Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / United States / Tucson / Loews Ventana Canyon Resort
Loews Ventana Canyon Resort
Tucson, Arizona, United States · Loews Hotels · Core Luxury
Architectural Digest called Loews Ventana Canyon Resort 'the first environmentally conceived resort in North America' after architects preserved every one of the 3,500 saguaro cacti on the Tucson site during its 1984 construction. Frizzell Hill Moorehouse designed the towers' pleated concrete ribs to echo the saguaros around them, and the resort still centers on an 80-foot waterfall feeding a 2.2-million-gallon koi pond, plus two Tom Fazio golf courses.
- 398 rooms
- Opened 1984
- Neighborhood: Ventana Entrada
- Rooms from 450 sq ft (42 m²)
- Architect: Frizzell Hill Moorehouse (William Kenneth Frizzell & John C. Hill Jr.)
About Loews Ventana Canyon Resort
- Architectural Digest called it 'the first environmentally conceived resort in North America' after architects preserved all 3,500 saguaro cacti on site during construction.
- The resort was the first hotel Loews executive Jonathan Tisch developed entirely from start to finish, opening in December 1984.
- Its pleated vertical towers were designed by architects Frizzell Hill Moorehouse to visually echo the ribs of a saguaro cactus, built in earth-brown exposed aggregate influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright.
- The resort is built around an 80-foot waterfall fed by a 2.2-million-gallon recirculating koi pond system.
- It won the Urban Land Institute Award for Excellence in 1987 and features two golf courses designed by Tom Fazio.
History
Loews Ventana Canyon Resort opened in December 1984 in the Santa Catalina foothills above Tucson, Arizona. It was developed by the Estes Company (led by Tucson developer Bill Estes and Kim Richards) as the keystone of the 1,042-acre Ventana Canyon master-planned community, and was the first hotel Loews' Jonathan Tisch developed from start to finish. The resort was designed by the firm Frizzell Hill Moorehouse — architects William Kenneth Frizzell and John C. Hill Jr. — whose Frank Lloyd Wright-influenced design uses pleated vertical towers and earth-toned exposed aggregate to blend into the Sonoran Desert.
Spanning around 93-100 acres, the resort is built around an 80-foot waterfall and preserved 3,500 saguaros during construction; Architectural Digest called it 'the first environmentally conceived resort in North America,' and it won the ULI Award for Excellence in 1987. Loews, which had managed the property since opening, acquired majority ownership in 2014, and a multimillion-dollar renovation was completed for the resort's 40th anniversary in 2024. The 398-room resort features two Tom Fazio golf courses and the Lakeside Spa.
The setting
6 miles from Fort Lowell.
Restaurants and bars
- Flying V Restaurant — Restaurant · Chef Ryan Clark
- Cascade Lounge — Bar
- Vista Barista — Restaurant
- Bill's Grill — Restaurant
Experiences
- Golf on two Tom Fazio-designed championship courses — Two 18-hole championship golf courses set into the Santa Catalina Mountains' natural features; club rentals available.
- Lakeside Spa — Spa offering Southwest-inspired rejuvenating treatments; access included in the resort fee, with fitness facilities.
- Stargazing — Complimentary stargazing led by University of Arizona Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter experts with a telescope, weather permitting; the resort is a Dark Sky-Certified Destination.
- Window Walk Educational Nature Trail — Half-mile nature trail with educational signs made with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, an 80-foot waterfall and a butterfly garden.
- Tennis and pickleball — Two lighted tennis courts and four lighted pickleball courts set against mountain views.
- Pool and cabanas — Two heated pools, including an adult-only lap pool, with cabana rentals with lounge seating and TV.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Sauna
- Hot tub
- Fitness center
- Tennis
- Golf course
- Pet-friendly
- EV charging
Awards
- AAA Four Diamond (2026)
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