Outside of some airport transfers in Phoenix, I had never spent time in Arizona. Three wonderful weeks at Cordoniz Ranch gave me the best possible introduction to the state. Tucson was having a wet rainy season, which meant that the Sonoran desert was lush and teaming with life; I would never have expected so much green in August.
The house itself has every convenience, especially the kitchen. You could prepare a gourmet feast for 12 if you wanted to (so of course I only used the coffee maker and the microwave). The screened-in Arizona Room was a revelation: I had all my meals there and (thanks to the wifi) was even able to get some work done every day. It was a great location to watch lightning off in the distance, or to enjoy the rain when it came. The desert is teaming with critters and bugs; it’s remarkable how well the house keeps them all outside. The pool is beautiful and the spa was easy to operate. In my experience, most spas have a shallower and a deeper section; this one had a deep end within the deeper part that you could actually stand in, which felt luxurious.
The location is, simply, outstanding. The ranch is in a quiet neighborhood with large lots, many of them working ranches; you’ll occasionally see people out riding (they’re serious about horses in Tucson). As others have indicated, the views are stunning; I stared at the ever-changing sky for hours. Sunsets are especially magical. During the search process it somehow failed to register to me that the house is just a 10-minute walk from the Broadway Trailhead of the Saguaro National Park, which meant that I could start every day with a spectacular hike (and be home by 9 for coffee in the Arizona Room). I was incredibly lucky with wildlife sightings at the park (highlights included a couple Gila monsters and a tortoise).
The owners were friendly and easy to deal with. I had a couple questions while there; Jono responded within minutes. There was a pool issue that could have potentially cast a pall over my final week – Jono got it fixed promptly and proactively, for which I remain grateful.
I still can’t quite believe my good fortune that my first exposure to Tucson was at Cordoniz Ranch during an exceptionally green summer. The whole experience was magical.