madderlake

Thank you @dkc192 - did you love having the bungalow and use it during the day for hanging by the pool? Am talking to my concierge now about applying a TSU to confirm into the Cattle Track Suite and possibly reserve a 4th night on points. Since we're going to try and get some work done I think it would help to have the suite.

Did you enjoy your stay otherwise and take most of your meals on property?

Kacee

I don't believe the suites have attached cabanas. The one time I had a cabana suite here, the cabana was separate. I did have a Saarinen with attached cabana and that's a nice combo. I'd take that over the Cattletrack unless I specifically needed two separate rooms.
I wouldn't take my meals on property. There are many excellent dining options in Scottsdale and surrounds. Indoor, outdoor, takeout, or delivery.

dkc192

On the cabana: yes, having the private and attached cabana was great, and it was the main reason I booked the Saarinen to begin with.

I was curious about the suites with cabanas--the website lists a Cattle Track Suite with cabana, but the only building with the physically attached cabanas (number 16) seemed to have four Saarinen rooms and the Girard House 2BR suite. Makes sense that they'd put you in an otherwise "regular" Cattle Track Suite but reserve a cabana elsewhere for you, presumably one that's directly in the pool area. IMO this combo would be an upgrade over the Saarinen with attached cabana for two reasons: (1) cabanas in the pool area are preferable, and (2) the suite itself would be further away from the pool area, making it less noisy during the day if you want some peace and quiet (though noise was only an issue in the Saarinen bathroom due to the design of the rooms). That said, the layout of the Cattle Track Suite is a bit awkward IMO.

On the dining: I had daily breakfast/brunch delivered to the room in disposable packaging, as opposed to the "usual" room service china and silverware. I had some form of afternoon snack or "lunch" poolside every day, as well as one dinner from the restaurant (also delivered to the room), which was solid but nothing outstanding.

Kacee

I was concerned about the noise from the pool, but it was not an issue. The rooms here are really solidly built.
Yeah, I didn't like it at all and voluntarily dg'ed to the Saarinen. Personally I also really liked having the cabana attached to the room (but can see why you might prefer one with direct pool access).

madderlake

Interesting - I can't tell from the photos what makes the layout so funky in the Cattle Track Suites?

dkc192

Yep, the only noise I could hear from my Saarinen+cabana room was from the bathroom at the back of the room (the side closest to the pool), and even then it was fairly quiet. But I suppose others could be more sensitive to the noise.

The Cattle Track Suites are essentially two Eames (entry level) rooms stitched together. The connection between the living area and bedroom is weird, and the outdoor space isn't as nice as the one in the Saarinen.

madderlake

Ah OK got it on the Suites! The one thing that's stopping me right now is the over 100 temps during the day... even though I'll be holed up doing some work, ideally it would be nice to get out and do some hiking or walks outside for parts of the day. We're not really pool people so I'm wondering if I'll be leaving one set of problems in CA for another of being confined to the room due to the extreme temps. There's an option to go in a week or two so I wonder if it will even come down to the 90's by then.... @Kacee... how are you handling the heat?

Kacee

These are not extreme temps, especially compared to July/August. Currently it's pretty comfortable until 10 am or so, and the temp starts dropping right at sunset. I'll be out for a run at 6:30 tomorrow (and a walk around sunset). But I love the desert. Also, roll in/out/in/out of the pool and you'll get a quick lesson in how effective evaporative cooling can be

They're saying this week may be the last blast of summer heat.

Nash_Andrew

Quick review of the Andaz Scottsdale. We stayed one night in early October on a points redemption; arrived after 11pm and checked out around 11am so it wasn’t an in-depth experience but will share as much as I can.

First of all, a Covid-related note. This is about as good as you could ask for in terms of the ideal hotel setup during a pandemic. All the rooms are “bungalows” in that they are located in clustered buildings of 6-8 rooms per building, all over the property. All rooms open directly to the outdoors - no corridors, no elevators, etc. The hotel is spread out over 20+ acres so for the most part social distancing is built into the design.

Check in was easy - one attendant and an otherwise empty main building - got our keys and were on our way in just a couple minutes. There is not much of a “lobby” per se as there is just a main building with restaurant and check in area, surrounded by patios. There’s a nice fire pit outside the lobby area.

We drove per the provided map around to our bungalow in building #6. The rooms as noted all have entrances directly to the outside. We pulled our car right up to the door to our room. Side note - parking is free.

Rooms are frankly a bit small and a bit dark. On the upside I absolutely love the very modern decor. The blackout curtains work well but man it just feels dark in there - they really need to add another lamp or two. No Andaz free minibar, just a lousy bag of chips and a couple waters. The hard product looks good though. Not much wear and tear that I could see.

The bathroom also a bit small but I liked the relatively spacious and pleasant shower. The bathroom itself was the only bright part of the room as the lighting is nice plus it has a skylight which I really liked.

We woke up early still being acclimated to our departure time zone, so I was happy to find free coffee in the lobby. And good coffee at that.

Came back for breakfast at Weft and Warp. There were some comments elsewhere in the thread alluding to some esoteric food, but that wasn’t our experience. The omelets, etc. were very good and, though not cheap, not outrageously overpriced. Service was excellent. I can’t say enough good things about the design and ambience of the restaurant, on the patio, overlooking the pool. Just an exceedingly pleasant setup and very stylish.

We didn’t have time to check out the pool itself, but from the looks of it it appears to be a great setup. I noticed they’ve also opened the spa and retreat area pools to all guests during Covid.

A note on location - it’s a very convenient spot with plenty of amenities and things to do nearby. On the other hand, you basically enter the property next to a strip mall and it has no gravitas whatsoever. It almost feels like you’re driving into a suburban apartment complex.

That said once you are “in the campus” the vibe is super cool. Love the feel, as expected from Andaz, and just a really unique place to stay.

Overall I’d come back here in a heartbeat depending on price. It’s not “true luxury” and it’s not typical of your standard Scottsdale luxury resort. You’d come here if you’re more about style and vibe over coddling and traditional luxury. Hard for me to say how much the property is worth per night during a non-Covid economy, but I’d probably struggle to justify a rate higher than $400/night.

afmiami

I can add my recent experience as Globalist. Two nights on points, and we applied a suite upgrade certificate so we had an F suite, aka Cattle Track bedroom suite. Spacious, 2 full bathrooms, one living room with a sofa bed. Minimalist mid century style furniture, which you can like or not. Nespresso machine, and the only snack was a small potato chips bag...no sodas or anything else, just bottled water. Housekeeping only on demand. Covid has become the excuse to cut costs also where it is not necessary to enhance safety. However, I agree wit Nash_Andrew that they take all the precautions, either at check in or at the tables. We had breakfast twice, ordering 2 items each plus juice and cappuccino, and everything was written off at checkout because of Globalist status, no questions asked, including the tip which I hope they honored. Quality pretty good, nice terrace overlooking the main pool. We also had dinner there one night: nothing special and a little pricey. You have access to the 3 pools of the campus, which is pretty large and spread out, and to the gym, with a max of 6 people at any given time. Beautiful vegetation around the campus. In all, a pleasant stay. I would not describe this Andaz as your typical luxury hotel, but probably it is the Andaz feel, and I would return if in the area. They also offer a Tesla drive with chaffeur to any place within 3 miles, first come first served.

SkyTeam777

No free happy hour in the evening like other Andaz properties? Seems pretty cheap.

Single_Flyer

Andaz Napa doesn't do it either. Not sure how many do.

coleslaw

Most (/all?) I’ve stayed at didn’t have a free happy hour. Although they’ve been non US properties.

MSPeconomist

Are they still offering a drink (wine) upon arrival?

SkyTeam777

I thought the free happy hour was a brand standard; disappointing to learn this has been cheapened away over the years. West Hollywood used to offer this, too. Scottsdale offered a beer or bottle of water on check-in, no other options. Most European/Asian properties I have been to have the free happy hour (Delhi, London, Vienna, Munich).
Scottsdale is really a strange property. Rooms have little light and almost no privacy; minibars during Covid are empty with no alternative (Free water and a bag of chips are appreciated, but free minibars are a huge brand standard, too).