee here includes some great perks, like complimentary bellman service, golf cart rides throughout the resort, food & drink service at the main pool, towel service, access to the spa, and complimentary fitness classes.  We really enjoyed the yoga class at the spa.  We also enjoyed exploring the various trails in the resort.

If you visit during the summer (like we did), you can get early check-in and late check-out, and resort credits.  Our package included a $25 per-person daily breakfast credit, and a $50 resort credit.  We enjoyed eating at the Mexican restaurant (The Spotted Donkey Cantina).

Here’s a view of some of the boulders from which the resort gets its name.

We stayed in Casita number 337.  It was an upgraded view (golf course).  The casitas are pretty awesome!  It was very spacious, with a living area, a sleeping area, a large bathroom, and a nice patio.

The casita was surrounded by a natural desert landscape.  Very private.

Here is the bar with sink and refrigerator.  Major bonus: a Keurig coffee maker with coffee, black tea, and green tea k-cups.

The resort has a rustic southwestern vibe.  I loved the ceiling in our casita!

Walk-in closet with robes.

The casita had a really nice vanity area in the bathroom.

The bathroom was large.

Watching World Cup soccer.  Plenty of room to comfortably relax.

Patio view.

This charming little family of quail were outside every day.  Seven little quail babies!  The natural wildlife here was a lovely bonus.  We saw bunnies, turtles, and a large colorful lizard/iguana.

Making margaritas.

Here’s a gathering area outside the main lodge, near the pool.  These fire pits would be really nice during cooler weather.

Rock waterfall at the main pool.  The resort has a total of four pools.

Relaxing at the main pool.  Towel service is included, and drink and food service is available at the pool.

Since the Boulders is in a less populated area, there isn’t much light pollution and the night sky is just beautiful.  We enjoyed sitting under the stars by the main pool at night.

Morning coffee on our patio.

Breakfast at the Palo Verde.  The pomegranate mimosa was great, and breakfast was delicious.

Beautiful desert grounds.

Here are some views from the trails on the property.

The grounds surrounding the Spa were beautiful and peaceful.  There is also a nice pool at the Spa (not pictured).  This is the garden area.

The end!