Family Reunion Rentals in Scottsdale: Houses That Fit Everyone

What a reunion house actually needs

Most family reunion rentals in Scottsdale are listed by how many people they sleep. That number matters less than how the house is laid out. Twenty-five people in one house works when the grandparents have a quiet suite, the young families are near each other, the teenagers have somewhere to go, and the whole family can sit down to the same dinner.

We host reunions every year at two houses built for it. This is what to look for, and how those two compare.

• A bed for every guest. Count sleeper sofas separately.
• Bathrooms in proportion: one for every three or four guests is comfortable.
• A separate suite or casita for older guests or a family with a baby.
• A kitchen and outdoor kitchen that can feed everyone at once.
• A pool area big enough that the adults can watch the children without standing in the sun.
• Something for the evenings: a game room, a putting green, fire pits.

Valley Vista Estate: up to 30 in Paradise Valley

Valley Vista is the house we host for the largest families. It sits behind a private gate in Paradise Valley, with eleven bedrooms, eight full and two half baths, and room for up to 30 guests. Two primary suites have their own balconies, which settles the question of where the senior generation sleeps.

The detached guest casita has its own full kitchen, living room and private entrance, so one branch of the family can keep its own hours. The children get a bunk room and a hidden game room. Outside there is a heated pool with a swim-up bar and an in-pool grill, a sunken outdoor kitchen with a shaded bar, a fireplace, two fire pits and a putting green.

Phoenix Sky Harbor is about 15 minutes away, which matters when relatives are landing at different times all day. Camelback Mountain, golf and the shops at Biltmore Fashion Park are all close.

Wild West Estate: up to 16 near Old Town

For a smaller reunion, or one branch of a big family, Wild West Estate in Scottsdale sleeps up to 16 across seven bedrooms and six baths, less than a mile from Old Town. Two of the bedrooms are casita-style rooms that work well for teenagers or cousins. The backyard has a heated pool with a swim-up bar and baja shelf, a spa, covered patios with fire features, a putting green and bocce.

Being close to Old Town means relatives can walk or take a short ride to dinner, the galleries and the ballpark, without organizing a convoy.

One house or two

Up to 16 guests, Wild West is the simple answer. From 17 to 30, Valley Vista keeps everyone under one roof, which is usually what a reunion is for. Above that, or when two sides of the family want some distance, book both houses and alternate the big dinners. They are a short drive apart.

When to book a Scottsdale reunion

Large homes book first, and reunions plan around school calendars. Spring break, Thanksgiving and the stretch from Christmas to New Year's go earliest, often close to a year out. February brings the Phoenix Open and late February through March brings spring training, both busy weeks across the city.

Weekend stays carry a three-night minimum, and holidays and peak weeks may require longer. Late spring and early fall are the easiest dates to get and still warm enough for long afternoons at the pool.

The house rules for reunions

Our houses are guest accommodation only. A reunion of the people staying in the house is exactly what they are for. A party that brings in outside guests, a wedding or a catered event is not allowed, and outdoor noise ends at 10 pm. Valley Vista sits in a residential Paradise Valley neighborhood with strict rules, so the evenings move indoors to the game room and the great room.

Things the whole family can do

Plan one shared outing a day and leave the rest open. A spring training game at Scottsdale Stadium works across generations. The Desert Botanical Garden suits a cooler morning. Taliesin West has tours for every age. Golfers can split off for a round, and everyone else has the pool. Many families book a private chef for the main reunion dinner so nobody spends it in the kitchen.

Call us at (480) 781-0717 with your headcount and dates and we will tell you which house fits.

Questions we get asked