Arizona Biltmore Hotel facts for kids

Arizona Biltmore Hotel
Quick facts for kids
Hotel facts and statistics
Location	2400 E Missouri Ave., Phoenix, Arizona, USA, 85016
Opening date	February 23, 1929
Architect	Albert Chase McArthur
Management	Hilton Worldwide
Owner	Blackstone Realty Group

The Arizona Biltmore Hotel is a famous resort located in Phoenix, USA. It is known for its unique design and long history. The hotel is part of Hilton Hotels' Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts. It has even been featured on the Great Hotels TV show. The Arizona Biltmore is also recognized as a Phoenix Point of Pride, which means it's an important landmark in the city.

Discovering the Arizona Biltmore's Past

The Arizona Biltmore Hotel first opened its doors on February 23, 1929. It was started by brothers Warren McArthur, Jr. and Charles McArthur, along with John McEntee Bowman, who was famous for creating the Biltmore Hotel chain.

Who Designed the Biltmore?

The main architect for the Arizona Biltmore was Albert Chase McArthur. He was actually the brother of the hotel owners! Many people mistakenly think that the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed the hotel. This is because Wright helped out for about four months in 1928. He advised on a special building method called "Textile Block" construction. This method became a key part of the hotel's look.

Albert McArthur had worked for Wright before. He specifically asked Wright for help with the textile block system. The hotel has parts that look similar to some of Wright's other buildings. This is especially true in the main lobby. This is because of the unique block design that Wright had used in Los Angeles a few years earlier.

However, Albert McArthur is definitely the architect. Old drawings of the hotel in the Arizona State University Library prove this. Also, a magazine called Architectural Record wrote about it in 1929. Wright was a very famous and outspoken architect, but he taught himself and wasn't licensed in Arizona. McArthur, on the other hand, studied architecture at Harvard. He was licensed as an architect in Arizona in 1925.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Influence Over Time

Over the years, more elements inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright have been added to the hotel. For example, a beautiful stained glass window called "Saguaro Forms and Cactus Flowers" was added in 1973. Wright had designed this pattern for a magazine cover in 1926. Students from Taliesin, Wright's architecture school, made the window.

You can also see geometric 'sprite' statues around the property. These were originally designed by Wright for a project in Chicago in 1915. The hotel also has restaurants named after Wright, like 'Wright's', The Wright Bar, and Frank & Albert's.

The Unique Biltmore Blocks

The design of the hotel has been a topic of discussion for a long time. Frank Lloyd Wright wanted square blocks for the building. But Albert McArthur used mathematically shaped rectangle blocks. These special pre-cast blocks were made right at the hotel site from desert sand. They became known as the "Biltmore Blocks." They have many different geometric patterns.

Wright had criticized McArthur's use of the block system. He even publicly claimed he designed the building. However, in 1930, Wright wrote a letter published in The Architectural Record. In it, he clearly stated:

Exploring the Hotel's Special Rooms

The Arizona Biltmore has several interesting rooms with unique stories.

The History Room

On the third floor of the hotel, you can find the Biltmore History Room. This room displays many historical items from the hotel's past. You can also see old furniture that was once used in the hotel. One cool item on display is a wooden key. This key was dropped onto the ballroom roof by Scenic Airways on the hotel's opening day, February 23, 1929! You can see it above the room's fireplace.

The Mystery Room

Fireplace inside the Mystery Room

On the second floor, there was a room called the Mystery Room. It was officially known as the "Men's Smoking Room." But its real purpose at night was a secret gathering place. Only guests who knew a secret password were allowed inside.

Behind a revolving bookcase in the room, there was a hidden bar. The hotel even had a special spotlight on top of the building. This light was used to warn guests if police were coming. A hotel employee on the roof would flash the spotlight onto the skylight of the Mystery Room. When guests saw the light, they would quickly leave through secret passages back to their rooms. What is now a regular door to the room used to be a hidden exit.

Famous actors Clark Gable and Carole Lombard often stayed in Room 1201, which is now called the Clark Gable room. Their room had a secret passage directly to the Mystery Room! Today, this room is used for meetings and conferences.

The Gold Room

Clark Gable and his friends also used to eat in the Gold Room. This large ballroom is 7,000 square feet and could hold 480 guests. The Gold Room was the hotel's original dining room. It featured dancing and live music every night. Its beautiful gold leaf ceiling and windows are still original parts of the building. Two large paintings, "Legend of the Sun" and "Warrior Twins," by artist Maynard Dixon are on the walls. Dixon was known for his art about the American West.

The Aztec Room

The Aztec Room was the Biltmore's first ballroom. This 2,800 square foot room has a gold leaf ceiling and copper beams. Frank Lloyd Wright played an important role in designing this room, and it has changed very little since it was built.

William Wrigley Jr. Takes Over

In 1930, the McArthur brothers, who owned the hotel, lost control of it. One of their main investors, William Wrigley Jr., became the full owner. Wrigley Jr. was famous for his chewing gum company. The nearby Wrigley Mansion was built in 1931 and is now a private club.

The Original Tequila Sunrise Drink

Bartender Gene Sulit

The famous Tequila Sunrise drink was created at the Arizona Biltmore! It was invented in the late 1930s by a bartender named Gene Sulit. One day, a customer at the hotel's "Wright" bar asked Sulit to create a new drink that would be perfect for enjoying by the pool. Sulit mixed tequila, Crème de Cassis, fresh lime juice, and Club Soda. This new drink became known as the Biltmore Tequila Sunrise.

The Catalina Pool and Famous Guests

In 1940, the Catalina Pool and the Cowboy Bunkhouse areas opened. These quickly became favorite spots for Hollywood celebrities. The Catalina Pool was especially loved by Marilyn Monroe, who was often seen sunbathing there. It's also believed that the famous songwriter Irving Berlin wrote his iconic song “White Christmas” while at the Catalina Pool. Actress Martha Raye was even photographed playing chess on a giant chessboard near the Cowboy house.

On March 4, 1952, Ronald and Nancy Reagan got married and spent their honeymoon at the resort. Their favorite place to stay was Cottage I.

The Hotel Fire of 1973

In 1970, the Wrigley family sold the hotel. A big fire broke out on June 21, 1973, causing a lot of damage. The fire destroyed parts of the third and fourth floors. There was also a lot of water damage on the second and ground floors. Investigators found that a spark from a welder installing a sprinkler system started the fire. Many firetrucks and firefighters responded, and the damage cost $2.5 million.

Despite the damage, the new owners announced that the hotel would be rebuilt in just 90 days! They wanted it to open on time for the winter season in September 1973. The quick rebuilding included new carpets, new furniture for rooms, new kitchen equipment, and renovated public areas. The "Saguaros" stained glass, designed by Wright, was made by Taliesin students during this time and installed in the lobby. Three different work crews worked around the clock. The hotel met its deadline, with the last carpets laid just before opening day.

Changes in Ownership

Replicas of the Midway Gardens sprites at the Arizona Biltmore

After the fire, the hotel changed owners several times over the years. In 1979, the Rostland Corporation took over. Later, in 1983, it became a Leper DBL Biltmore Association property. Then, in 1992, it was sold again to Grossman Properties. A spa was added to the hotel in 1998.

In 1999, Florida Panther Holdings, Inc. bought the hotel. This company later changed its name to Boca Resorts, Inc. They owned several other resorts and even the Florida Panthers Hockey Club. In 2000, Boca Resorts, Inc. sold the hotel to KSL Recreation, Inc. KSL owned it until 2004, when it was sold to CNL Hotels & Resorts. CNL was then sold to Morgan Stanley in 2007. More recently, in 2013, the hotel was sold to the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation. Today, Hilton operates the hotel as part of its Waldorf-Astoria Collection.

Other Important Moments

In 2004, while visiting Arizona for a campaign stop, United States president George W. Bush stayed at the hotel. There was very tight security, with over 200 police officers, Secret Service agents, and bomb-sniffing dogs on site.

In 2009, the Arizona Biltmore celebrated its 80th anniversary. To mark the occasion, they added two new features that highlighted the hotel's history and design. One was Ocatilla at Arizona Biltmore, a new section with 120 rooms offering special services and amenities. It was named after a place Frank Lloyd Wright built in Phoenix. The other addition was a new restaurant called Frank & Albert's. This restaurant was named after Frank Lloyd Wright and Albert McArthur. Its menu features classic American comfort foods with an Arizona twist, reflecting the styles of both architects.

The Arizona Biltmore was officially named a Phoenix Point of Pride and listed on the Phoenix Historic Property Register in July 2009.

2008 Presidential Election Event

On November 4, 2008, the McCain/Palin presidential campaign held its final party at the hotel. Senator John McCain, who was the Republican candidate for president, spoke to reporters and his supporters on the hotel's lawn. He conceded, meaning he accepted that he had lost the election. Some supporters watched his speech on TV screens inside the ballroom. Earlier in the evening, former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer was the host for the entertainment in the ballroom.

Gallery

Images for kids

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  Stylized "Biltmore Blocks" by architect, Albert Chase McArthur

See also

In Spanish: Hotel Arizona Biltmore para niños