Arizona
Inside Arizona’s first Grand Hyatt resort in Scottsdale – The Points Guy
Previously known as the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch, the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort is one of the most iconic properties in Scottsdale, Arizona. Fresh off a $124 million renovation at the end of 2024, the resort is ready for a new era.
TPG recently got to take a peek inside this reimagined, rebranded Hyatt. Here’s what it’s like.
The 10 best hotels in Scottsdale, Arizona, for a dreamy desert getaway
What is the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort?
The Grand Hyatt Scottsdale is located 20 minutes north of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) and is easily accessible from state Route 101 and Scottsdale Road.
With 496 rooms offering modern amenities and scenic views of the McDowell Mountains, the resort has emerged from a complete renovation. It was refreshed from top to bottom to now feature six new restaurant concepts from acclaimed chef Richard Blais (winner of “Top Chef: All-Stars” and judge on “Next Level Chef”), as well as award-winning Spa Aviana set within a beautiful space designed by architect Vernon Swaback, a Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice. The latter houses 19 treatment rooms and a private pool, among other amenities.
Here’s what it’s like staying at Arizona’s first Grand Hyatt.
Mountain views meet meticulous design in the guest rooms
On this visit, I stayed in a king mountain view room, where modern design meets a calming palette of gray-green tones accented with leather and marble.
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BECKY BLAINE/THE POINTS GUY
Thoughtful details were abundant, from the built-in storage bench — which doubled as a luggage rack — beneath the large flat-screen TV to a fully stocked coffee and tea bar and minifridge unit finished with a marble countertop and brass hardware.
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The spacious closet was well stocked with plush bathrobes, slippers and travel essentials (there wasn’t a clothes steamer, but I could easily request one from housekeeping), while the bathroom featured a walk-in shower with crisp white tiling and vanity lighting, plus Balmain Paris bath amenities.
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Practical touches like ample charging outlets throughout the room made settling in easy. Suitable for one to three guests, the space also included an oversized armless chair that converted into a comfy twin bed and doubled as stylish seating around the marble table — ideal for a relaxed predinner snack or glass of wine.
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A sliding glass door opened to an east-facing patio furnished with a table and chairs. Overlooking the McDowell Mountains and Gainey Ranch Golf Course, it was a prime spot for a morning yoga stretch or watching the sun rise with a cup of coffee in hand.
Restaurants offer delicious menus in design-forward settings
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Beyond room service and the Hyatt Club lounge — where guests with club access or World of Hyatt Globalist status can enjoy morning breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres — the resort’s dining scene is anchored by six new concepts from celebrity chef Richard Blais. While I wish we had time to try them all, the highlights from our stay included an upscale Italian dinner at La Zozzona, followed by a leisurely breakfast at Mesa Centrale (enjoyed outdoors on the patio beside a cozy fire pit on a brisk morning).
La Zozzona
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BECKY BLAINE/THE POINTS GUY
Richard Blais’ Italian restaurant, La Zozzona, is a standout, drawing both resort guests and locals for an effortlessly warm, polished dining experience. Design your own vibrant spritz ($18) with house-made aperitivi and Italian soda combinations, then enjoy shareable starters like a little gem salad ($17) and crispy mozzarella with Calabrian chili honey ($19), both of which impressed us.
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The main entree choices were the epitome of Italian comfort food — the braised lamb shank with creamy polenta ($64) and the linguine with clams in scampi butter ($29) were both deeply satisfying. Service was attentive and seamless throughout the meal. When it was time for dessert and we couldn’t decide, our server said the magic words: “Just get two!” The tableside tiramisu ($14) and the Sicilian cannoli with citrus ricotta and pistachio gelato ($14) were a delightful end to a fabulous dinner.
Mesa Centrale
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Breakfast at Mesa Centrale was a relaxed, satisfying start to the day. The all-day restaurant serves everything from brunch and breakfast to lunch and dinner, with options for kids as well.
Standout morning dishes like blue corn pancakes ($24) and huevos rancheros ($26) paired beautifully with strong coffee and lattes, while indoor and outdoor seating — complete with mountain views and fire pits, of course — made it an inviting spot to linger.
Spa Aviana is a tranquil retreat for relaxation
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BECKY BLAINE/THE POINTS GUY
From the moment you’re greeted and descend the staircase, the spa sets a calming tone. The serene space includes 19 treatment rooms, men’s and women’s locker rooms, relaxation lounges, a full salon and a 24-hour fitness center with Peloton bikes and plenty of strength equipment.
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Be sure to leave time to unwind in the Himalayan salt room or outdoors, where a tranquil spa pool is surrounded by softly flowing fountains, lounge seating and fireplaces, creating a cozy atmosphere designed for lingering. Cocktails and light bites are available poolside.
Booking tip: The 60-minute signature massage ($215) blends Swedish techniques with aromatherapy for deeply relaxing results.
Things to do at the resort and around Scottsdale
With 10 pools spread across the property, the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale balances family fun and adult relaxation with everything from a sandy kids beach, a 30-foot waterslide and a volleyball pool to a peaceful adults-only retreat for reading and unwinding.
Other activities to enjoy on the property and nearby include:
- Borrow bikes (included in the resort fee) from the front entrance and bike down Doubletree Ranch Road to Cosanti, the copper bell foundry and workshop created in 1956 by Italian architect Paolo Soleri (who had also briefly been a Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice). For a unique gift or reminder of your trip to Arizona, take home a handmade Soleri bell wind chime.
- Visit Old Town Scottsdale to peruse the local shops, enjoy the western heritage or take in the art exhibits at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art or the Western Spirit Museum. Between art installations and events like the annual “Parada del Sol Parade,” there’s always something happening in Old Town.
- Meet Navajo (Diné) artist Sheilah Nalwood in the hotel lobby shop, where she and her husband create unique and authentic sterling silver and turquoise jewelry and art.
- Hotel guests have access to the Gainey Ranch private club and golf course with 27 holes of championship golf.
- Just a few minutes north of the hotel is the world’s largest collection of musical instruments at the Musical Instrument Museum. Interactive galleries let you experience the music and instruments of cultures around the world. The hands-on “Experience” gallery is fun for all ages, allowing guests to play instruments.
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Accessibility
The resort is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as it offers pool chair lifts, wide entrances and wide pathways. The main building has a ramp to the front entrance, and most guest rooms are within the main building and accessible with elevators. Both accessible suites and casitas with visual, auditory and mobility accessibility options are available.
As always, TPG suggests contacting the resort directly with any specific questions or concerns.
Insider tips for staying at the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort
- Valet parking costs about $20 per night, while close-by self-parking is $10 per night.
- Definitely snag a dinner reservation for La Zozzona before your stay, as it’s popular with locals.
- The Grand Vista Lounge offers a great daily happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m. and live music starting at 6 p.m. most nights.
How to book the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort
Mountain view rooms are available from $529 per night during peak season (January through May) and from $349 per night in the summer. The Category 6 luxury resort is bookable starting at 21,000 World of Hyatt points per night.
When booking a Hyatt hotel, you’ll want to use a credit card that earns extra points for Hyatt stays, as well as one that possibly offers automatic World of Hyatt elite status for value-added benefits. These include:
The Grand Hyatt Scottsdale is also a member of the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts program and The Edit by Chase Travel℠, with both programs offering perks and benefits such as early check-in, daily breakfast for two, late checkout and room upgrades (subject to availability).
Bottom line
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Hyatt hotels have become my go-to accommodation option for award stays because they are so affordable. With award redemptions at the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale, a gorgeous property with fantastic service and plentiful amenities, starting at 21,000 points per night, a stay here is a no-brainer. You really can’t beat the price for this experience.
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Arizona State has added Michael White to its coaching staff for the upcoming 2026-2027 season. White will join the program as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
“I am incredibly honored to return to my home state and join this elite program,” White said. “I’m proud to say that I am coming home. I can’t thank Coach Herbie enough for the opportunity to join his incredible staff and help these young athletes grow and develop into the best individuals they can be. There are so many friends and mentors who have left their mark on this program, and I’m excited for the opportunity to leave mine and help take this program to new heights. Go Devils!”
White arrives with the Sun Devils after most recently spending the last three seasons with Alabama as an assistant. The Alabama women finished 11th at the 2026 NCAA Championships while the men were 24th.
Prior to arriving at Alabama, White spent the 2022-2023 season as a volunteer assistant at Wisconsin. He primarily coached the freestyle, breaststroke and distance groups for the Badgers. In addition to coaching the Badgers, he also was an assistant senior coach with the Madison Aquatics Club for the year. He began his coaching career at Juniata College in Pennsylvania as a volunteer assistant from 2019-2021.
White spent his collegiate career at St. Bonaventure in New York. There he was a 7x individual Atlantic-10 champion and swam to three school records as a senior with a 1:47.30 200 IM, 3:52.18 400 IM, and a 1:47.70 200 fly. He also was team captain for two season and helped the team capture the 2014 A-10 team title.
The Scottsdale, Arizona native will return to his home state. He was a 2012 AIA Division I state champion in the 100 breast and 200 IM as a senior for Dobson High School.
White joins the coaching staff led by head coach Herbie Behm, who is already known to be an innovative coach. Behm spoke of White’s innovation as well saying, “Mike is one of the best young coaches in the NCAA. His interview blew me away with the innovative ideas he presented. I can’t wait to start implementing those ideas and continue our growth at ASU.”
Arizona State swept the 2026 Big 12 team titles, and the men went on to finish 4th at 2026 NCAAs while the women were 37th. Rising senior Ilya Kharun captured the NCAA title in the 200 fly with a 1:37.66.
Arizona is ranked 18th in the nation when it comes to racial equality in the classroom, according to WalletHub.
The personal finance website compiled its 2026 list of Best States for Racial Equality in Education by looking at differences between Black and white students when it comes to test scores, college attainment and high school graduation rates.
The rankings are based on a weighted average of six metrics, but did WalletHub not provide a breakdown of each category.
However, statistics from the Center for the Future of Arizona support the idea that Arizona has work to do when it comes to racial equality. African American students in Arizona have an average college attainment rate of 38%, while white students have an average rate of 54%.
That difference is also evident in other education areas, with a gap of 11 percentage points between Black and white high schoolers in graduation rate.
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo called the high school graduation rate the most “alarming” data set for the Arizona. He said if the study included the state’s large Hispanic population, the results might have been different.
“It would be interesting, if those numbers were included, where the gaps would be. Again, Arizona has a high Hispanic population, as [does] New Mexico, and New Mexico was at number three. So maybe Arizona could take a look at what their neighbors are doing there to kind of bridge those gaps,” he said.
How can Arizona increase racial equality in the classroom?
Lupo said Arizona can boost its ranking and improve racial equality in schools by increasing the representation and funding for public education.
“One thing [to] do is to build more diversity within the school system. More Black administrators and more Black teachers kind of create more of a familiarity for Black students and more mentors. … Increased funding and a more concerted effort to increase diversity among the school systems, I think, would go a long way in bridging that gap,” he said.
WalletHub ranked Wyoming, West Virginia and New Mexico as the best states for racial equality in the classroom, with New Jersey, Connecticut and Wisconsin at the bottom of the list.
Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.
Hundreds of providers suspected to have defrauded Arizona Medicaid program
On May 16, 2023, AHCCCS suspended payment to more than 100 providers who are alleged to have defrauded Arizona’s Medicaid program millions of dollars.
Mark Henle, The Republic
A Phoenix federal judge on June 1 gave a New River couple multi-year prison sentences for deliberately defrauding Arizona’s Medicaid program of $12 million.
Thvoughn Lynden Curry and his wife, A’lexis Daneen Curry, who were both 34 as of Feb. 1, according to the federal government, were first arrested in 2023 in connection with massive fraud that bilked Arizona’s Medicaid program out of an estimated $2.5 billion. The schemes disproportionately targeted vulnerable Native Americans trying to get sober from alcohol and drug dependence.
In some cases, patients were plied with drugs and alcohol while they stayed at so-called sober living homes to keep the scheme going. A class action lawsuit filed in 2024 alleges extreme harm and wrongful deaths from the schemes.
The couple received slightly different sentences connected with the same fraud scheme that involved their Mesa-based “1 Family Clinic, LLC” billing Medicaid for services they never provided.
During the June 1 sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge G. Murray Snow told Thvoughn that because of a prior criminal history, he will be going to prison for 7.3 years, while his wife will be imprisoned for a shorter time of 5.8 years. The couple has six children, including four that they had together, and three of the children are under age five, according to court records and testimony during the sentencing.
Snow told A’lexis Curry that he wished he could do something for her children, “but I don’t know how.” The crime she committed is just “too serious” and deserves a significant sentence of incarceration, he said.
Snow sentenced the Currys individually. He asked each if they had anything they wanted to say to the court, and both said no. Neither showed any emotion when they were sentenced.
The couple was out of custody and in street clothes during the sentencing, and Snow is allowing them to be at home with their family for 21 days before they must self-surrender and start serving their sentences.
The couple asked that they be incarcerated at a facility near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which is in the vicinity of where A’lexis Curry’s mother lives and where their children will be staying.
Prosecutors say that when A’lexis applied to enroll as an Arizona Medicaid provider, there was a warrant out for Thvoughn’s arrest on felony fraud charges. A’lexis told Medicaid that she would be the sole owner of 1 Family Clinic, but investigators say Thvoughn was an owner, too.
Prosecutors said that between approximately Feb. 1, 2021, and March 31, 2023, the Currys routinely billed Arizona’s Medicaid program for services that were not actually provided. Throughout the course of the scheme, the Currys billed an average of more than 12 hours of service per member per day despite being open just eight hours per day on weekdays, five hours on Saturdays, and closed on Sundays, the government said.
Both were convicted Feb. 20 after a four-day bench trial of one count of conspiracy to commit health-care fraud, three counts of health-care fraud, and eight counts of transactional money laundering.
Snow ordered the duo to pay restitution of $12 million to the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, known as AHCCCS, which is the state’s Medicaid program. Medicaid is a government health insurance program primarily for low-income people or those who have disabilities.
The husband and wife must also forfeit several properties to the U.S. government, including the nearly 4,000 square-foot six-bedroom, four-bathroom house where they have been living with their family. The home is valued at nearly $900,000.
Other items that the couple purchased with AHCCCS money included vacations, a 2021 Range Rover, a 2022 Mercedes LT GLE 43 C4 and a 2019 Lamborghini Urus for more than $300,000, prosecutors said. Federal court records indicate the couple filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in 2024.
Both the state of Arizona and the federal government have filed charges against multiple defendants in connection with the AHCCCS fraud, which was first disclosed to the public at a multi-agency press conference in 2023.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has charged 12 defendants in cases related to the fraud, and at least seven, including the Curry couple, have already been sentenced. Thvoughn Curry received the longest sentence of any federal defendant to date, court records show.
Snow told Thvoughn that what he’d done was “quite dishonest and quite devastating.” It was also deliberate and went on for a long time, he said.
Among the federal defendants whose cases are still pending is Farrukh Jarar Ali, a 41-year-old citizen of Pakistan who was indicted in 2025 for wire fraud and money laundering in connection with an alleged $650 million scheme involving at least 41 substance abuse treatment clinics in Arizona, prosecutors say.
Another federal defendant connected with the Arizona Medicaid schemes is Rita Anagho, a former nurse practitioner who, on May 29, 2025, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health-care fraud and wire fraud. Anagho also faced state charges and, on May 6 in Maricopa County Superior Court, was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison. Anagho’s nursing license was revoked last year.
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office has indicted 140 individuals and entities connected to the widespread fraud and 41 individuals and entities have been convicted, the office reported in May.
Reach health-care reporter Stephanie Innes at stephanie.innes@usatodayco.com or follow her on X: @stephanieinnes or on Bluesky: @stephanieinnes.bsky.social.
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