iflyjetz

Deleted. I can no longer leave a positive post about this property after my last stay. And that will be my very last stay at this property.

AZ Travels the World

Do. Awesome restaurant. Worth the pants.

pinniped

Has anyone booked an upgraded award here?

Looking at booking this hotel during President's Day weekend...it appears to be the start of peak season with high-ish rates across the area, but awards are available and so are the Exec Suite rooms as paid rooms.

Are these rooms more like junior suites (11500 points per night) or large suites (20000 points per night)?

I'd be going as a Gold, so subject to the garbage fees and fending for myself for breakfast. Still, I've visited this property before for dinner at Kai and thought it was one of the best-looking Category 4's I've seen anywhere in the system in recent years. Definitely one of the best hotel meals I've eaten anywhere...one we'd certainly book again. The grounds looked fantastic as well.

Are any of the other high-category PHX-area hotels a *better* experience for Golds? Area of town isn't a huge concern for us... We might play a round of golf, ride a horse or two, go for a hike/run, etc. But no real need to be anywhere in particular.

Okto

Most hotels, in my experience, don't go out of their way to make a better experience for Golds (at least I have not noticed anything meaningful). That said, the Phoenician can be a better experience for just about anybody, regardless of status. The smallest room is 600sqf, nicely appointed. You can definitely play golf, go for a hike and enjoy the grounds. Being close to downtown Scottsdale and Phoenix makes it a much better location than the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass.

iflyjetz

I have allowed a bit of time to pass before writing a followup. Since this website is about letting others know what to expect from a property, I want to make sure that I explain the above without an angry tone.

I checked in to Wild Horse Pass at approximately 3PM on Sunday 10 November. There were suites listed as available on the SPG website, but when I asked about a suite upgrade, the desk clerk said that there were 2 suites but they weren't going to be sold because the hotel was going to do inspections on the two suites. This is the day before Veterans Day.

I called SPG reservations as soon as I got to my room and after a LONG wait on hold, they told me the same story, that the hotel manager told them that the suites were going to be inspected.

I wasn't happy that 1) the suites were listed on the SPG website as available to purchase until at least 8PM that evening, and 2) that the hotel would conduct inspections on a Sunday evening when Monday was a holiday.

From previous posts in this thread, I knew that Wild Horse Pass was getting stingier on their upgrades, but I found this excuse to be absurd. My wife and I planned on eating dinner at Kai that night. Due to the hotel's handling of upgrades, we decided that we would not be spending another dime at Wild Horse Pass. Considering that we visit Phoenix about once a month, our boycott of Wild Horse Pass may not have much of an impact, but for any Plat thinking that they'll get a suite upgrade here, just be prepared to be told that the suites are being inspected or some other excuse.

Caveat emptor.

AZ Travels the World

Close friends, also Platinum, stayed here last night. They received a beautiful suite upgrade. So they do still occur.

That's a shame. Truly one of the best restaurants in the state.

ontheway

I am booked at this hotel for a weekend in April. Are thre any newer reviews and are golds recognized at all? Has anyone used the free shuttle to the wild horse pass hotel and casino?

ontheway

I am booked here for a weekend in April. Has anyone been there recently, and if so, do Golds get any benefits at all? Also, has anyone used the shuttle to the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino? Any and all info about this place would be very welcome.

milkchug

Whats the general consensus on getting a late checkout for Plats at this location? I understand because its a resort they may not honor this benefit?

KENNECTED

You are correct.

marlee1421

Can any plat who has stayed here give some insight on what the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass is doing for platinums since they do not have a lounge (which is supposed to be a brand standard for Sheratons)? Breakfast coupons? Drink and app coupons?

pinniped

A free drink at the bar. That's the Gold amenity...

We did our stay in March. Paid $75/nt. for a suite upgrade since I figured as a Gold we weren't getting one otherwise. It was a spacious suite...overall, a very good property. The restaurant is still amazing - 2nd meal there and again one of the best meals I've ever had in a hotel, anywhere in the world. Glad we stayed here one time, but future trips to PHX will probably be more centrally-located.

We did not receive any pushback on the 4PM checkout. We stayed at the pool for our last afternoon and checked out at 4 to head to our 6:30 flight. But it was Sunday...probably the easiest day to get a hassle-free late checkout. No idea how they are when the hotel is full.

stephem

I spent a couple of days here with my wife as a tag on to a business trip in Phoenix. Overall good stay, we have little kids at home with a nanny but they would have been very at home here, at least this week (spring break, spring training, lots of families here).

We had 3 nights on cash and points, no suite upgrade but we did get a nice room on the very far end of the hotel with a beautiful view of the lagoon and the mountains. Being at the end of the hotel, it was also very quiet. Rooms are in decent shape, not worn.

Overall worked as planned, my wife found a couple yoga studios nearby and I did some mountain biking at South Mountain. We faced no traffic at all Fri/Sat so the location was convenient to everywhere, it's just a short hop on the highway to Phoenix, Chandler or Tempe.

Great pool layout for families, would definitely come back for a vaca with our kids. Otherwise, service was ok, breakfast was crazy but expected when occupancy is this high. Plat breakfast gives a $12 credit for the menu which is decent.

We didn't get a chance to try Kai (it was booked both nights we tried), but did do Quiessence at the Farm and it was good but a bit slow (I will concede the plate presentations are pretty elaborate and take lots of labor). Otherwise thought the Phoenix area food choices are pretty mediocre. Sat next to some folks at Quiessence who were originally from Seattle and they confirmed our initial impressions. The one other eatery we liked (not really great food) was the mexican/latin place on the main drag in Chandler. It has a great courtyard out back and on weekends had a live latin band out in the dining room.

James Luckard

http://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article89025.html
has been bumped up to Sheraton Grand status

pinniped

"Grand" makes it sound like a convention hotel to me. I honestly thought this one would eventually be bumped out of the Sheraton brand entirely. (To what, I don't know, but something above Sheraton.)