Scottsdale, AZ

Key Highlights

Hotels	70
Total Sleeping Rooms	14,000
Committable Meeting Rooms*	37
Largest Ballroom	25,000 Sq. Ft.
Average Hotel Room Rate	USD $108
Average Daily Meal Cost	USD $71
Average Weekly Car Rental	USD $311
*Maximum for a single hotel

Scottsdale, AZ Meeting Planning Overview

Welcome to Cvent’s Scottsdale meeting planning guide – a city guide for Scottsdale meeting planning professionals. Planning a meeting in Scottsdale? This Scottsdale event planning guide can help you find the best information. It's no surprise that this vibrant desert city is a top choice of meeting planners all over the world. With sunny skies and a year-round average temperature of 74°F, Scottsdale is a convention-friendly city that lives up to its international reputation for unparalleled meeting venues, services and amenities.

Even though Scottsdale does not have a stand-alone convention center, the city offers meeting planners an amazing variety of world-class facilities in 70 resorts and hotels, including six resorts that have earned the coveted AAA Five-Diamond Award and six that have earned Mobil Travel Guide's Four-Diamond honors. Ranging from over-the-top luxurious amenities to cozy, modest lodgings, meeting planners can choose from over 13,600 sleeping rooms and an abundance of state-of-the-art meeting space. Some of the largest Scottsdale resort properties offer over 600 rooms and more than 70,000 square feet of on-site meeting space, resulting in a city-wide total of more than 1.3 million square feet of meeting space. Many other unique venues, such as Scottsdale Stadium and Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, are available to give guests a true regional experience, making them good options for incorporating local flavor into your Scottsdale meeting planning.

Traveling to and around Scottsdale is easy with ample public transportation services such as buses and trolley shuttles. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, servicing 23 major airlines, is just 10 miles from downtown Scottsdale, about a $30 taxi ride.

Still, visitors will struggle to find a reason or need to leave Scottsdale's borders as the city expands its historic downtown with nearly $3 billion of developments. Two of the most prominent projects are found along the Arizona Canal: the $250 million Scottsdale Waterfront, a 1.1 million-square-foot residential and retail complex with fine dining restaurants, shops and high-end boutiques; and the $41 million SouthBridge, featuring more than 30,000 square feet of retail space, seven unique restaurants and dynamic cultural and arts festivals. After all, no one said you couldn't incorporate some leisure and fun into Scottsdale event planning.

About Scottsdale, AZ / Additional Info

Nestled in Arizona's beautiful Sonoran Desert Scottsdale began as a small agricultural and ranching community more than a century ago. Today Scottsdale, with a population of 234,900 people, is part of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area of over four million residents. Since its humble beginnings, Scottsdale has evolved into one of the nation's most exclusive, upscale cities, with a median family income of $95,361 and more resorts per capita than any other American city.

Pristine mountain and desert trails and local rivers provide visitors with scenic panoramas and an exciting variety of outdoor adventures including hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, river rafting and hot-air ballooning. One of the world's top golf destinations, the Scottsdale area is home to nearly 200 championship golf courses, including Troon North Golf Club and the Phoenician, ready to challenge the most seasoned golfers. After a rough day outdoors, guests find it easy to sit back and relax while indulging in a massage or facial at one of Scottsdale's numerous spas such as Alvadora or the Spa at Camelback Inn.

Scottsdale's award-winning resorts and hotels offer world-class amenities that please the most discerning travelers. In addition to fabulous restaurants such as elements as Santuary and state-of-the-art meeting facilities, many properties pamper guests with unexpected touches, including on-site art collections, private plunge pools and meditation gardens. Most Scottsdale resorts offer Internet access in guest rooms and wireless service throughout their properties.

From contemporary art and architecture at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art to ancient Native American artifacts at the Heard Museum North Scottsdale and the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park, Scottsdale proudly showcases the treasures of its past and present. Yearly events and festivals celebrate ancient Southwestern traditions while creating new ones, too. Visitors can add to their personal art collections at Scottsdale's many fine art galleries and enhance their wardrobes at Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton and other elite retailers at Scottsdale Fashion Square, one of America's "Top 30" shopping malls.

Scottsdale, AZ Key Stats for Meeting Planners

Time Zone: Mountain Time (MT)

Hotel at Convention Center? No
Sleeping Rooms 1 Mile from Convention Center: 0

Airport(s):

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

Destination Type(s):

Golf Destination
Smoke-free Restaurants

Special Event Venues
275
Population
4,179,427
Restaurants
406
Country Code
1
Sales Tax
7.95%
Currency
U.S. Dollar
Standard Tipping Practice
10-20%
Electricity
120V / 60Hz
Official Languages
English

Credit Cards and Travelers Cheques widely accepted? Yes

All average costs based on U.S. Government Per Diem rates as published by the U.S. General Services Administration.

Cities Near Scottsdale, AZ

	Distance	Estimated Driving Time	Estimated Min. Flying Time	Estimated Flight Cost
Phoenix, AZ	24 mi	28 min	n/a	N/A
Tucson, AZ	124 mi	1 hr 56 min	43 min	USD $360+
Yuma, AZ	206 mi	3 hr 12 min	53 min	USD $360+
Las Vegas, NV	311 mi	5+ hrs	1 hr 8 min	USD $180+

Scottsdale, AZ Climate Information

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg. High (°F)	68	72	77	85	92	101	104	103	99	89	77	68
Avg. Low (°F)	40	43	47	52	60	68	96	95	69	58	46	40
Rec. High (°F)	87	92	99	105	112	119	118	119	113	108	95	85
Rec. Low (°F)	21	19	24	30	35	45	53	52	45	26	23	20
Rainfall (in)	1.0	1.0	1.5	0.3	2.0	0.0	0.9	1.2	9.0	0.9	0.8	1.0

Scottsdale's location in Arizona's high Sonoran Desert creates a dry climate with hot summers, temperate winters and an average year-round temperature of 74°F. July is the hottest month with an average temperature of 93°F, while January is the coolest with temperatures averaging at 54°F.

Precipitation in Scottsdale is sparse and well below one inch during most months. December averages one inch of precipitation, the highest amount all year. From early July through mid-September, there is an influx of monsoonal moisture that raises humidity levels and can cause localized heavy rains and thunderstorms. However, even during this time, the average monthly rainfall seldom tops one inch, and with 330-days of sunshine a year, it's difficult to choose a bad time to visit. However, visitors should keep in mind that spring and fall seasons boast milder temperatures and little rainfall.

Scottsdale, AZ Meeting Venue Spotlight

Scottsdale Conference Center

In addition to luxurious rooms, fabulous amenities and a championship golf course, Scottsdale event facilities at the Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center has 50,000 square feet of spectacular meeting space, with 50 versatile meeting rooms and enchanting outdoor areas for banquets, theme parties or special events.

The largest venue is the 10,000-square-foot Grand Coronado, which can be divided into five sections. The 6,000-square-foot Arizona and Maricopa rooms can accommodate everything from general sessions to product displays. Seminars or breakout sessions can be hosted in the Pueblo, Apache or Papago rooms, and even smaller sessions can be accommodated in the center's numerous boardrooms and conference suites. Each room features distinctive décor, cutting-edge technology, ergonomic chairs and near-perfect acoustics. The resort, offering some of the largest meeting facilities in Scottsdale, specializes in theme parties, from fiestas to Western cookouts to Caribbean carnivals.

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Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

The azure skies and purple mountains of Scottsdale, Arizona, provide a dramatic desert backdrop to a superior business destination, the AAA Five DiamondFairmont Scottsdale Princess. The new Palomino Conference Center at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, which debuted on November 1, 2012, makes it the largest meetings resort in the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts portfolio worldwide boasting 150,000 square feet of event space, two 23,000-square-foot ballrooms, 106,000 square feet of indoor space, 47 meeting rooms, 44,000 square feet of outdoor space and 21 unique outdoor venues. The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is frequently listed among the top resorts and spas in the the U.S., as well as playing host to the PGA Tour’s annual Waste Management Phoenix Open. Guests will be surrounded by comfort and inspiration, all at a price that surprises. Simply put, at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, you'll find everything imaginable to contribute to your next meeting's success.

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Scottsdale, AZ Airport Information

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)

Approximate taxi fare: $30 USD

One of the 10 busiest airports in the world, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is located just three miles east of downtown Phoenix. Passengers can fly non-stop to over 100 domestic destinations from Sky Harbor. The airport services over 100,000 passengers, 1,486 aircraft and over 800 tons of air cargo daily, resulting in a $72 million daily economic impact on the area. The airport services 23 domestic and international airlines, the two largest being Southwest and US Airways. A Fortune 500 company, US Airways Group is located in nearby Tempe.

Airline carriers serving Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

Aeromexico
Air Canada
AirTran Airways
Alaska Airlines
American
British Airways
Continental

Delta
Frontier
Great Lakes
Hawaiian Airlines
JetBlue Airways
Midwest Airlines
Northwest

Southwest
Sun Country
TED
United Airlines
US Airways
West Jet

Scottsdale, AZ Public Transportation

Valley Metro

Valley Metro operates the regional transit system out of the Phoenix metropolitan area.

Bus Service

Valley Metro operates 14 bus routes throughout Scottsdale. Express Routes 510 and 512 provide service to and from downtown Phoenix. Bus fare is $1.25, with reduced fares for youths ages 6-18, seniors ages 65 or older, people with disabilities and Medicare cardholders.

Downtown Shuttle

The Scottsdale Trolley provides free downtown shuttle service year-round. The trolleys run every 10 minutes Monday through Saturday from 11 AM to 6 PM and Thursday from 11 AM to 9 PM.

Car Rentals

Adjacent to the airport, the Car Rental Center is the central location for all airport rental car companies, which include Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, E-Z, Fox, Hertz, National, Payless and Thrifty. Located at 1805 East Sky Harbor Circle South, the facility is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Upon arrival at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, travelers should walk outside to the airport curb at the baggage claim level to reach the Rental Car Shuttle pick up area, where they can find transportation to the center. All rental car companies now use a common, multi-colored Rental Car Shuttle bus.

Taxis

AAA Cab, Allstate and Discount have contracted with Sky Harbor Airport to provide the following rates: $5 for first mile with $2 for each additional mile; $20 per hour charge for traffic delay; minimum fare of $15; and airport surcharge of $1 per trip. The average trip from the airport to downtown costs $25. These rates apply regardless of number of passengers or luggage.

Distance To...

	Distance	Estimated Driving Time	Estimated Min. Flying Time	Estimated Flight Cost
Phoenix, AZ	24 mi	28 min	n/a	N/A
Tucson, AZ	124 mi	1 hr 56 min	43 min	USD $360+
Yuma, AZ	206 mi	3 hr 12 min	53 min	USD $360+
Las Vegas, NV	311 mi	5+ hrs	1 hr 8 min	USD $180+