Located on one of the most spectacular spots of real estate in the world, everything at Enchantment Resort in Sedona, Arizona seems to have been created to allow the scenic landscape to take center stage. Whether you're planning a visit here on your way to the Grand Canyon, or as a stand-alone vacation, here's what to consider before booking a stay at Sedona's Enchantment Resort.
An Enchanting Welcome
The minute we arrived at Enchantment, someone was there with a warm welcome to walk us to check-in. There was no ornate, grand entrance to the hotel's lobby. Instead, natural elements like stonework, vibrant green vines, colorful flowers, and Cyprus trees led to an unobtrusive stucco building. The children were greeted with a gift bag filled with a stuffed toy coyote and a coloring or puzzle book. You can warm up by the fire in oversized leather chairs in the lounge here before dinner or duck into the game room to watch television or play board games with the kids.
Boynton Canyon Hiking Trails
One of my favorite memories from this trip was hiking the Vista Trail with just my little girl, Karissa. We paused to stare at tiny wildflowers, note the strange purplish hue of the prickly pear cactus fruits, and guess where our room was from where we stood on the trail. Karissa kept asking if we could take Sedona home with us. When I asked her what she meant, she said, “I want to keep it and put it in our back yard because it's soooo pretty here!”
There are several hiking trails accessible from Enchantment. Two of Sedona's most beloved trails are located just behind Mii Amo Spa. Head to the left for Boynton Canyon Trail, which is 2.4 miles each way. Go to the right to hike Vista Trail up to Kachina Woman rock formation, which stands guard over one of Sedona's famous energy vortexes. This hike should take about 20 minutes up and 15 minutes down unless you are hiking with a five-year-old, then it takes longer! Both were too rigorous for my two-and-a-half-year-old to hike for any distance.
Camp Coyote
Our daughter begged to go back to Camp Coyote after her half-day adventure here. This kids' camp is for children ages four to 12. Choose from half-day or full-day camps plus summer evening camps. The camp is renowned for incorporating its natural surroundings and the Native American heritage of the area into its activities. Campers might take guided nature walks where they learn about Boynton Canyon's plants, insects, mule and white-tailed deer, jackrabbits, and other inhabitants. Or they might do sand painting, weave dream catchers, or design arrowhead necklaces. Standard kids' camp fun is available too in the form of trucks, toys, and craft projects.
Mii Amo Spa
This spa is located on the same property as Enchantment Resort and is open to Enchantment guests but is also a destination spa with guest rooms of its own. From sunrise stretches to medicine walks, aqua aerobics, and cooking demonstrations…activities and lectures abound at Mii Amo. I didn't get a chance to try any of these out, but I was able to indulge in a massage at this world-renowned spa. The facilities are nearly as stunning as the setting. After my treatment, I took a dip in the indoor pool with its soothing fountains. Then I relaxed in the outdoor hot tub while staring at the breathtaking view of Boynton Canyon, overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude to experience such beauty.
Dining Options at Enchantment Resort
Two of the onsite restaurants feature expansive windows to allow diners to gape at the gorgeous red rocks in which the resort is nestled. One of the most upscale dining options in all of Sedona is located here, Yavapai Restaurant, which offers 180-degree views of Boynton Canyon.
We had dinner one night at Tii Gavo, the more casual dining option at Enchantment. With its candlelight and swanky bar-like atmosphere, this would make a lovely date night option. However, eating here with our noisy young children was like leading a marching band blaring through a church as my husband and I (unsuccessfully) attempted to keep our offspring from annoying the other diners. The mushroom empanadas appetizer was the star of the meal with its earthy mushrooms, flaky crust, and tasty tomatillo sauce.
A third restaurant is available at neighboring Mii amo Spa. Since the spa is for guests 16 and older, don't plan to bring little kiddies here to eat. Before my spa treatment, I enjoyed a quiet solo lunch at Mii Amo Cafe of miso soup and a salmon Caesar salad. Everything was fresh, light, and delicious -the picture-perfect spa cuisine.
Each morning, a charming bucket of orange juice and a USA Today is delivered to resort guests. We brought a few breakfast items with us and supplemented them with coffee made in-room and a couple of room service items, which saved on time and money. Try the homemade granola – it's heavenly!
Enchantment Resort Accommodations
Guest rooms are designed for comfort at Enchantment. If you are traveling with children and can afford a glorious upgrade, I suggest booking a casita. Our one-bedroom casita was decked out with a patio and outdoor barbecue plus my kids' favorite, a gas-powered fireplace around which we warmed our tootsies after chilly fall hikes.
The eat-in kitchen featured a stove, microwave, coffee maker, refrigerator, pots, pans, dishes, eating utensils, and even a toaster. The spacious family room was so large and comfy; it felt more like a home than a hotel. The Murphy bed was more restful than a sofa pull-out and took up no space when stowed away. The bedroom had two queen-sized beds and a second television plus its own bathroom.
So, Is Enchantment Resort Worth the Splurge?
Although there are more affordable accommodation options in Sedona, I believe Enchantment Resort is definitely worth a splurge. My husband announced during our stay, “I never want to leave here.” I asked him why and he said, “Because it's beautiful and there's a fireplace and even the soap smells good. Seriously, there are no worries here.” (The soap, by the way, was made with olive oil and it did smell really, really good.)
This is the most upscale resort in Sedona. Could you stay somewhere for less money? Yes. But you come to Sedona to stand in awe of something bigger than yourself, to breathe in fresh air, listen to the sounds of gravel crunching beneath your feet, climb to the top of something majestic, and forget about your inbox, laundry, and to-do list for a while. Staying at Enchantment submerses you in all that beauty and relaxation.
What resort do you think is worth the splurge? Share your thoughts in the comments!
A Note from The Travel Mama: The Enchantment Resort provided my family with complimentary accommodations, our dinner at Tii Gavo, and my spa treatment. I always provide my honest opinion, no matter who's footing the bill.
About Colleen Lanin, The Travel Mama
This is EXACTLY what I needed to plan, thank you. I stayed at Enchantment for a wedding, and can confirm it is awesome. Thanks for reminding me to add that into our Grand Canyon trip!
Yay! Enjoy the Grand Canyon and the Enchantment Resort! 🙂
Hi Colleen! Wondering what time of year you went to the Enchantment? Was it in January? We’re considering going around that time of year and I’m wondering just how cold it is…thanks!
Hi Peyton – I believe our trip was in November or December. It was definitely chilly when we were there so I’d suggest bringing winter coats, gloves and hats. According to Weather.com, it looks like you can expect average lows of about 33 and average highs of 58 or 59 degrees F. Enjoy Sedona!
Jeez!! Enchantment is definitely one of the must-go-to resorts in Sedona. Highly recommended to those ones who are first-time tourists.
I definitely agree with Anders that for what Enchantment charges, you do not get a five star experience.
Our room had a broken mirror, drape rod on floor, the door between casita was unlocked and people next door could have entered our room, the maids pounded on our door at 9 pm for turn down service, check in was a confused mess as we stood there for ten minutes before someone showed up , etc. lots of sloppy issues thru our stay.
Plus, they cancelled activities at last minute and then we were too late for other activities during that time period. When I did go to yoga class there were so many people our mats were inches apart.
They were booked to max so we weren’t able to switch rooms as ours had a major malfunction. And since there are no worries about guests staying here, they can slack off.
If nothing goes wrong, I can see this being a beautiful vacation. But unfortunately for us, at over $600 a night we were sorry we didn’t stay at the Best Western.
I agree this is a beautiful place but not worth the price and poor customer service. We had the most measured expectations coming into staying at this place for spring break. It was one week, no specific plan other than to relax and enjoy the beautiful views with our 2 kids (3 & 8yo). It was ~$500 dollars a night but we figured a splurge would be worth it to have a carefree and relaxing visit. We asked specifically if our room would have a view and were told that it did. Upon arrival we checked into a casita that looked out onto a parking lot and bushes. It was one large room with no fridge, a real challenge for 2 adults and 2 kids. We called the front desk and were told there was nothing else they could switch us to. We finally arranged to switch into 2 adjoining rooms with a view 3 days into our trip and pay the additional expense (Adding many hundreds of dollars onto our total cost). At no point throughout this experience did the management (Ricardo and Morgan) offer anything additional to make up for the problems we encountered. A five dollar gift card to the bar would have made a difference. It was clear they just DO NOT CARE IF PEOPLE ARE SATISFIED. We’ve got the rocks, love it our leave it…. They even tried to charge us for a minifridge. Because wifi and cell service doesn’t work here we were limited in finding additional accommodations and ended up giving up and staying. In addition to this, we would leave from 9-3pm and come home to find our room unmade. Other issues: inattentive staff at restaurants, strangers in cowboy hats walking into our room, and leaking shower. The views are great in the surrounding areas but you don’t need to stay here to enjoy them. SKIP THIS PLACE overpriced, inattentive, house of blah!!! Thanks for making our vacation much more difficult than it should have been.
What a bummer that your experience at the Enchantment Resort was not as lovely as my family’s! We had a great time while there and loved the scenery but you are right that there are definitely less expensive places to stay in the area. Still, I’d go back to Enchantment in a heartbeat!
Sedona is such a beautiful place – a relaxing retreat! I’ll have to keep this place in mind next time we’re in the area.
Thank you for the thorough review!
Drool…. Looking forward to my stay in April! I can’t wait to go.
I wonder why all our travels are so similar this year. 🙂
My husband and I need a weekend away, and lately I’ve been pondering where. This resort sounds perfect! Thanks!
Why we never get to enjoy the spa when travel with kids! 🙂 I love the bucket of Orange juice. They definitely think about everything there. Sounds amazing!
Does Enchantment have “off-season” rates? If so, when would they be available? This is an easy drive from Phoenix yet the temperatures in summer would be at least 10 degrees less making it a nice escape. Definitely the most expensive time I would think.
Erin – I love the Hotel Del too! In fact, I listed it as my pick for this story about the 10 Best Beach Hotels for Kids! http://142.4.10.17/~travelma/10-best-beach-hotels-for-kids/
Great article! I have never stayed at Enchantment but have always heard wonderful things about it. Another resort worth the splurge, in my opinion, is the Hotel Del Coronado on Coronado Island. You could stay somewhere else on the island, but it just wouldn’t have the same charm and history…it just wouldn’t be the same!