A friend kept urging me to check out Tubac Golf Resort & Spa in Tubac, Arizona, a small artist's community near the Mexican border. "It's wonderful," she said. "I wouldn't tell you to go if it wasn't."
So I drove a 45 minutes south of Tucson, where I expected it to be hot as hell in May and was pleasantly surprised. Because of the elevation, it's actually cooler than Phoenix or Scottsdale, 2 1/2 hours to the north.
Beautiful Mountains in Tubac
Tubac is beautiful, with the Santa Rita and Tucamcacori Mountains on either side of the Santa Cruz River valley. With white stucco walls and red-tiled casitas, the Tubac Golf Resort & Spa feels like a luxury resort, but its room rates are low enough to make it a great value.
It's on 500 gorgeous acres that was originally a 1789 cattle ranch belonging to the Otero family. (Their 200 year-old ranch house is still there.) Tubac Resort is best known for its 27 holes of championship golf along the Santa Cruz River, with lovely mountain views in the distance.
It's also a great place to get married because of the 17th century-style Mission Chapel. With just 98 rooms, Tubac Resort is an intimate property, and the reasonable room rates and spa prices make it a great value. There's a range of very comfortable Mexican-style rooms, from small but comfortable to the newer, larger-scaled casitas with big bathrooms.
John Wayne Was Here
Tubac Golf Resort been around long enough for John Wayne's photo to be hanging in the bar (where you can literally sit on saddles) but Tubac has been substantially updated by new owners.
One of the improvements is a brand new spa that uses traditional materials, including richly polished mesquite doors in the locker room, Mexican tiles, heavy wooden doors and iron wall sconces. There are only eight treatment rooms, which makes it an intimate experience, and you can relax in the spa's walled outdoor patio before or after your treatment.
Treatments at Tubac Spa
My first treatment was a "deep-muscle massage" ($100 for 50 minutes), also known as deep-tissue massage. My therapist, April, had really strong hands and went very deep. I had a knot in my shoulder and she worked it out, but I made two mistakes.
One was to have an EXCELLENT margarita at Dos Silos for lunch, an hour before the massage. I put alcohol in my system just before she performed a massage that was moving toxins out of the tissue. My system got overloaded and I felt hungover the next day.
The other mistake was to think "if it hurts, it must be good for me." I should have let the therapist know sooner that the pressure was too much.
Fortunately, my next treatment that day was the "Tui-Na Five Elements Massage," ($155 for 80 minutes) a quieter, calmer, massage that I highly recommend. The therapist, Sara, started by letting me choose the aromatherapy scent for my massage oil. Once I was on the table she put a copper bowl on the small of my back and struck it, sending healing vibrations through my body.
The treatment also incorporated hot towels, warm stones, Swedish massage and acupressure. I really loved this treatment and it helped me feel better and more integrated. Sara also had a gentler style that I prefer. My only objection is the name Tui-Na, which is a specific Chinese technique that is not part of this treatment.
I didn't have a facial, but I'm intrigued that the spa uses Hylunia, a line with potent ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin C, but no parabens, fragrance, alcohol, dyes or animal and human-derived ingredients.
Dinner With A View at Tubac
The Stables offers a fine dining experience with dishes like steak or spaghetti and meatballs, a conservative menu that caters to an older crowd. Sit by the window for views of the mountains and the cattle that graze to the golf course. Excellent Mexican food (and Margaritas!) are found at Dos Silos.
The resort offers Qi-Gong, yoga, and swimming lesson, but the main attraction is golfing and shopping in nearby Tubac, a charming historic village with artists, Indian jewelry, western clothes and Mexican home decor.
There's development in Tubac (including homes on Tubac Resort), but the open, rural landscape is what Scottsdale and Phoenix must have looked like a long time ago. Tubac is a great weekend getaway from Phoenix or Tucson and a great value choice for people who want Arizona weather but don't want to pay Scottsdale prices.
Tubac Golf Resort & Spa At A Glance:
As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodations, meals and treatments for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.
