SCOTTSDALE — Little things mean a lot at hotels with a big reputation, such as the Phoenician resort in this elegant Arizona hangout. Having said that J have to confess to being a little inac- curate because strictly speak- ing the Phoenician is in Phoenix city limits by a block or ovo, But to the world the Phoenician is not only in Scottsdale it’s the star turn. What's more this desert haven just got better with the opening of the Canyon Building, 60 mostly suites wrapped around an oval swimming pool and smart yellow cabanas. Views the other way look over the golf course and McDowell Mountains. It’s really very well done; the Canyon Building feels like a boutique hotel rather than an adjunct to a 640-room resort. In typical Phoenician style the rooms are huge bur the details have been taken care of, such as fine Italian linen. The spacious marble bath- room had a whirlpool cub and separate shower, but what really made it special was the quality amenities and the rowel hanging on the shower door. Go downstairs in the morning and there’s coffee and tea to fortify guests before they stroll over co the Terrace for breakfast. Stroll past reception and there are free postcards to send home. I wrote one and gave it toa staffer with instructions to put the cost of the stamp on my bill. This was a bit ofa test because some hotels, and I'm talking about top places, redi- rect guests to the cashier or even, as happened at the Baca Raton Resort, to a stamp machine. Not here: the Phoenician, it turned out, looks alter mail with a smile and even pays for the stamps. The fact ts there's lots to write home about. For exam- ple, somebody at the Terrace was saying how bored they Were at a destination spa deep in the desert. The joy of the Phoenician is that it has one of the best north shore news a David Wishart phote TWO ducks take a dip in the Phoenician's new Canyon pool. Travel writer David Wishart reports that the elegant Arizona hotel's Canyon Building feels more like a boutique hotel rather than part of a 640-room resort complex. spas in the country in the Centre tor Well-Being, but there's aiso a superb golf course (three nines actually), tennis courts, cntertainment, shopping and dining rooms including Marvy Elaine's, voted a top table in America by Gourmet magazine. Jn other words you can rejuvenate and be pampered all you want, but a Jitrle mix- ing and matching might make fora more enjoyable getaway, and anyway, your partner may be a golfer rather than a spa person. And rather than being iso- lated, the Pheestician is just a few minutes from Fashion Square and other resorts, such as the Hyact Regency Scottsdaie, to which we ven- tured one night for a meal at the Golden Swan. It was not the first cime, and it won’t be the last, for the setting, the food and the service were magnificent. At Fashion Square we tried PF. Chang's, which bills itself.as a China bistro, and while the monumental lineups testift to its populari- ty (we waited an hour) and the food creative and tasty, the noise level is unbearable. Give me Marvy Elaine's any time, where everything was perfect, even the fevel of the jazz playing in the back- ground. You're even close to the Sky Harbour Airport. Driving time was less than 15 min- utes, and if vou book America West’s evening nou- stop to Vancouver there's a October Ist-5th, 1998 5 days/4 nights Pulsating, Dynamic. Home to glamorous theatre and world-class couture. Get away for a weekend of fun in the Big Apple. full day co be enjoyed — a morning of golf, lunch al fresco, and maybe 4 relaxing afternoon in the Centre for Well-Being, which by the way, has an almost exhausting array of post-golf treatments such as a massage for muscle fatigue, a facial after being in dhe sun and wind, reflexology for stressed feet and a mani- cure and paraffin session for hands suffering from grip tension. That way you can go home in pertect condition, all the little things having been taken care off As the Canadian dollar is also in a diminutive state don’t forget to check the Phoenician for special rates. You can visit on the web at wew.thephoeni- clan.com. Includes round trip airfare on Cathay Pacific, hotel <7 qagcommodation, and a sightseeing tour of Manhattan Sunday, May 31, 1998 - North Shore News — 38_. OO A challenging year for local tourism THE last year of the millennium will! hold many challenges for Vancouver’s tourism industry. So cautioned new Tourism Vancouver chairman Graeme AG. Stamp during Tourism Vancouver's 95th annual ger 7: al meeting on Thursdas, “How we anticipate and position ourselves tor change in the upeoming year will be critical to whether the tourism industry will benefit or sufter,” the Marathon Development senior vice-president said in his address to over 200 industry representatives at the Four Seasons Horel. Stamp outlined a number of priorities tor Vancouver Tourism in the coming, vear, including the continued pursuit of major events such as the 2010 Winter Olympics for Vancouver/Whistler. Expansion of the Vancouver Trade & Convention Centre was also high on the incoming chairman’s list of priorities Stamp replaces Mark S. 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