The Boulders

The Boulders combines exciting golf, an exceptional spa, luxurious accommodations and natural beauty to produce an exclusive desert hideaway. Wrapped around a 12 million year old boulder formation, The Boulders draws upon the natural splendor of the landscape to create an awe-inspiring retreat experience.

Covering 1,300 acres of the Sonoran Desert, The Boulders blends in with its surroundings to create an aesthetically pleasing experience. In fact, many of the colors and materials for the resort are borrowed from the environment to maintain a flowing sense of peace and serenity. Even external lighting is kept to a minimum, allowing guests to view the full brilliance of the stars lighting up the night sky.

The golf experience is no less inspiring. The Boulders features two Jay Morrish designed championship courses, the North Course and the South Course. Although each course provides challenges and offers rugged beauty and breathtaking desert panoramas, the South Course winds closer to the renowned boulder formations. The courses are significantly lush even considering the desert environment. Although each course is playable and provides generous fairways and greens, elevation changes, an array of hazards and the desert shrubbery are used to challenge the skill of golfers.

Both courses wind through the resort and residential areas but the buildings are never intrusions into the aesthetics of the courses due to the colors, natural elements and height limitations which are consistent with the extensive desert shrubbery.

The Boulders Golf Club is private but guests of the resort and a select few others are welcome to play. To ensure access for both members and guests, guest play is limited to either the North Course or South Course on any given day and such course alternates each day.

The golf shop has a warm feel and contains an extensive merchandise selection for men and women. The golf professionals and other staff are very helpful and friendly and are some of the best I have ever experienced.

Adjacent to the golf shop are the large locker rooms as well as two restaurants, including the casual Bogey’s, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and the elegant Rusty’s Chop House, which serves lunch and dinner.

Following in the serenity and relaxation themes, The Boulders offers individual accommodations rather than a central hotel building. There are 160 private guest casitas and 59 one-, two-, and three-bedroom villas and haciendas. Each includes comfortable and luxurious amenities along with golf course and/or desert scenery views.

The Boulders features seven restaurants including two located in the main reception building. Latilla, the signature dining room, features organic regional cuisine expertly prepared with fresh duck, beef, and seafood. Many of the organic spices and ingredients are grown on site. Palo Verde, a more casual dining experience, offers Southwestern inspired fare for breakfast and lunch.

Emphasizing that the Boulders is an exclusive retreat is the Golden Door Spa, a 33,000 sq. ft. complex with enough services and features to be considered a destination in itself. There are

24 treatment rooms in the East wing while the West wing is more active and houses the Yoga Studio, Fitness Center and the Movement Studio. A large pool for relaxing before or after a treatment is available as is the Golden Door Spa Café which serves breakfast and lunch daily. Spa treatments utilize the healing serenity of the desert environment.

Activities such as yoga, stretching and water fitness are scheduled throughout the day to leave guests feeling alive and invigorated. Organized hiking, biking and rock climbing are also all available. A unique way to experience the natural beauty of the area is via a guided night-time bike tour through the property to witness the quiet desert landscape lit up by the multitudes of bright stars throughout the sky.

One of the spa’s most well-known activities is walking the Labyrinth, a journey of self-reflection and peacefulness. Unlike a maze which serves to confuse and confound, the Labyrinth is used to calm the mind and focus one’s energy to the task at hand, possibly a metaphor for life itself.

Another Golden Door Spa exclusive is the group meditation within a Native American tipi. A guide takes guests on a meditative journey into “non-ordinary” reality, a dimension of consciousness similar to a dream state, allowing guests to connect with Spirit.

The Boulders features four pools to choose from allowing guests the opportunity to discover the perfect setting to unwind and fully experience their retreat. The main resort pool is located at the reception building and features a rock waterfall. The Boulders is also an award-winning tennis destination. The terraced tennis garden features eight courts including three clay surfaces. One of the resort’s pools is located at the tennis center.

Meetings and conferences are welcome with over 12,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and 12 different meeting rooms. In order to ensure the tranquility of the resort and spa grounds, the conference areas are located in a conference center adjacent to the resort at El Pedregal.

Within a brief walk of the resort is El Pedregal, a two-tiered upscale shopping and dining area with 40 boutique and specialty stores. El Pedregal, literally “the place with many stones” resembles an ancient Moroccan marketplace with entertainment in the large courtyard which doubles as an amphitheater. There are fine dining options available as well as the Bakery Café, the place for light snacks, coffees and fresh baked goods.

Located a mere 33 miles from central Phoenix and the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), the Boulders is an easily accessible destination for your next business event, golf trip or rejuvenating retreat.

What I liked about The Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa – The natural splendor of the landscape and the serene atmosphere of the resort create a truly unique retreat. These, coupled with the manicured golf courses and superb service create a destination not to be missed. Still, there is something more magical about this place. Maybe it’s the historical significance of the collection of enormous boulders perched over the resort or the way the stars light up the night sky. Whatever the reasons, there is a sense of peace and opportunity for rejuvenation that allows guests to play, reflect and to move forward.

I would like to thank everyone at The Boulders for their time and hospitality, particularly Debi Bridges of Bridges Media Group, Michael Bahnerth, 1st Assistant Golf Professional, and all the other golf professionals and staff in the golf shop.

Chris

Check out The Boulders and their winter specials at www.TheBoulders.com.

The Boulders
Resort and Golden Door Spa
34631 N. Tom Darlington Drive
Carefree, AZ 85377
1-866-397-6520
Directions