If you are looking for a vacation or getaway destination that offers cool nights and warm days, gorgeous sunsets, gourmet food, relaxing spa services and all the tennis, golf and hiking you can handle, I suggest the desert luxury resort at the Lodge at Ventana Canyon in Tucson, Arizona. My brother and father-in-law joined me recently for a trip to Arizona where we enjoyed a brief stay at this exclusive 50-room boutique resort nestled in the foothills of the majestic Santa Catalina Mountains. Everywhere you look is a picture postcard. Especially on the golf courses!

The Lodge at Ventana Canyon is home to the Ventana Canyon Golf and Racquet Club. Even though I love tennis, this was primarily a golf excursion so we did not take advantage of the 12 lighted courts. We did however test our golfing abilities on the resort’s two Tom Fazio-designed championship courses, the Mountain and the Canyon. The third hole on the Mountain course is touted as the “Most photographed golf hole west of the Mississippi,” because it is a picturesque par 3 situated from a hill top tee box to a green that lies only 107 yards away but is all carry across cactus and other canyon hazards. These two challenging and scenic courses offer a true test of your golfing ability while providing panorama views that often take your mind off your game. Saguaro cactus rise up from the desert floor like sentries standing guard on every hole. Elevation changes offer exciting target golf while you watch cottontail rabbits, quail, roadrunners or even a javelina scurry across the fairways. Course conditions were perfect while we were there and if you keep your golf ball out of the desert you will have the golfing experience of your life. I think I took as many pictures as I took golf strokes. You won’t believe the views!

The Lodge at Ventana Canyon offers visitors guest suites that are decorated with Mission-inspired furniture, Anasazi cushions, luxurious baths with plush bathrobes, and lavishly stocked in-room refreshment centers. Guest suites take advantage of the beautiful views with spacious balconies or patios. And as a special touch, guests will enjoy the in-room check-in as you are greeted at the Lodge’s front door and escorted to your suite. We stayed in a two-bedroom loft suite with a unique spiral staircase that led to the spacious loft area with its own bathroom.

Dining at the Lodge is resort casual even though the food is gourmet. The Catalina dining room offers a more formal dining experience while the Ventana Bar & Grill is the place to catch a sandwich and a drink following a round of golf or a tennis match. The menu includes everyone’s favorites from steak to seafood with a regional Southwest flair. We usually had breakfast and dinner at the Lodge and every meal was delicious and the service was extremely friendly, courteous and efficient.

The Lodge at Ventana Canyon also offers guests a range of spa services, a well-equipped fitness room and an outdoor competitive size swimming pool. And if you like to hike, and who doesn’t in this beautiful environment, there are a number of hiking trails that wind through the canyon where you can really enjoy the varied desert flora and fauna. We took an afternoon off from our golf and hiked in the nearby Saguaro National Park where we got up close and personal with these giant cactus, known as the monarchs of the Sonoran Desert. Some of these majestic cacti can reach 50 feet tall and 150 years in age, weighing 8 tons, making them the largest cacti in the United States.