As mentioned above we spent 3 nights at the Phoenician over Memorial Day weekend on a points rate for 165K points total, plus the $40/night resort fee. Overall we really enjoyed our stay and - assuming you know going into it that this is a very large resort with all the benefits and drawbacks that go with that - would definitely recommend it.

Location is great. Very close to downtown Scottsdale and nestled right against the base of Camelback Mountain. The grounds of the property are impressive - beautifully manicured landscaping and what appeared to be a meticulously cared for golf course (I didn’t get to play). Ironically the only part of the approach that underwhelmed was the entrance/Porte Cochere itself. That part felt a little dated and underwhelming.

Once inside the lobby was impressive too. The massive windows at the back behind the bar look out over the resort and valley behind it. Everything in the lobby feels brand new and luxurious. I was a fan of the style. Not gaudy, but very attractive and high end.

Check in was easy. We arrived before check in time but our room was ready. We booked a no view king on points - side note, our SNA request failed - and the property was 100% occupied so we didn’t get any upgrade. As expected we were on the very back end of the upper building on the lowest floor. At least it was very quiet. Room itself was awesome though. Incredibly big. I love a wide room that doesn’t feel cramped. Room had the same feel as the lobby, understated luxury, neutral tones, big wide windows and balcony. Bathroom was awesome, same decoration, extra large tub, dimmer on the lights which I love, his and hers closets. Only minor complaint would be a couple times the hot water was very slow… we would turn on the tub to coax it out.

This was actually the theme for the whole weekend - overall very impressed with a couple of occasional small complaints. In that vein, notes on a few other items:

• This is the kind of resort that you come to and often want to do nothing but plop down and enjoy. The Phoenician excels in this area. The pool setup in fantastic. Five pools plus a kids area. Even at 100% occupancy we never struggled to get chairs. Now, if you want the best placement you have to get there early, but there were always chairs available. The poolside service was flawless start to finish. Friendly, super fast, freezing cold beers, continually refreshed waters, comfortable chairs. Only complaint would be that the adult pool area isn’t large enough so we ended up at the lower pool each day. This was fine since it is the farthest from the kids area and had few children around anyway.
• We didn’t play tennis or golf due to the heat, but the facilities for both seemed excellent. The workout facility was insanely great. Seems as though it’s brand new. Large, great views, nice equipment. The spa was also 100% booked for the weekend (to be fair, we didn’t inquire until we arrived) so we didn’t get to check that out. It also appeared to be brand new though.
• Food was really terrific too. I saw some complaints above about the breakfast, but we loved it. Tried different items every day and all members of our party were pleased. Platinum breakfast is a $38 per room per night credit applied to the check. We found this basically covered the food we wanted for two, and then we charged beverages to the room. The atmosphere at the Mowry and Cotton restaurant was great on the patio. They have misters and fans to keep it cool, and a falconer (seriously) to keep the birds away. Poolside food (served from the absurdly named Kalio Kabobery) was also excellent and though not cheap was not astoundingly over priced as could be the case. Only complaint here was way-too-long waits to eat on Sat and Sun morning. I know it’s a holiday weekend but when you force everyone to eat breakfast at the same restaurant you need to focus on fully staffing it.
• Other highlights were the Thirsty Camel bar in the lobby. What a view from the patio, and the drinks and service were great. We ended up having sunset drinks here a couple times.
• I assume self parking, which is directly under the building, is free since we didn’t get charged for it. I see no need to pay for valet here since getting your car is as easy as just taking an elevator down and driving away. We had no issues getting spots by the elevator.

Overall what really set this resort apart for us was the service. Whoever is in charge has created a culture of service that shines throughout. Almost everyone we met was friendly, responsive, and overly helpful.

As mentioned by a couple folks above, the downside of this resort is that it is really, really large. Now this is a plus in the sense that you can show up, relax with activities for days (or just sit by the pool and hit the spa), and never have to leave. But it is big and if you are looking for a true five star experience this isn’t it. I’d say it’s 4.5 stars. Also there is the Canyon Suites adjacent to the property that is a “boutique hotel within the hotel” that looked amazing based on what I could see, which wasn’t much. I hope to check that out next time.

Side notes for folks who want to get off property:

• Sedona is a two hour drive north. We took a day trip for a couple of great hikes and enjoyed it. Note the traffic, at least on a holiday weekend, in Sedona proper was completely insane and requires you to arrive in the town very early as there’s really only one road.
• Plenty of good off campus restaurants in the Scottsdale area. I’d recommend Fat Ox for Italian-ish with a great patio. It’s about ten minutes from the hotel.

Bottom line, great albeit very large resort with fantastic service and something for everyone. We loved it and didn’t want to leave.