Discovering the Mystery of Tucson’s Westward Look Resort

Wander With Wonder – Discovering Wow Moments Around the World or Across the Street

Read on to explore the haunted tales and rich history of Tucson’s Westward Look Resort, a must-visit for curious travelers.

I’m intrigued by haunted hotels, so when I discovered that Tucson’s Westward Look is rumored to have a ghost, I was eager to explore. While I didn’t encounter any ghosts, I got a real feel for the history that makes the resort so endearing to visitors. 

A Western Dream Home

In 1912, Tucson was a tiny spot in the Sonoran Desert, home to about 13,000 residents. The surrounding desert called to William and Maria Watson, who chose to homestead 172 acres 10 miles out of town at the foot of the Santa Catalina Mountains. 

The Watsons commissioned a local architect to design a hacienda-style home that could be a welcoming oasis for friends and family. Today’s Viga Room, located just off the lobby, was the family’s living room. The ocotillo lining the ceiling is original to 1912. 

The couple continued to welcome guests, eventually adding 15 cottages to the property to accommodate visitors from the East. In 1917, the Watsons welcomed Mrs. Gloria Hutchins to their home to work as a maid and nanny. And that is where our ghost story begins. 

The Westward Look Ghost

Gloria Hutchins was a 19-year-old blonde-haired young woman who traveled by rail to begin her two-year appointment with the family in the Spring of 1917. She would spend the time there saving money while waiting for her husband to return from serving in France with the Army during World War I.

Young Gloria would retire to her second-floor room each evening, open the window, and watch the oak tree shimmering in the moonlight set against the Santa Catalinas. From that spot, she would write letters to her husband each evening, which Mr. Wilson would mail for her. He also recalled gathering letters arriving from Europe and delivering them to Gloria. As World War I grew more fierce, the Watsons saw Gloria grew more concerned as the summer continued until one day, a man arrived on horseback. It was August 12, 1917, and the man came bearing a telegram from the US War Department. Gloria’s husband had died at the Battle of the Marne on July 15, 1917. 

The Watsons said Gloria was inconsolable. She locked herself in her room and didn’t come down for dinner. She kept herself sequestered for three days. On August 15, one month after her young husband’s death, Mr. Watson found Gloria in a white gown, hanging from a saddle rope thrown over the lowest branch of the old oak tree, the love letters and telegram scattered below her. 

The family never again used Gloria’s room, and many report that even today, she wanders in the stairwell of the Tinaja Room, heading to look out of the window where she left for her husband on the 15th of each month. 

I wandered up the stairwell above the Tinaja Room and gazed out Gloria’s window. The old oak tree still stands, and I could almost feel the young girl’s heartache. 

From Family Hacienda to Resort

The Watsons continued to enjoy their home in the desert despite the monthly hauntings and welcomed visitors from the east who sought out the beautiful Arizona weather. The family later sold the ranch to the Nason family, who renamed it Westward Look. 

A poem by Arthur Hugh Clough inspired the ranch’s name. The poem was made popular in a 1941 speech by Sir Winston Churchill, in which he said, “In front, the sun rises slowly, how slowly! But, westward, look…the land is bright.” It seemed appropriate, and Westward Look became a thriving dude ranch throughout the 1940s. 

The Nasons sold the property in the 1960s, and Westward Look became Tucson’s first resort. It offered fine dining with tuxedo-clad waiters, luxurious accommodations, and elegant meeting spaces with breathtaking desert views.

Today’s Westward Look Resort

Today, Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort & Spa is a AAA Four-Diamond property surrounded by Tucson, a city of more than half a million residents. Even though you are in the town, you still feel removed from the hustle and bustle as you wander the beautiful grounds, with the Santa Catalinas on one side and the city’s lights spread out in the other direction. 

The resort is a gem that puts you in the heart of Tucson, offering a great respite for a few days’ escape or a nice place to call home while exploring Tucson. There are now 214 guest rooms, the Sonoran Spa, Palm restaurant, eight tennis courts, three pools, and ample hiking and horseback riding in cooperation with Catalina Riding Club.

Best Rooms at Westward Look

We stayed in a casita junior suite and enjoyed that. It had a lovely sitting area, high ceilings, and a large balcony offering views over the city. 

Our suite overlooked the adult pool, a quiet place to hang out and enjoy the weather. 

If you want to be closer to the action, I recommend one of the poolside rooms. These open to the family pool, which is an excellent spot for warm days. 

The best rooms on the property are the 1300-square-foot Spa Suites. Each has a private patio with an outdoor hot tub. I would have loved to chill in the hot tub after dinner, watching the starry sky overhead while sipping champagne. And yes, there are plenty of stars because Tucson works hard to minimize light pollution, offering great stargazing opportunities. 

Enjoying the Desert Landscaping

One of the highlights of my stay was touring the grounds with Raymundo O’Campo. O’Campo has been with the property for more than 40 years, and he knows every plant and can tell you why everything is planted in its precise spot. I have lived in the Sonoran Desert for three decades and thought I was well-educated on the flora. O’Campo shared so many insights that I had never before experienced. 

We wandered through the garden planted for the spa, then on to the Chef’s Garden, which was used to supply the restaurant. We walked to the labyrinth, and I explained how it was created precisely in alignment with the requirements of Native elders. We wandered into quiet corners that O’Campo designed to offer respite to travelers. We nibbled on berries and fruits and tasted herbs as we explored. I am always fascinated by the things that grow in the desert, and this tour around the grounds left me even more in awe of the hard work that goes into making things beautiful in a sometimes harsh environment. 

Enjoying the Sonoran Spa

The Sonoran Spa is small, but I had a delightful experience during my stay. I opted for the Wellness Garden Ritual, which is billed as a farm-to-body treatment. My visit began in the gardens. I was thrilled because I had just explored the area with O’Campo, so I knew a bit about my options. My therapist explained the plants and suggested I sniff and wander through the garden, collecting herbs that appealed to me. I ended up with a lovely bouquet of herbs, which she then blended with my selection of other ingredients to create a custom scrub that was indeed farm-to-body. 

After the scrub, I melted away with a full-body massage. This 80-minute treatment relaxed me, and I drifted off briefly before it was time to get ready for dinner. 

Dining at Palm

Back in the 1960s, when this was Tucson’s only resort, the wait staff wore tuxedos, and dining was quite an elegant affair. Fortunately, we no longer needed to dress in pearls and tails to enjoy dinner. 

We made our way to the restaurant and sat on the patio. A fire cracked in the open firepit, birds chirped in a nearby tree, the sun set in the distance, and a slight breeze made it the ideal setting for dinner. 

The chef uses ingredients from the Chef’s Garden, local Arizona beef, produces from the area, and seasonal ingredients to blend exciting Southwestern flavors. 

After dinner, we took our drinks to the firepit and watched the stars overhead before turning in for the night, wondering how quiet it must have been in 1912 when the Watsons homesteaded this piece of paradise. 

Articles Related to Tucson, Arizona

Top Things to Do in Saguaro National Park
Free Yourself and Explore Tucson, AZ
Ideas for a Unique Arizona Getaway
Tucson Gem Show: A World of Shopping and Sightseeing

Visiting Tucson and the Westward Look Resort

While I didn’t have any haunted experiences during my stay, I could feel the spirits of all those who passed before me as I experienced this little piece of paradise in the Arizona desert. We invite you to explore more of our favorite things to do in Tucson or other places in Arizona. Looking for more haunted hotels? Check out our favorite haunted hotels.