9 New Venues in Phoenix/Scottsdale for Fall 2022 Meetings and Events

In July, Sheraton Phoenix Downtown completed a renovation of its meeting and event spaces, marking the end of a top-to-bottom property overhaul. Designed to juxtapose the city’s urban and desert environments, the hotel now incorporates modern earth tones, gold statement pieces, textured tiles, and Southwestern-inspired artwork. The remodel also included the launch of the Sheraton Club, where Marriott Platinum Members can enjoy everything from Starbucks coffee and fresh pastries in the morning to a dessert bar at night. The convention-centric hotel boasts 1,003 guest rooms, as well as more than 110,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space, complete with state-of-the-art technology and amenities. Planners can host guests in any of 26 venues, the largest of which is the 27,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom (pictured) that can accommodate as many as 1,850 for seated banquets, 2,510 for theater-style presentations, or 2,500 for cocktail receptions.

Co+HOOTS coworking space opened a Mesa branch in June. Along with offering entrepreneurs, startups, and students a place to work and thrive, the 9,000-square-foot venue features a variety of spaces that can be reserved for corporate meetings and celebratory events. Take the Community Room, for example, which can accommodate up to 200 guests for cocktail-style receptions, 100 banquet style, and 45 classroom style, while the Clay, Sage, and Oak rooms each seat 10 around a conference table. The open-style second floor seats 20 stadium style. In each meeting area, planners can utilize Chromecast, whiteboards, and HDMI hookups.

Elevate Hangar North Phoenix will become available for events in November. The venue boasts two hangars spanning 16,000 and 4,200 square feet, respectively, along with 10,000 square feet of outdoor space. The hangars can be rented separately or together, enabling planners to execute multiple setups for a single gathering. In total, the space can accommodate as many as 1,000 guests, and the cavernous layout lends itself to large staging, top-quality acoustics, circus arts performances, and major brand activations.

As of August, Glendale is home to Turquoise Wine Cellar and Tasting Room. Spanning 1,200 square feet, the swanky wine bar seats 35 or can accommodate 50 for cocktail-style events. To further elevate the guest experience, a projector and screen are available upon request, and planners can arrange for wine tastings and wine education classes. The venue can also arrange to supply hungry eventgoers with charcuterie, small bites, or fully catered meals.

As part of an extensive property-wide renovation, the 950-room JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge debuted Tia Carmen, a stunning signature dining outlet, in April. The vibe here is sophisticated, natural, and simple, with a warm color palette and an architectural design notable for its organic curves. The elevated eatery spans 9,500 square feet inside, plus boasts an expansive outdoor patio. Several areas of the space can accommodate groups of different sizes, including a 130-seat indoor dining room, a 153-seat outdoor dining area, an 88-seat private dining room, and a 25-seat exterior lounge. On Tia Carmen's menu, expect contemporary Southwestern specialties, including tuna tostadas with smoked chili oil and pickled onions, ember-roasted purple yams, and Baja striped bass with mole verde. Looking for more? The JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge will launch at least one additional dining outlet next year.

This fall, the AAA Five Diamond hotel Fairmont Scottsdale Princess unveiled Privado Villas, an uber-luxe resort-within-a resort designed to cater to ultra-high-end guests. The Privado Villas experience begins in Casa Grande, a private reception area, and continues through lush landscaping to one of 15 pods housing 119 residential-style rooms: 50 850-square-foot, one-bedroom villas, and 69 700-square-foot signature studios. Rooms offer a range of amenities, from walk-in closets to bespoke-stocked fridges to private courtyards. Guests also have access to the Privado Relaxation Pool and the adjacent pool bar, both of which are open solely to Privado Villas guests. And of course, guests are welcome to access all of the facilities and amenities that the 65-acre property offers.

In September, The Joy Lush Club, a neighborhood bar and bottle shop, opened in Uptown Phoenix. The 2,000-square-foot venue offers a hip, mellow vibe with seating for up to 109 guests, and is complete with hookups for live music and bar games like shuffleboard and darts. On the beverage menu, guests will find a selection of 16 beers on tap alongside a curated wine list, and planners are welcome to hire outside caterers for food needs. Four TV screens are available for use during events as well.

August brought the opening of The Desmond, an elevated gastropub in downtown Phoenix. Spanning 2,200 square feet, the cozy restaurant features tufted banquettes, ornate wallpaper, subway tiles, and an exquisite gold ceiling. The venue seats up to 68 guests, inviting them to savor a variety of wood-fired specialty pizzas, salads, paninis, charcuterie, and more.

With its original outpost going strong in Surprise, Bonfire Craft Kitchen & Tap House opened a 6,000-square-foot location in Tempe in August. The expansive restaurant, which can seat up to 422 guests, serves brisket, pulled pork, hot links, and other barbecue favorites that are smoked on-site. Also on the upscale American menu are from-scratch dishes like wood-fired pizzas, burgers, salads, and sandwiches—all made with locally sourced ingredients. Planners can utilize a built-in AV system with HDMI hookups if needed.