Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa is shifting to independent ownership and management, and the Paradise Valley property is pairing that change with a multiyear renovation touching nearly every corner of the resort, from its 110 guest rooms to its restaurants and spa. The transition puts the 53-acre resort under a joint partnership between Berger Holdings and RJ Hospitality, with construction unfolding in phases over the next several years.
The ownership change and renovation plan were detailed in a release carried by prnewswire.com, which described the shift as a return to independent local ownership alongside plans for a multimillion-dollar property transformation. As reported by the Arizona Republic, whose consumer travel reporter Michael Salerno has covered Arizona travel and tourism since 2014, sanctuary staff confirmed the renovation is a multimillion-dollar project but did not provide a specific total dollar figure. The historic property includes 110 casitas and suites as well as eight private mountainside villas, according to the same prnewswire.com release.
Rooms First, Then Dining and Spa
The first wave of construction targets the guest accommodations. All 110 guestrooms and casitas will undergo what hotel staff describe as a comprehensive interior refresh, according to lodgingmagazine.com, with work beginning in summer 2027 and a target completion of September 2027. Hart+Howerton is serving as the architect and designer of record for the project, per the same outlet.
A second phase set for 2028 will shift focus to the resort's food-and-beverage outlets and Sanctuary Spa, per hotelnewsresource.com. That phase is expected to bring enhancements to the resort's on-site restaurants, which include the Elements fine dining restaurant, Jade Bar cocktail bar and the Table XII private dining experience, according to the Arizona Republic's reporting. Sanctuary Spa currently offers 12 indoor and outdoor treatment rooms along with a zen meditation garden and a reflection pond, per hotelnewsresource.com.
A Recently Finished Meetings Overhaul
Before announcing the broader ownership transition, the resort had already completed a separate $7 million renovation of its meetings and events spaces, a project that debuted in January and covers 8,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor areas, according to smallmarketmeetings.com. That work included redesigns of the 3,851-square-foot ballroom and added flexible seating options to the Views Lawn and Terrace, per the Arizona Republic's account. With the completion of that renovation, the resort also launched new programming, the outlet notes.
The phased approach mirrors a broader wave of resort renovations across the Phoenix and Scottsdale area in recent years. The Scottsdale Resort & Spa completed a $40 million renovation in 2024, according to hotelmanagement.net, while Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas finished a $24 million multi-phase renovation, per visitphoenix.com. Farther north, Hilton Sedona Resort's upcoming enhancements follow its late-2024 completion of a multimillion-dollar renovation of all 221 guest rooms, according to thebestofthesouthwest.com.
New Owners Emphasize Local Stewardship
Laura McIver, cited in the Arizona Republic's coverage, said local owners' commitment directs every invested dollar toward the destination's care, character and service. The remark underscores the framing behind the ownership change, as Berger Holdings and RJ Hospitality position the multiyear renovation as an investment tied specifically to local, independent management rather than a change tied to a larger hotel brand.
For now, the resort has confirmed only the broad contours of the plan: a phased rollout starting with rooms in summer 2027 and moving to dining and spa upgrades in 2028. Specific dollar figures for the overall transformation, along with details on construction schedules, contractor selection and any operational impacts during the work, have not been released.
