Exterior View: Many extraordinary views of the Arizona Biltmore are seen when strolling the grounds with each one accentuating a feature of this exquisite resort. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Garden: Shown is one of many gardens with water features seen about the Arizona Biltmore property. As expected the grounds and the gardens are maintained with precision and care. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Lobby: A view of the lobby in the Arizona Biltmore reveals interior features and the size of the facility. The Biltmore contains over 200,000 feet of meeting and conference space and over 700 accommodations including guest rooms, cottages and villas and many other specialty accommodations. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
By GARY WARREN
Photographer
Formerly of Los Alamos
For years we traveled from New Mexico (and later Colorado) to the Phoenix. Ariz. area every March to attend Spring Training baseball games. On days when we did not attend games we would explore the area around the city as well as surrounding desert locations.
March is a fantastic time to get away from the cold weather and enjoy the change of scenery and the warmer desert temperatures. We were in Phoenix in March 2020 when the country began to shut down because of COVID-19. We were forced to leave early that year because the city was beginning to shut down and we began experiencing difficulties because of the pandemic…we all remember those fateful years. We returned in March 2021 but that is the last year we attended any Spring Training games.
We enjoyed visiting museums, parks, landmarks and many other places of interest during those March excursions. One site that we visited just before COVID was the Arizona Biltmore. We were tourists on site to see the buildings, the grounds, and visit the public portions of the resort.
The Arizona Biltmore was conceived by brothers Warren and Charles McArthur in the 1920s. The architect was Albert McArthur, brother of the two original owners. The opening of the resort was in 1929. Albert McArthur worked for famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright and the hotel features many details that have his style and look. Many of Wright’s art pieces can be spotted around the Arizona Biltmore grounds.
The hotel has changed ownership a few times over the years but is still an operating resort hotel today.
The exterior structure of the Arizona Biltmore features sandstone blocks with intricate geometric designs cast into each block. These blocks are known as Biltmore Blocks. When installed, the design and configuration of the blocks offer a pleasing pattern of light and shadow. The blocks were made onsite consisting of desert sands and are a beautiful feature of the building.
The facility of the Arizona Biltmore has been modified and remodeled many times over the years and additions have been added during that time but this hotel is still considered the “Jewel of the Desert” in Arizona.
As you would expect the hotel has housed many celebrities and other officials during its lifetime.
I enjoy viewing and taking photos of any buildings with architectural characteristics and interests. The Arizona Biltmore was like being in a candy store for me as there were amazing views everywhere you looked inside and outside of the hotel.
For these visits, I usually carry a simple point-and-shoot camera—or now my iPhone—to keep things easy and avoid disturbing guests. I took the photos for my own enjoyment and for the pleasure of photographing a special place. The images included in this post are some of those I captured during that March visit.
While we are home in Colorado and not traveling at present time, I decided to share some of the images from the Arizona Biltmore. Just browsing through the photos brings back memories and really makes me want to return and see the facility on an official historical tour. Who knows, maybe an opportunity to stay at this magnificent hotel may give me a closer view of the building and grounds of the Arizona Biltmore. It doesn’t cost anything to dream!
Editor’s note: Longtime Los Alamos photographer Gary Warren and his wife Marilyn are traveling around the country, and he shares his photographs, which appear in the “Posts from the Road” series published in the Sunday edition of the Los Alamos Daily Post.
Restaurant Entry: The Arizona Biltmore features many restaurants and bars. Shown is the entry to the Wright Restaurant which is a bar setting open daily at the resort. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Interior Garden: Flowers and plants of many sizes and varieties can be seen around the interior of the Arizona Biltmore. Shown is a portion of a garden which is backed by Biltmore Blocks like those seen on the exterior of the building. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Biltmore Blocks: The blocks featured on the exterior of the Arizona Biltmore are known as Biltmore Blocks. Each block was made onsite during the construction of the hotel in the 1920s. The blocks feature geometric designs which add interest to the exterior as sunlight creates various light and shadow details during the day. More than 250,000 blocks were made when building the Arizona Biltmore. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Details: Details such as the ironwork designs add visual and architectural interest to a common walkway at the Arizona Biltmore. Extra architectural details can be spotted throughout the facility and grounds. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Property Entrance: The Arizona Biltmore stood alone in the desert when it was built almost 100 years ago. However, now it is located near the downtown area of Phoenix. The resort has long been considered the ‘Jewel of the Desert’ in Arizona. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com