A $1.2 million renovation of the Valencia Casitas, at Royal Palms Resort and Spa, managed by Destination Hotels & Resorts, has been announced by Greg Miller, Regional Vice President.  “In order to maintain our niche as a true leader in luxury, we are committed to continually updating our residential guest casitas, with careful consideration to retain the privacy, charm and Mediterranean elegance for which we are known.”

The 30 Valencia Casitas are located in the resort’s Valencia Gardens and offer guests dramatic views of Camelback Mountain or the surrounding gardens, many with fireplaces and all with handsome wrought-iron four poster king or queen beds and elegant French doors that open to beautiful patios.

Two local, yet nationally acclaimed design teams were selected for the project, which will be completed by early September 2012.  Est Est Interior Design was awarded the opportunity to refresh the ‘eclectic elegance’ of the bedrooms, which are built in classic estate style and are appointed with plush
Desert Dream mattresses and hand-selected furnishings.

Stacy Meisterheim, Allied ASID, led the team with the desire to “update the color palette and create a vibrant, welcoming and unique feel to each room through the use of an eclectic blend of woven natural materials, custom designed fabrics, bright colors and local artisan painted finishes. The emerging result truly captures the essence of the Royal Palms Resort.”  The fabric palette includes eggplant, crimson red, kiwi lime and a rich mustard, which is accented by a warm butter yellow for the walls. “Walking through the grounds inspired our ideas for the design of a custom metal piece that is placed above the fireplace, which celebrates the simplicity and character of these rooms,” said Meisterheim. “Additionally, we created a wood-trunk style nightstand with unique metal hardware which adds a note of rustic comfort.”

The bathrooms will undergo a dramatic renovation and will be a “welcome surprise of comfort and privacy as they will be generously expanded to include a luxuriously-sized vanity, dressing area, built-in coffee bar and privatized water closet,” said lead designer, Catherine Hayes, Principal with Architecture/Interior Inc. New finishes throughout will reinforce the spirit of the Mediterranean design
with vintage floor tile, marble and mosaic surfaces and elegant leaded glass windows “to welcome the sun.”

The Fitness Center will also undergo a $250,000 expansion and renovation which will include new floors, providing optimal comfort for impact exercise, and new windows for minimized noise transmission. Matrix Fitness Systems will be featured, including Virtual Active: a suite of fully interactive, cinema quality, video based cardio workouts which engage users on all levels, incorporating audio and ambient soundtracks in addition to stunning video footage. For example, on the treadmill, a runner can choose from a travelogue of scenic locals, such as the Hollywood Hills or Utah Zion Park and the incline will adjust to match the terrain shown in the video.  Likewise, a cyclist can select from dozens of options, ranging from the Red Rocks of Sedona to the Italian Alps, and the resistance level will adjust to match the selected terrain in the video.