A few thoughts:

Ventana Canyon is definitely a nicer property than the Westin. No question about that. The OP was comparing the Westin to the Sheraton downtown, though. I still maintain the Westin is the much better property of the two.

In my opinion, on any other day, with a different group at the pool and a better room upgrade, the Westin is a fine property and far exceeds the Hilton El Conquistador, which was the Sheraton El Conquistador until a couple years ago.

The "white trash" factor is very real at the Arizona resorts in the summer, when many of them drop their rates to such low levels. The same properties command $300+ the rest of the year. It is no surprise that a different elemement is going to show up for $79 per night than is going to be there for $350. I was once at one of these beautiful resorts and watched as a couple large groups of otherwise low-end time-share folks (assuming their mother-in-law had given her week to them) strolled in with their boom boxes, coolers (with lunch and beer), cartons of cigarettes and pool toys and set up camp for the day. It really is up to the hotel to manage this. When it happens, though, it makes for a miserable experience.

This is the very reason you won't find those low rates at resorts like the Four Seasons. The place is a relative ghost town in the summer, but they'd prefer to keep it exlusive for the guests who do come, as they demand such.

In my opinion, it all comes down to the reality that "you get what you pay for." I think one should be prepared for a $89 experience when paying $89. If it doesn't happen, then great, but plan on it and you won't be disappointed. This is by no means to justify the poor conditions at the Westin pool when you were there, but even if the area was clean and the trash collected (which I would have politely insisted upon), there's not much they could do about the "white trash."