We stayed at the Casitas at Rancho Manana in April on a timeshare exchange. We were with our three children, ages 17, 14, and 11. This is our first exchange, so we don't have a lot to compare it to, but it was just beautiful. The kitchen is top of the line with everything you could need. We had dinner in the casita three nights. One night we barbecued outside. There are two gas grills in the center courtyard for people to use. There is also a gaslit firepit there where you can sit and relax. There is a private patio outside each casita where you can also sit and eat. There were two bedrooms, each with king sized beds and their own large bathrooms. There is also an alcove between the two bedrooms with a queen sized murphy bed which came out of the wall. The beds were extremely comfortable. Since it is a timeshare exchange, there is no daily maid service, but they do come midweek to clean. There is a small washer and dryer as well. The pool was very nice with plenty of seating and umbrellas, as well as two hot tubs. The people who work at the pool are very friendly and helpful. There are lots of pool toys that they bring out for the kids to use as well. There were quite a few families there, staying with parents or grandparents, but the pool was never crowded. We also used the fitness center a few times and it is very state-of-the-art and they even provide headphones for the tv's if you don't have them. There are also fitness classes you can take. The locker room downstairs is a must-see! It's gorgeous! We did not use any of the spa services other than the fitness center.
The town of Cave Creek is pretty small and not much to it. We did go out to dinner at the Mexican Restaurant in town, El Encanto. I highly recommend it. Overall, it was a very nice stay, if you are looking for something outside Phoenix. We drove into Phoenix two days, and it was about a half hour drive, and pretty direct.
