Sam Fox Just Proved He Can Do More Than Cook

Photo Credit: CNBC

From Kitchen Table to Reader’s Choice

Sam Fox spent decades building a reputation as one of the country’s most respected restaurateurs. Now he can add hotelier to the resume. His Global Ambassador in Phoenix just landed the No. 1 spot on Travel and Leisure’s 2026 list of Arizona’s best resort hotels. The ranking came straight from reader votes, not critics with an agenda.

Breaking a Streak That Looked Unbreakable

Castle Hot Springs had owned this list. The historic wellness retreat topped the rankings in four of the last five years and picked up a Relais and Chateaux nod along the way. This year it slid to No. 4. The Global Ambassador took the crown in its very first appearance on the list, a rare feat for any property.

What Fox Built Was Never an Accident

The 141-room hotel opened in 2023 and quickly caught the attention of global travel press. It became one of the first Arizona properties recognized by the Michelin Guide. Fox has said he personally curated everything from bed linens to curtain placement. That obsessive attention shows in the reviews.

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Readers Loved the Details They Could Feel

Guests praised the hotel’s European atmosphere, calling it worldly and distinct from typical Southwest resort design. Five restaurants anchor the property, including the Mediterranean rooftop spot théa and the French steakhouse Le Âme. Readers also gave high marks to the spa and to the hotel’s accessibility for guests using wheelchairs.

A Team Effort, According to the Man Himself

Managing director Younes Atallah credited the staff rather than any single achievement. He said the focus has always been on details guests feel but rarely notice. That kind of humility tracks with how Fox has run his restaurant empire for years, letting the food and the room speak for themselves.

Arizona’s Hospitality Scene Keeps Climbing

The Global Ambassador shared the top 10 with familiar names like the Hermosa Inn, Under Canvas Grand Canyon, and the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. But Fox’s hotel stood alone at the top. For a chef who built his name one restaurant at a time, running Arizona’s best hotel is not a pivot. It is the same instinct for hospitality applied at a bigger scale.

The Takeaway

Sam Fox did not stumble into this ranking. He built a hotel the way he builds a restaurant, obsessing over every small choice until the whole thing feels effortless. Arizona’s hospitality scene just got another reason to pay attention to what he does next.