The 240-total-room AC Hotel Phoenix at CityNorth and Element by Marriott Phoenix at CityNorth is expected to open in early December, part of a mixed-use development in North Phoenix’s Desert Ridge area.
LaPour and Holualoa Companies are the developers. Azul Hospitality Group will manage. They are near High Street and Desert Ridge Marketplace in the Loop 101 employment corridor, close to Mayo Clinic, the ASU Health Futures Center and Republic Services’ headquarters.
The property has 142 AC Hotel rooms and 98 Element suites. Element suites have in-room kitchens, rise breakfast, guest laundry, bike rentals and EV charging stations. Element Studio Commons connects four private guest rooms to a shared living area. Select AC Hotel balcony suites overlook the pool, and the AC Lounge has an adjoining outdoor terrace.
Meeting space totals about 7,056 square feet indoors and outdoors, including a 2,000-square-foot ballroom with a private terrace. Shared amenities include a saline pool, open-air bar, grilling areas, fire features and an eighth-floor fitness center.
“We are proud to partner with LaPour on a second project following AC Hotel Phoenix Biltmore,” said Aroon Chinai, chief investment officer of Holualoa Companies. “CityNorth is part of the continued evolution of North Scottsdale/Phoenix, bringing together the Desert Ridge community and a growing mix of places to live, work, stay and gather. AC Hotel and Element add another dimension to that vision, serving the surrounding business community while giving visitors a new way to experience North Phoenix.”
“Travelers increasingly expect hospitality experiences that adapt to how they work, stay and connect,” said Jeff LaPour, founder and president of LaPour. “Bringing AC Hotel and Element together allows us to create two very different stay experiences within one destination, from a one-night business trip or weekend in Phoenix to an extended project assignment.”
CityNorth is planned as a $2 billion development with more than 2 million square feet of office space, 3,400 multifamily residences and about 1,000 hotel rooms.
Azul Hospitality Group appointed Fernando Vazquez as general manager to oversee pre-opening efforts and daily operations at both hotels. Vazquez has more than 20 years of hospitality experience, including roles with Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton properties. He most recently was general manager of AC Hotel Downtown San Jose.
