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3448 reviews
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Apr 22, 2025Nice location and great waterpark.
We came to Scottsdale for spring break with one other family, and spent half of our vacation at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge. Here is my review of the resort: GROUNDS: It was a really nice and laid out resort. It's definitely on the bigger size, but not so large that you can't easily walk everywhere. They had some nice walking trails that we did at night in the cool breeze. POOLS: The new waterpark was one of the main reasons we booked the JW, and it was great. We all loved the lazy river. The slides are a lot of fun also. They are thrilling, but I wouldn't call any of them scary. The various pools were nice too. It was fairly crowded when we went, so we did have to play the "towel game" to get seats. ROOM: We booked the basic two bed room. I would say the room was adequate. The bathroom was small, with only one sink and a very small shower. On the bright side, the shower water pressure was strong. The balcony was small but had a nice view of the pool areas. Next time, I would consider booking an upgraded room. DINING: We ate at the resort a few times and had tasty meals. The breakfast buffet at Tia Carmen was terrific. They had your standard breakfast items, but also some unique stuff such as Native American grain rice and Mexican fresh juices. The poolside food was solid as well, especially the nachos. They also have a full sized Starbucks. KIDS CLUB: We went to one afternoon art activity at the kids club. The kids club was surprisingly small, but the activity was fun (and free). The staff there was really nice. There is also a sizable arcade at the JW, and the kids enjoyed playing games there also. You have to load money on a card to play there though. AREA: The large outdoor Desert Ridge development across the street was really convenient. They have a big grocery store, so you could get some food and drink for the room. There are also some good restaurants such as In N Out, and we visited the Dave N Busters there one night also. Overall, we had a really nice stay at the JW Desert Ridge. I would definitely recommend it for families.
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Apr 14, 2025A Disappointing Family Getaway
Our recent five-night stay at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge fell considerably short of expectations for what is marketed as a luxury resort experience. While there were some bright spots during our family vacation with our two kids (under 10), the overall experience revealed significant gaps between the property's advertising and reality. Despite the hotel providing a $200 credit and refunding one night in points after our complaints, these gestures did little to compensate for the numerous shortcomings we encountered. What We Enjoyed - The resort's pool area was a highlight, featuring attentive service and quality food when we rented a cabana. However, it's worth noting the waterpark was smaller than the website images suggested and offered limited options for younger children. - Our children particularly enjoyed the large lawn area for daily play and the on-site arcade. The tennis facilities were well-maintained, and my lesson with the tennis pro was a positive experience with knowledgeable instruction. - The suite itself was beautiful, and the bell desk and valet staff consistently provided prompt and courteous service. - Dining at Tia Carmen was great for my son with allergies as they were more than happy to accomodate him. - Having a Starbucks in the hotel made our mornings fairly easy Significant Disappointments - Our accommodations presented immediate problems. Despite explicitly booking a "King suite with a sofa bed" (and calling ahead to confirm its comfort), we discovered an extremely uncomfortable spring-laden sofa bed. A requested rollaway bed proved equally bad, and the staff member who delivered it was notably rude when asked to wait a minute for my husband to inspect it. Our children ultimately slept on the sectional with makeshift bedding of pillows and blankets. When raising this issue, the front desk manager, Laura seemed disinterested in addressing our concerns. - Dining at Meritage proved disappointing with nearly hour-long wait times for food (challenging with young children). - Despite specifically requesting a quiet location upon arrival, our children's sleep was disrupted by a conference event's live band playing until 10:00 pm. Even with two sound machines, our children were repeatedly awakened by the noise. The night manager Tiffany (who was incredibly nice) attempted to resolve the situation, but with the hotel fully booked and our kids already in bed, our options were limited. - Additional frustrations included a missing remote control and limited allergy accommodations at some of the restaurants, creating dining challenges for one of our children. Post-Stay Service Issues - Perhaps most concerning was our post-departure experience attempting to resolve questions relating to our final bill. My call to clarify charges was met with dismissive treatment from the same front desk manager, Laura, who implied we were attempting to extract further concessions despite the hotel having already "given us enough" with previous credits and what she saw to be a system error that gave us a lower rate. Her suggestion that we should be grateful for what they had already provided was both unprofessional and missed the point of my inquiry. - The escalation to Laura's superior was even more troubling, with the manager threatening to increase our rate to what "it was supposed to be" and dismissing concerns about an honest review by stating they would simply respond by mentioning the compensation already provided. The JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge markets itself as a five-star luxury resort, but our experience revealed inconsistent service quality and concerning management attitudes. While the property boasts beautiful facilities, the significant gaps in service, comfort, and professional courtesy make it difficult to recommend, especially when numerous alternatives exist in the area offering more consistent luxury experiences. For families seeking a truly premium resort experience in the Phoenix area, I would suggest exploring other options where the reality better matches the marketing promises.
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Apr 12, 2025
Our Family Spring Break at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa
We just returned from a wonderful 7-day stay at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa during Spring Break (April 2025) with our family of four, and I'm happy to share our experience to help other families planning their vacations. Accommodations We stayed in a one-bedroom suite which was perfect for our family. The bedroom featured a comfortable king bed for the adults, while the living area had a pull-out sofa bed that worked great for our kids. The bathroom was spacious with both a large walk-in shower and a nice tub, giving us plenty of room for our family's needs. We did have a minor hiccup upon arrival (nearly midnight) with an issue accessing our room due to a lock problem, but the staff was exceptionally helpful in resolving it quickly so we could get some much-needed rest after our late arrival. Pool & Recreation The pools and waterslides were definitely the highlight of our stay! Our children absolutely loved spending time at the Aqua Ridge Water Park, particularly enjoying the waterslides and lazy river. We spent most days here and were consistently impressed with both the facilities and service. One tip for future guests: if you want prime pool chairs with umbrellas, arrive before 10AM as they fill up quickly. However, we appreciated that the staff was diligent about removing "reserved" towels from unoccupied chairs after about an hour. Beyond the pools, our kids thoroughly enjoyed the Family Escape activities offered daily, especially feeding the Koi fish and turtles in the large pond. The game room was another hit with our children. While we didn't try the tennis or pickleball courts, they seemed to be popular as they were booked solid most days. Resort Grounds & Amenities The resort is impressively large and beautifully maintained. It was a bit overwhelming at first, but after a day or so, we found our way around with ease. The on-site Starbucks was a welcome convenience, though I recommend using the app to place your order before 9AM as it gets quite busy. Dining We were genuinely surprised by the excellent food quality throughout the resort. We dined at Tia Carmen most mornings for breakfast, enjoyed pool-side dining during the day, and had a special birthday dinner for our daughter at Kembara, which was fantastic. While the food is definitely on the pricey side, we found the quality justified the cost. The pool-side dining was unexpectedly delicious - we made the nachos and chicken wings almost a daily tradition because they were so good! Service The service throughout the resort was outstanding. Every staff member we encountered was friendly, welcoming, and efficient at resolving any issues. When my daughter lost her glasses in the lazy river, the loss prevention team was able to recover them 48 hours later, which was a huge relief. A special shout out goes to Andrew (from Rochester, NY), who truly set the bar for exceptional service. His natural hospitality, genuine enjoyment of his work, and above-and-beyond efforts made our dining experiences special. We found ourselves trying to sit in his section whenever possible. Value & Location While this resort is definitely in the premium price range, we felt the experience was worth it. The daily resort credits helped offset some costs, though they were quickly used up with pool-side dining. The location is convenient to nearby shopping and restaurants if you want to explore beyond the resort, which we did for a few breakfasts and dinners. Tips for Future Guests Budget Wisely: Everything is à la carte and can be charged to your room, which adds up quickly. If you're cost-conscious, request a daily printout to track expenses. Early Bird Pool Access: Arrive at the pools before 9AM to secure chairs with umbrellas. Starbucks Strategy: Use the mobile app to order before 9AM to avoid long lines. Explore the Grounds: Take time to discover all the amenities - the resort is vast and has something for everyone. Family Activities: Don't miss the daily Family Escape activities, especially the fish and turtle feeding, which our kids loved. Final Thoughts We would highly recommend this resort to other families and are already planning to return. What we loved most was the variety of activities available without ever having to leave the resort grounds. Despite the premium pricing, the exceptional service, beautiful facilities, and quality dining made for a truly memorable family vacation.
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Apr 06, 2025Wonderful vacation spot
With everything going on in the world, my husband and I value friendly, welcoming people more than anything else on our vacations and the staff at the The JW Marriott in Phoenix far exceeds these criteria. We were very happy with our trip here. This enormous, sprawling complex had lovely pools, a great lazy river for all ages, waterslides, and several bars and restaurants. We particularly enjoyed the landscaped grounds which we were able to walk around a couple of miles a day.
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Apr 06, 2025
Excellent family-friendly resort
The JW Marriott Desert Ridge is an excellent family-friendly resort with a unique water park, but it is a more impersonal, less luxurious experience than the JW Marriott Camelback Inn or other luxury hotels in Phoenix. My wife, teen son and I stayed on a Saturday night with points and the front desk clerk was sort of rude about it, which I was not expecting with Platinum Bonvoy status. No upgrade, no lounge and just breakfast for two offered. We were given a standard two queen bed room, but at least it was on the quiet side (if you face the pools, there were dozens of kids playing football on the lawn well past 10 pm). The room was fine, decent beds and TV, nice bathroom with tub and separate shower. We did like the large pool area especially the lazy river and the biggest water slide. They were the biggest draw for us to stay at Desert Ridge. You need to place your towels early. I was up early and went to the in-hotel Starbucks, which was mobbed. My wife and son used my breakfast for two, and unfortunately my wife had effects of what we thought was food poisoning overnight that night (because my son and I were fine). The hotel is in far north Phoenix and is about 25 minutes or more from most attractions. But it is a large attractive property for families on the weekend and business meetings. Overall, Desert Ridge felt less personalized than the Camelback Inn and other luxury hotels we have stayed at in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. Better for families than couples.