The Best Speakeasy in Arizona — And You Can’t Get In
A private lounge beneath The Bond Phoenix, where luxury meets secrecy.
Buried beneath one of Phoenix’s most striking office buildings is a place you’ll probably never see in person — unless you happen to work upstairs.
It’s called The Vault. And it might just be the most beautifully designed speakeasy in Arizona.
There’s no sign. No public entrance. Just a heavy vault-style door tucked into the lower level of The Bond, a luxury office campus in the Biltmore area. If you didn’t know to look for it, you’d never find it.
And even if you did… you’re not getting in.
But I did — with my camera — to photograph the space for a client. And I can tell you firsthand: it’s everything you’d hope a secret cocktail bar under a bank building would be.
The Building: The Bond Phoenix
Before we talk about The Vault, let’s set the scene.
The Bond Phoenix is the $52 million reinvention of a dated commercial complex, transformed by George Oliver into a hospitality-driven workplace. Picture high-end wellness spaces, chef-driven dining by Mark Tarbell, designer lounges, glass-wrapped boardrooms, and common areas that feel more boutique hotel than business park. It’s a love letter to luxury office design — and the blueprint for what modern work environments are becoming.
And in true Bond fashion, there’s a secret hidden under the atrium floor.
The Vault: A Speakeasy Built Into the Earth
To build The Vault, the team excavated the literal ground beneath the atrium. Rather than polish away the process, they left it exposed.
Walk toward the entrance and you’ll see salvaged safe deposit boxes mounted along the wall. On the other side? Raw earth and tangled tree roots, frozen in time from the excavation. It's a brilliant contrast — past and present, nature and industry, luxury and grit.
Inside, it’s cinematic. Think leather booths, brass lighting, dark green walls, curved banquettes, glowing shelves of liquor, and details that feel stolen from a Bond villain’s private lounge. The ceilings are pressed tin. The shadows are intentional. Every surface feels chosen, not filled.
It’s moody. It’s rich. It’s exclusive.
And it’s only for members of the building.
Capturing the Mood: My Approach to Photographing The Vault
As a hospitality photographer working between Phoenix and San Diego, I’ve photographed a lot of restaurants, lounges, and private clubs. But The Vault was special. Not just because of its design — but because of the feeling it gives you the moment you walk in.
My goal with these photos wasn’t to brighten or flatten the space. It was to preserve the mood — the ambient shadows, the quiet reflection of warm light on glassware, the texture of leather and velvet in low contrast.
Some shots use off-camera flash carefully placed for texture and depth. Others rely entirely on ambient light to let the glow speak for itself.
I wanted each image to make the viewer feel like they were sitting in the space, drink in hand, part of something most people will never get to see.
Why Spaces Like This Matter
The Vault isn’t open to the public. It wasn’t designed to go viral.
It was designed for a feeling — exclusivity, escape, immersion.
That’s what makes it unforgettable. And that’s why documenting spaces like this is so important. In an age of fast design and Instagrammable moments, The Vault reminds us that the best environments tell a story — slowly, with detail and depth.
For designers and architects, it’s a masterclass in contrast and restraint. For the rest of us? It’s the kind of place that reminds you how powerful space can be.
Need Restaurant or Hospitality Photography?
If you’re designing a space with this much character, it deserves to be photographed with the same level of intention.
As a San Diego and Phoenix photographer specializing in restaurant photography and hospitality photography, I work with clients who want to elevate how their spaces are seen — whether it’s a secret lounge or a public-facing project.
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