A Boutique Hotel with a Palatial Pool

Set among the arid peaks of the Sonoran Desert, the Clarendon Hotel beckons overheated travelers to its blue-and-white-striped exterior, reminiscent of cool bed sheets and crisp pajama bottoms. Inside the mountain enclave, named Best Boutique Hotel 2010 by the Phoenix New Times, vibrant splashes of red and blue accent southwestern white-stucco architecture.

Each bright 400-square-foot junior suite houses one king-size bed or two double beds. Color-block carpeting and sleek black furniture create a clean, modern atmosphere set off by desert-inspired artwork of gunslingers and succulent plants. Guests can sink into soft white bedding and watch the 42-inch flat-screen TV, or listen to music on the stereo with iPod dock.

As temperatures regularly surmount 100 degrees in the summer, guests of the Clarendon cool off in the waters of The Oasis. This award-winning pool's turquoise waters feature underwater speakers and a two-story glass water wall. Weary heads and shoulders find rejuvenation in massaging jets, bubbling fountains, and the jacuzzi, which holds more than 50 people or at least five giants. Beyond the deck set with 24-karat-gold-flecked Sicis Italian tiles, an assembly of cushioned cabana beds and yellow sun chairs tempt bathers with plush cushions and fully reclining backs. After a vibrant desert sunset, nearly 1,000 illuminated stars etched into the pool's bottom come out to shine, creating a surreally inverted night sky that can be admired from the Skydeck rooftop lounge.

The Skydeck's ambrosial libations fuel late-night parties and general merriment on black wicker couches stuffed with red cushions. Come morning, the bar converts to a coffee-and-pastry depot, granting guests a dawn full of city-skyline and ragged-mountain views.

Phoenix: Modern City Steeped in Southwest Heritage

A 5-minute car or cab ride away from the Clarendon, a wealth of popular bars, restaurants, and shopping await visitors. Nearby Camelback Mountain is the crowning feature of the local landscape. The dusty red incline challenges thighs and calves with strenuous hiking trails, then rewards eyes with a stunning mountaintop vista.

In addition to a panoply of indigenous flora and fauna, sharp-eyed travelers can spy signs of ancient civilizations in the form of rock-art petroglyphs. The Heard Museum's white-stucco plaza gives way to a rabbit hole of artifacts and artwork gathered and arranged by museum staffers in partnership with native groups. American Indian artists and tribal communities have collaborated to curate a personal narrative in the museum's collection. Tours shed light on the lifestyles of early native groups as well as modern-day American Indian culture.