hilton el conquistador resort, a tucson jewel

tucson, arizona. so many things can be said about this desert oasis. beautiful climate, intriguing vegetation, wonderful people. it is a city many people know well, and if they don’t, they want to.

it is no wonder this was the first and last stop on a 10-day road trip this ready-for-a-vacation diva took with my 12-year-old daughter. and, i could tell from the very beginning, if the first night was any indication of the rest of the trip, it was going to be a very, very good trip.

the place was the hilton el conquistador golf and tennis resort – set with a gorgeous backdrop of the santa catalina mountain range. the natural beauty of the canyon, together with the structure of the resort and the hospitality of the staff made me feel, well among many other things, fabulous.

while there, i realized two things. the hilton el conquistador golf and tennis resort has it all, and i will, in fact, wear a bathing suit in public if it means swimming in one of the el conquistador pools. the area provides numerous lounge chairs, walk-up service, cabanas (for rent), three pools (including a separate kiddy pool) and a 143-foot waterslide.

if i hadn’t been so intrigued by the water, i would have tried playing tennis on one of 31 different lighted courts or a game of golf on one of three courses offering 45-holes. next trip, i will for sure visit their luxury spa services, and i will eat in every single one of the five different restaurants, maybe after a ride at their on-site equestrian facility.

seeing their meeting areas for conferences or special events made me want to plan a family reunion, and it wasn’t because i was so relaxed i began seeing life through rose-colored glasses - the resort is big enough to provide comfortable distances for family members, and they offer a variety of specials and rates in an effort to provide the best lodging at the best prices.

the only problem starting at the hotel el conquistador - how hard it was to continue on for another nine days somewhere else!

*keep an eye out for more on diva and diva junior’s 10-day road trip for traveling tips, great places to visit and a few miscellaneous tidbits.

[photos via hilton el conquistador]