We spent a super fun weekend with our awesome neighbors/friends. We took advantage of the great summer deal at the Valley Ho in Scottsdale and enjoyed a stay cation.
Chillaxing (C's new word) at the pool with yummy drinks and the DJ
Bryan staying hydrated with his go go gadget straw
For dinner we dined at The House Brasserie ! It was fun to enjoy a getaway so close to home.
The "mellow" pool view from our room
The Valley Ho story
The Valley of the Sun has always attracted visitors with its mild climate, sunny disposition, and stunning natural landscape. Resorts throughout the area lured travelers with the notion of recreation and relaxation. Many unique mid-century hotels and resorts were built in the 1950s and ‘60s; sadly, few now remain.
One that still has its footing is Hotel Valley Ho, built in 1956 — only five years after Scottsdale was incorporated as a city. Scottsdale was mainly a farming community, but starting in the 1930s it increasingly became known as a wintertime destination and artists’ colony. At the time of incorporation in 1951, there were only 2,000 people living in the one-square-mile city. Phoenix, which had 107,000 residents, was the bustling center of business and culture, and Scottsdale was considered a far drive.
The Valley Ho was the sister property to the famed Westward Ho in Downtown Phoenix; both were owned by John B. Mills. Husband and wife Robert and Evelyn Foehl were joint owners of Hotel Valley Ho and also developed and managed the resort. They lived on-site in a private apartment with an enclosed garden. Evelyn, known for her abundant hospitality, once said, “It has always been my opinion that to be a successful hostess in the resort hotel business, the important thing is to make your guest feel he is wanted.”
Architect Edward L. Varney was commissioned to design the buildings. With offices in both Arizona and California, he was one of the wealthiest architects in the Valley. Varney was known for his minimalist, modern style. His designs included Arizona State University’s Sun Devil Stadium and H.B. Farmer Building, the Motorola Building on McDowell Rd. (now General Dynamics), and the Phoenix Municipal Building. He was undoubtedly ahead of his time, putting all of the electrical wiring, plumbing, and mechanical fixtures for the Valley Ho in underground tunnels (while nearby neighborhoods received their power through above-ground utility poles). He also sub-structured the hotel to support a future seven-story tower — at a time when growth in Scottsdale was outwards, not upwards.
The design of the hotel became instantly distinctive – it combined modern and Southwestern styles in a way never before seen. The signature element was the set of arrowhead-motif concrete panels that still line the property. Ironically, it is said that Varney opposed these panels, on the grounds that they were too elaborate. The hotel was also innovative in that it was the first in Scottsdale to have central air conditioning, therefore the first to be open year-round. Construction costs totaled $1.5 million, equivalent to $12 million today.
Guests could book one of the 99 rooms for $7.50 a night in 1956; they offered luxuries like rollaway sofa beds, televisions with rabbit ears, and central-air conditioning. Some came with kitchenettes. A diving pool at the center of the property was the hub of activity, playing host to banquets, fashion shows, and lazy afternoons.
