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26 reviews for JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa
This was my first resort experience, so I'm a bit of a novice here; but I have stayed at quite a few hotels, so....
It's a good 30 to 40 minutes to get to the hotel and it's not exactly near the downtown area, so keep that in mind if you're deciding between a cab or rental car. Checking in was a breeze. Concierge gave us excellent directions to downtown Scottsdale because that's where we wanted to have dinner. If you're in the area, Dos Gringos is a lively and excellent place with djs and attractive patrons.
We had paid for a travel package that included the Cloud Club, but this was not alerted to the check-in desk and we were not given access until the 2nd night of our stay. This was a bit of a disappointment because we would've taken advantage of the included extras (breakfast omelets, dessert and cocktail hours...). Thankfully I was able to slip in a visit the morning we left.
The room itself was not all that special. The bathrooms were spacious and inviting, the robes were comfortable and we had a limited view of the mountains. For as much as we paid, I should've confirmed our reservations a few days before and requested a room overlooking the pools.
Speaking of the pools, the grounds are absolutely gorgeous, juxtaposing desert flowers/shrubs with cascading waterfalls, pools, and lazy rivers. The grounds are very well-kept and seeing lush green grass in a desert environment was inviting. In the early to late afternoon, the families start to come out and the kids get louder and more rambunctious, but the mornings are serene, and you have the place to yourself. No place is more peaceful. However, the waitstaff leave something to be desired for poolside service. We needed to basically flag them down and shout at them to get any kind of attention.
Food: we ate a wonderful and healthy breakfast at the Blue Sage (would return again), and Roy's was an excellent dinner. The service at Roy's was second to none, though at the Blue Sage it took them a good five to ten minutes to clean out table top and bring us drink orders.
Summed up: would I return here again? Probably not, but a major reason for that is there are so many other resorts to choose from, and I want to get my feet wet. The hotel is a bit too big and impersonal for my taste. And it is true that this hotel caters more to business professionals at a conference than they do for families or couples. It's not a true get-away-from-it-all experience, but it is still a memorable and beautiful hotel.
Ok, I just stayed here and wanted to point out some points that you may find helpful before booking your stay.
1. Service at this resort is excruciatingly slow. (Asked for a bell hop and after 25 minutes of no one showing up made the multiple trips down to the car to load all the bags)
2. Drinks are expensive by the pool. (Try a pina colada for $12. They are strong and granted we are in snottsdale but that still seems a bit overboard for a coconut drink)
3. The rooms are excellent, large and well appointed. (although you have to pay for most of the fancy appointments) The bathrooms are large and very nice. The bed has to be one of the best I've slept in in a long time.
4. The lazy river is great for relaxing except for the fact that there are kids running and splashing everywhere with what appears to be absolutely no supervision. Not even a staff will stop and tell them to stop running even though it is just an injury and law suit away. The only adult only pool is atop the spa and you have to pay $35 per day extra just to get in to it.
5. The Meritage steakhouse at the golf course is far below average. Service was slow and with noticeable disdain from the staff there. The food is average at best. Potatoes are pasty, green beans were stringy and the meat was just so so on being cooked right. I would suggest eating off property if you are looking for a good steak dinner.
I'm not trying to bag on this hotel to be mean but when you claim your a high end resort with lots amenities then the service, food and atmosphere must live up to those expectations and unfortunately this hotel/resort does not do it.
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I'm here for the first time at a conference. Conference stays don't always afford guests the opportunity to fully explore the amenities, but this much I can say for sure... there's only so much you can do to make people comfortable when it's closing in on 110 degrees outside!
Lovely property, "lazy river", quality restaurants, and friendly staff. Rooms are nothing to write home about (nice, but nothing too out of the ordinary). Close enough to all types of shopping, movies, and bars/restaurants, in case you feel the need to leave the resort. One piece of advice--park close, or pay for valet. Walking to your car mid-day can be a life-altering experience. I swear I saw a mirage as I was walking in from the parking lot yesterday!
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Pros:
1. Excellent service. Hell, it's damned right impeccable.
2. Superclean and comfortable rooms.
3. Excellent amenities and top notch spa.
Cons.
1. J-Dubb's a little spendy on the cocktail side.
2. KEEP THE POOL BAR OPEN LATER! MY GOD!!! I'd like to watch the sun set with a cocktail, rather than have the sidewalk rolled up around 5.
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Its nice and this review is written for event meeting planners. This facility is awesome if you're doing a large conference. There's room for a conference within a conference as well.
I love the availability of suites and flexible catering options. There's food around the clock. I don't love the WIFI system.
There's Hertz rental cars on site, a Starbucks and a Kinko's... You can operate a business there pretty easily
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Beautiful resort hotel for family or couples. Golf course, close to great shopping, freeways are nearby but you wouldn't know it. Perfect location for those wanting a north side experience close to Scottsdale. Also, since I'm a local Realtor it's a great place for out of town clients to stay. They have good food in the bar to snack on, a gated entry pool for guests privacy and walking paths surrounding the resort. The setting is very lush and green. Desert ridge mall can be walked to so you have a great location to theater, other great restaurants, shopping and much more.
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If you need a place to just get away from it all, but not too far , I think this is the place. From the minute you drive up to the impressive front ,
it feels like you are in for pampering. I love the open feel to the lobby area with beautiful windows , art, and water . The service was almost too nice at the front .It seemed like the bellhops were just overly gushy to handle our baggage.Since we were just overnighting it it seemed silly to have someone else carry our bag , but oh well we finally let them, we didn't want them to cry .Our room was nice not as fresh and pristine as our room a couple of years ago , it may be time to upgrade a bit. Carpets are looking a bit worn.
After arriving we went out to the pool which is were I wanted the real relaxing to begin . They have four pool areas;
lazy river( heavily kid friendly), lap pool, open main pool and a more reserved pool area which I thought was adult only but I think it wasn't posted anywhere. Note to those who are anti-kiddos --the summer brings them out in droves, consider yourself warned.
Our server ,Shari had spunk and made the day more fun with her quick wit, she quickly brought drinks and offered us a quesadilla that had been goof from someone else's order.Yum and thanks! Pina coladas were a good blend , tasted the rum and felt it too. Perfect.
The bed needs to be mentioned because it was super comfy , Goldilocks that I am, I found it just right! Lots of cush but subtly firm , nice.
Great stay-cation! Quiet rooms no worries and got away from it all.
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Got "stuck" staying here because of a work conference. My mouth dropped as I drove up the from the street to the lobby. It was a beautiful sight, like an oasis in the middle of a desert. I'm sure that's the theme they were going for.
The second thing (very shallow of me) that I noticed (and my coworkers noticed, so I don't feel so bad) is that they employ very attractive people. Nothing like having a pretty face help you check in after a long day of travel. My room was a 'standard' with a king size bed, a couch, desk, FLAT SCREEN TV, shower and tub. I was impressed by the flat screen, I think it was a 42". Cable came in HD, nice use of the tv capabilities.
This place has three 'pools' and an endless river. The pools are oddly shaped, but nice to walk around and swim whenever you feel like it. There are also two bars placed CONVENIENTLY around the bars. Nothing like getting drunk and relaxing in the endless river. I would have done that if I had more time. For those that love working out, there is also a small gym next to the endless river.
One DING on this hotel is that the internet is $13 a day, noon to noon. WHAT?!?! I stayed at a motel in Arkansas that gave me free wireless internet, and here I have to PLUG my laptop in and pay $13 a day? Oh well, I guess they cater to an older crowd.
I didn't eat at any of the restaurants here. I did get food at the Starbucks inside and bought snacks at the gift shop. Yes, one day I had to eat Combos for breakfast. Gross, but that's how I roll.
Well, if I ever had to contract a hotel for an event in Phoenix, this would definitely be near the top of my list.
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Once upon a time on a lovely September day, my best buddy and I booked facials, massages and spent an entire day at the lovely JW Marriott.
I was immediately impressed with the sheer size of the spa facilities and the hotel grounds in general. Prior to our appointments, we donned our workout gear and hit the gym on site, which had a nice mix of treadmills and elliptical machines, as well as a couple of contraptions I had never seen before. We worked up a good sweat and headed for the showers, which were well stocked with all the toiletries and assorted bathroom sundries you could ever need. The waiting areas for the treatments were nicely appointed and had some of the most comfortable lounges I have ever lounged in (and I like to lounge around, trust me).
My massage was immensely relaxing and my esthetician Del was an absolute doll. The only teensy weensy minus was the somewhat slow service at the spa cafe and the expensive gift shop. Candles for 70 dollars?
I came in feeling like a washed up dollar bill and left looking (and feeling) like a million buckaroos. Speaking of money, If only I had a million, I might have been able to afford one of those snappy t-shirts from the aforementioned gift shop.......
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I love when business trips make me stay in luxury resort hotels.
We came here for the annual AOPO conference:
http://www.aopo.org/aopo/
I stayed for two nights and I have to say I loved every minute (when I wasn't working). The resort is beautiful! This is as nice as you can make something in the desert. The place is just HUGE! They have a river that runs around the compound where you can float in tubes and little server people will hand you drinks as you float by! Plus there were literally hundreds of rabbits just hopping everywhere outside the windows! But sadly, not one of them appeared on any menu inside the place.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The convention hall was also very nice and mammoth in its scope. During our convention, there was also one for metal detector manufactures and another for some sort of driving thing. Huge ballrooms and reception halls as well, easily as big as a few football fields.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I ate inside at one of the indoor restaurants and thought it was above par for hotel food (that's the next review). The room was nice, not a suite unfortunately. Big LCD with HD programming and a killer bathroom, perfect for an orgy.
*NOTE*
This review is slightly biased since it was all expenses paid. If I had to bear the burden of the bill, I may have not enjoyed it as much =]
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My mom and aunts stayed at the Canyon Villas (timeshare section of the JW Marriott @ Desert Ridge) for a week during their visit to the valley. They had a 1BR suite and a studio. The studio was super small and cramped. The 1BR suite was really nice and spacious though. Housekeeping was friendly and attentive. They did a good job of cleaning out the units daily, replenishing whatever was needed and the bell staff was helpful whenever we needed to borrow some muscles.
We walked across the street to the hotel a few times to eat, swim and get massages. The water station at the entrance is a nice touch.. especially during the hot summer months.
Was just chatting with Eli and he said I should write a review on this place...Well, he pretty much said it all...I will add a few things: You need to use the spa while you are there! Make an appt. for a massage...and if there is time, get a facial (if available)...this is such a huge treat!!! Male or female, just do it!!!
Also, if you golf, and I do upon a rare occasion, PLAY on their course...it is not to difficult and not too easy either...when you make your reservations for the hotel, have them make golf reservations at the same time (especially if you are there during their "season").
HIGHLY...HIGHLY recommend this hotel!!!
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I just got back from a four day conference here and all I can say is 'meh'. Sorry, but I don't know where everyone is getting all these good vibes about this place. Here is my experience:
1. Got into the Phoenix airport and grabbed a cab. The cabby tells me it is about $50 from the AIrport. Ouch. 'It's not really in Phoenix, but not really in Scottsdale,' he says. 'Though they kinda like to pretend they are Scottsdale,' he adds.
2. We pull up. It's nice. Doorman is nice. Lobby is nice. Checking in is nice.
3. They give me a room. It is the last room down the longest hallway of the hotel in the opposite end from the conference. The view is of a construction site, a sliver of golf course, and construction. Double meh. The room is decent. The bathroom is very nice, with a separate tub and glassed in shower. There is a duvet on the bed. There is an HD flatscreen TV and a small balcony.
4. I have an overnight envelope arrive at the bell desk. I need it for my presentation. They say they will bring it up. 20 minutes later, I call back. They say they will bring it up. 20 more minutes, I call again. They say they will bring it up. I get it about 45 minutes later. I have 10 minutes to dash the half a mile or so to the conference for registration.
5. That night I eat in the hotel. I have a kobe burger. It is amazing. I have a mojito made by a bartender that I instantly consider a friend. I'm somewhat happier. I go for a walk through the network of wading pools throughout the middle of the hotel. Life is good. I go to my room and watch HDNet on the flatscreen. I like it.
6. Next day during a break in the conference I go grab a beer and a club sandwich. The sandwich takes 30 minutes. For sliced turkey on toasted bread. I ask the waitress/bartender how long it will take as I have limited time. 'All these other people ordered first' is her answer as she doesn't even look at me and moves on to take other people's orders. It is not that crowded or busy. She then proceeds to yell at another patron because he asks what she put in his margarita. 'I KNOW HOW TO MAKE A MARGARITA' she shrieks at him. Everyone at the bar starts to get uncomfortable.
7. I get to my room at 6pm. It has not been made up. There is a message on my phone. I figure out how to get my voicemail only to hear a 4 minute pitch from the hotel trying to sell me on a timeshare. Wow. I elect to put the Do Not Disturb sign on my door and minimize contact with the staff from here on out.
8. No wireless in the rooms. Really? It is 2008. What gives.
In summary, I would say that if I needed to come here for another conference I would go - what choice do I have? But if for some godforsaken reason I wanted to go to Phoenix in September again for vacation, I'd look at something a little more polished. This place is just pretending to be a great hotel while merely being a decent hotel.
1 Star deducted for that overnight envelope. 1 Star deducted for telemarketing me while I'm paying $300/night to stay there.
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I have actually stayed here and their spa is wonderful, but I prefer to sneak into their pool on a hot summer day with a good friend. It's easy enough to get into and nothing beats the lazy river. Actually, there are 5 pools:
-the lazy river (my favorite)
-the Wildfire Pool (shallow pool at the center of it all w/ some sort of water feature)
-the Sidewinder Pool (a channel shaped pool like the lazy river, but without the jets to propel you forward)
-the Isla Del Sol and Lazy River Spa (more intimate location, pretty sure you have to be a guest at the spa to use these).
My idea of a good day is grabbing a drink, getting into a complimentary inner tube, and floating down the river for hours only stopping to take a ride down the water slide. It's a great place for a relaxing day poolside with a good friend. If you get hungry, you can sit at your lounge chair and have lunch.
The lazy river is kid friendly, but I've never felt that it was overrun with them. It's a good mix of people and you don't have to spend hours working on those hard abs or tanning in order to fit in. I am ghostly white and feel just fine prancin' around in my bikini. It's not the place to see and be seen, just fun and relaxed.
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Amazing hotel with customer service that cannot be topped. I have never stayed anywhere else that had customer service that was timely, helpful, positive, and friendly.
The rooms were spacious (I had a King), with large luxurious bathrooms, wonderful amenities (the lazy river was a favorite spot of mine), pools and a jacuzzi that stayed open late, terrific restaurants, and a separate spa which my friends said was well worth the $35 fee.
My only complaints are that the conference rooms were too cold (typical of a hotel conference, though), that the wireless internet was an extra $13 fee on top of the $275 room rate at a AAA discount, and the drinks were too pricey. Oh and the service on the patio bar was too slow. With that many people wanting to sit outside and enjoy the weather, they really should have more waitresses and waiters for the bar areas.
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The Revive Spa here is AMAZING. My MOH took me here for a massage the day before my wedding and all I can say is "WOW"!
The facilities are beautiful, clean, and well kept. The service is outstanding. Our couples massage was fabulous. She had the therapeutic and I the swedish prenatal. I have never been more relaxed in my entire life, and would have stayed on that table forever if I could. I will definitely make this place a regular treat.
The pool is very private, with lots of cabanas and palm trees. The bistro is good. They offer lighter, healthier breakfast and lunch options. It's pricey, and while the food isn't completely spectacular, the smoothies are!
Again, I have to reiterate that the service here is perfect and totally accommodating. If you're in need of a day of pampering and relaxation, or you just need to escape the damn heat, escape here!!! You surely will not be disappointed.
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This is my absolute favorite resort. I've been there several times for conferences and the place is amazing! The conference rooms are very nice and roomy. The hotel rooms are immaculate with super cozy beds. There's plenty of restaurants to choose from on property, a huge pool (with a lazy river), a starbucks and, although I have not golfed there, I hear the course is quite nice too. Like basically every other JW Marriott, the staff is incredibly nice. Ooh, and check out the spa, its lovely!
One more thing, there are adorable little bunnies all over the property and it is the cutest thing. They don't even budge when you walk by.
We've been visiting this resort since the very day it opened. Even when we lived w/n walking distance we would stay! Now we are 25 mins away, and still have amazing wknd get-aways. Views, food, rooms, lobby, spa all GR8! Summer has dive-in movie pkgs. Luv to people watch in the huge lobby. Rooms decorately in lively happy colours. The only downer is the high cost of the kids club, which i hate. (Princess resort is free!). Sunday brunch is Fabby. Drinks around the outdoor fire pits is beautiful. Treat someone to a gorgeous view & drink 1 day or nite - i will blow them away. (ie: glass of champange with bowl or strwaberries n cream - wow - how romantic is that??)
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We stayed here with Marriott Rewards with only about 12 hours notice the Friday night between Christmas and New Year's. I was surprised that there was availability.
I've been here before for drinks, but not as a guest.
The layout of the hotel is a little tough. We got lost got to/from our room a few times...the elevators aren't marked well enough.
The room is a good size, considering I'm used to staying in DC and NYC. The bathroom was big and super shiny and clean. Lots of towels and a good hair dryer.
The linens were great on the beds and the pillows were nice too. I think that all of the rooms have a balcony, which is a bonus. We had a nice room overlooking the pools, which would be great in warmer weather.
I'd definitely use points to stay here again.
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Don't let the name fool you. It's a JW (Marriott, that is). Great customer service, rooms, and facilities. This is a resort - it is HUGE. Has a golf course, numerous pools, a "snake river" (float around in a tube), water slide, spa, and so much more. They have a complimentary shuttle that goes to the shopping center nearby. The only negative was the selection of restaurants. This would have been a true 5 star hotel if it had a flagship restaurant (the best they had was a Roy's).
The hotel is beautiful and I don't think they could have done a better job in terms of matching the hotel's design to the surroundings; everything blends in perfectly. The atrium is a work of art and the view from the atrium into the resort is amazing. The crowd: upper middle-class families. If you want to come as a couple and want privacy, this is not your place. Be prepared to hand down ~ $300/night during the peak season and holidays. If you go during the off-seaon (i.e. when it is very hot), it'll be dramatically cheaper.
Service: beyond what you need. Whatever you need, they will do their best to get it to and for you. They have many amenities that are overlooked by 5 star hotels such as the staff passing around frozen grapes in the pool area and iced tea/lemoned water stands in the lobby.
Transportation: rent a car at the airport (unless you are driving). That way you can go shopping in Scottsdale. There's not much to do where the resort is located (except the shopping center) so a car is a good option. But regardless, you can stay on the resort the whole day and not get bored.
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Attended an event here recently. I was immediately taken with how much this property is like their Star Pass resort in Tucson. (See yelp review http://www.yelp.com/bi...) The biggest difference to me was that it was still quite easy to park your car and walk to the entrance.
I had limited contact with the staff, but my family had some difficulties as some rooms that had been reserved more than a year in advance had been given to other groups. Luckily this was caught before the day of the event and they were able to work out an alternate plan, but it definitely made me question their reservations capabilities.
The interior of the hotel is quite nice, though not quite as formal as the Tucson hotel. The pools were quite nice as well.
All that green grass when walking up to the hotel made me want to a) run through it without my shoes on and b) start a petition to have them move to desert landscaping because that is a lot of land to cover with water every day! I went with taking off my shoes. Bad me I suppose, but it sure felt luscious.
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A great getaway resort offering ultimate luxury, unparalleled service, endless recreation and exquisite cuisine. Surrounded by the grandeur of the McDowell Mountains, JW Marriott Desert Ridge offers a pampering spa, world-class dining and championship golf.
And they have a Kids Club where the kids can play while me and the Mrs. relax!
My favorite spa in Phoenix. The pool is amazing and the spa is very tranquil and relaxing.
Nice resort located next to the Desert Ridge shopping complex. If you're from out of town, this would be a great place to stay since you'll be across the street from a ton of restaurants and bars.
I went to an event here, and haved stayed here a few times. JW Marriott has hosted a few wine tastings that I've gone to, and the resort is super nice, with a staff that is ready and waiting to help you no matter what it is you need.
The rooms were decently sized and the bed was big and comfy. The bathroom was nice as well. The resort has a lot of fountains around and huge windows so you can check out the great views.
The pool area is where it's at though. They have a great lazy river to nurse your hangover on, and a water slide for when you're feeling better. Of course you can get drink and food service out there and you can even rent a cabana- which I recommend. It's not that pricey- around $100, so if you get a few people to go in with you, it's no biggie smalls. The servers are way more attentive to you when you have a cabana and you can choose different packages that come with water and fruit or lunch and so on.
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One of my favorite places to stay, period. The surroundings are manicured, the service is excellent, and the kids have an absolute ball in the lazy river and pools. The golf courses are challenging, and there is plenty of shopping just across the way. For those of us that live where there are no In-N-Out Burgers, one is conveniently placed just down the road. Plenty of movie theaters and Generica nearby, as well. Fun for the whole famn damily!
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This is one heckuva grand Resort, that's for sure. When you walk into the "lobby" (if you can call it that, grand entrance is more like it), it kind of made me feel a bit small, like i was lost in some sort of Neverland or something...(I'm pretty sure I wasn't on any type of MAD)...anyway, don't expect warm and cozy. But since I am one for grandness at times, I soaked it up and amazingly found my way to the check-in desk where I was greeted by very austere check-in person. Friendly she was not, but professional and competent she was! (And believe me, with some of the IQs running around out there, I will take competent over ANYTHING else, knowhutimean?). Rooms were nice, clean, the usual of what one would expect from a top tier Resort. Really, do we notice how nice it is, or is it only when something is askew (unmade bed, water leaking onto the carpet, dirty bathtub, etc) that our attention is directed? I don't mean to say it was not enchanting or an of the other million adjectives I'm sure this establishment would like me to use, but after one has stayed at many 5 star/diamond/platinum/one-of-a-kind establishments, they all kind of start looking the same.... They have a huge pool and a nice little lazy river off to the side. I think my girlfriend's and I were too much action for this area (especially after a few cocktails) as the lifeguard kept following us AROUND the lazy river shaking his head. There was a creepy pool attendant who kept hitting on me which was annoying, but honestly, there were 5 of us ladies, all fairly decent looking, whooping it up, in bathing suits drinking alcohol...you get the picture. What they are calling as the lobby bar (it is actually down a flight of stairs) was excellent, nice staff, not too stuffy. And they had live music too. I don't know if this is a seasonal thing, or what so as far as the music goes, check before going. After a night of partying celebrating my friend's birthday, let me tell you, the Starbucks just further down the lobby was a godsend, ahhhhhh. All in all a great over niter with the girls, I would definitely stay here again!
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