Hollywood A-listers come to the Valley to take a break from their lives in Los Angeles, and celebrity athletes make the trip here to both play and work, thanks to the area’s professional teams, numerous golf courses and exquisite resorts and spas. Here are the Haute 5 places you should hang if you want to rub elbows with the famous.
TPC Scottsdale
The TPC Scottsdale golf course, home to one of the biggest golf championships of the year, the Waste Management Phoenix Open (formerly FBR), draws a number of golf greats each year, including Kenny Perry, JB Holmes, Aaron Baddeley, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh. Celebrities in other industries are also incorporated into the fun, teeing off for a good cause alongside professional golfers in a celebrity match. Last year brought out Josh Duhamel, Alice Cooper and sports broadcaster Mark Grace, not to mention the handful of Cardinals, Suns and Diamondbacks players who were there as spectators.
TPC Scottsdale is located at 17020 N. Hayden Road in Scottsdale 480.585.4334
Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction
A premier event for classic car enthusiasts, the annual Scottsdale-based Barrett-Jackson auction draws plenty of attention from the local crowd and out-of-towners. During the B-J week this year, nearly $4.5 million was raised for good causes via charity auctions and overall sales totaled $68 million. Celebrities who have been on hand to witness all the beautiful automobiles, as well as buy and sell some of their own, include singer Jordin Sparks, athletes Larry Fitzgerald and Reggie Jackson, race car driver Tony Stewart, musicians Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Billy Corgan, motorcycle builder Jesse James, automotive designer Carroll Shelby, rapper DMX and TV personality Jay Leno.
Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale takes place at WestWorld, located at 16601 N. Pima Road in Scottsdale 480.312.6802
Cooperstown
Phoenix resident Alice Cooper (of KISS fame) is a restaurateur and artist. His downtown eatery, the appropriately named Cooperstown is not just a place to grab some satisfying bar and grill bites, but also a great spot for people-watching. And if you’re lucky, on any given day you may see some Arizona Diamondbacks or Suns players wander in, as Cooperstown seems to be a favorite among the local athletes. Or you might even spot Alice himself, as he frequently stops by. Of course, the restaurant is a favorite venue for downtown events, such as outdoor concerts and fashion shows, so the list of notables in attendance varies, but it never fails to draw the cream of the crop.
Cooperstown is located at 101 E. Jackson Street in Phoenix 602.253.7337
Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa
Scottsdale is known to have some of the best resorts in the country, so it’s no wonder celebs such as Britney Spears, Jamie Foxx, Halle Berry and Jeremy Piven have chosen to stay here. In fact, hip-hop/pop power couple Jay-Z and Beyonce thought so highly of the area that they chose to spend their honeymoon at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa, where guests can stay in cozy mountain and spa casitas. Beyonce and her man, however, likely stayed in one of the private home rentals, unique spaces terraced high on Camelback Mountain that are ultra-luxe and ultra-private. Many celebrities who are vacationing in Phoenix, rather than just passing through for an appearance, make this their resort of choice. Jay-Z and Beyonce are also rumored to have been guests at the Intercontinental Montelucia, the same resort President Barack Obama chose to stay for his first presidential visit to Phoenix.
Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain is located at 5700 E. McDonald Drive in Paradise Valley 480.948.2100
Hotel Theodore
Now it’s the Hotel Theodore; before that, it was the Mondrian Scottsdale; and before that, it was the James Hotel. Maybe the name keeps changing, but one thing that doesn’t is this urban boutique hotel’s appeal to the “It” crowd. Thanks to its location in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale, the posh Theodore is within walking distance of all the downtown Scottsdale nightlife and shopping hotspots, making it a premier destination for such celebrities as Jessica Simpson, Jessica Alba, Kristin Cavallari, Vanessa Minnillo, Nick Lachey and Brody Jenner. The hotel also has two very cool lounges, so drop by – you never know who may be in town and having drinks.
Hotel Theodore is located at 7353 E. Indian School Road in Scottsdale 480.308.1100
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