Ritz-Carlton Phoenix to close, be rebranded

The Ritz-Carlton Phoenix will close July 24 and undergo a makeover into an another upscale hotel brand that appeals to business and vacation travelers.

The 281-room hotel, which opened in 1988, will undergo an extensive renovation and reopen in December as part of Marriott's Autograph Collection of independent upscale and luxury hotels, said Carrie Mosner, spokeswoman for Destination Hotels & Resorts.

Destination will manage the rebranded hotel, which is at 24th Street and Camelback Road. The property is owned by Host Hotels & Resorts.

"Destination and Host will be repositioning the hotel as a lifestyle hotel," Mosner said, adding that the companies want to capitalize on the site's location near the Arizona Biltmore shopping mall and Camelback Corridor businesses.

Marriott's Autograph Collection includes domestic and international hotels including the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver, Boscolo Exedra Nice in France, St. Ermin's Hotel in London and Prince Sakura Tower in Tokyo.

Locally, Destination manages the Royal Palms Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Tempe Mission Palms and Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center.

Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center will undergo a massive multi-phase renovation that will begin July 1. The resort will reopen in September as The Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch, A Destination Hotel, Mosner said.

Under the first phase, a $9 million renovation, a new restaurant and bar will be added, the main pool will be redone and guest rooms will be enhanced, among other work. The property, at 7700 E. McCormick Parkway, is owned by Cornerstone Advisors.