payingdues

Just booked a single night award for June at the Scottsdale McDowell Mountain property for part of SO's birthday trip. What'd you think of the hotel?

92redragtop

Not a bad hotel but needs an update. I should have stayed at one of the JW locations. I would rate this hotel one category lower than what Marriott has it listed as.

tkey75

I'd go a lot lower than that based solely on customer service. I'm on a week long stay here now.

Upon check in at 3am, I kindly requested a platinum upgrade for a weary traveler. I was given a basement corner with a view of a bush and told it'll be an extra $40/night. My room has yet to be cleaned several days in to my stay. I'd ask, but am curious to see how long it takes for housekeeping to stop by. I'll probably need to ask for towels, though.

I just had one of the worst hotel meals in my life. 100% of the items - that came, I may add as we ordered more than we received - were prepared wrong. The pizza had two of three toppings wrong, the cobb salad was missing key players. I had to go to the bar for drinks. The limeade, which is featured in the menu as a signature drink, came unmixed making the straw suck up the pure tart lime syrup hanging at the bottom of the glass. Our server did not care at all and it took a manager quite some time to join us so we could talk about it. The cornbread with the honey butter was good, though.

I'm here for work (actually, working at the Four Seasons, revealing the stark difference between very, very good service and abhorrently poor service) and were I on my own dime, I'd have checked out already. I'll not be returning any time soon and hopefully never. I love Starr Pass and had hoped for a similar experience. Not to be found anywhere here at Marriott McDowell Mtn.

iztok

Any recent experience with Fairfield Inn Scottsdale North?

LoganFlyer

I'm debating between three Marriotts for my upcoming 8 night solo business trip to Scottsdale. Basically, I'd be looking for a hotel with a comfortable bed that I don't have to leave to get a good dinner if I don't want to, but if I do want to leave, ideally, there would be good restaurants within a 15 minute drive. I'll also be there over a weekend, so if one of these is a better launching point for attractions, that would also help.

Here are the three hotels I'm looking at:

1. JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback. 20 minutes from where I need to be and an average rate of $193/night, which includes the $29/day resort fee. What do they do for plats? It looks like there's no lounge nor free breakfast, correct? There's a note on their site that says the Jackrabbit pool will be closed until September 15, but "Guests 18 years and older may enjoy our Spa Pool featuring full food and beverage offerings." Is this a good or bad thing?

2. Scottsdale Marriott Suites Old Town. 10 minutes from where I need to be and an average rate of $141/night. I've stayed here before; it works but didn't seem to be anything special.

3. Phoenix Marriott Mesa. 20 minutes from where I need to be and an average rate of $74.50/night (not $174.50/night, but $74.50/night.) Reports seem to be it's an excellent hotel but near nothing. How far away is Mesa itself?

Any thoughts about the specific hotels or the general choice would be appreciated. Thanks!

TheMan

Camelback is really nice, no lounge, no free breakfast, rooms are a bit dated and you REALLY need to get an upgrade to get a good room. Spa is nice, pool is quiet, more for relaxing with the spa people. Getting an upgrade can be painful.

Isnt there also the Tempe Marriott? Its near the stadiums in Tempe, nice pool, right near downtown tempe. Be careful of the ones outside of town, they are in the middle of now where.

abbydancer

There's the Marriott at the Buttes in Tempe. It's a pretty good location, I think the rooms are good and there's a great pool. As platinum I had my choice of points or breakfast (I think that gave you the cold items, you had to use your welcome points to get the hot items, but it was a couple of years ago).

dcchi

I can confirm that they gave you points or breakfast (and welcome points for the buffet). The best decision we made on a long trip when we stayed here for only one night was to go for the buffet as platinum (for free when you gave up your points). The buffet breakfast was really really nice for a Marriott IMO.

The rooms and hotel generally (such as the hallways, etc.), on the other hand, were pretty dated (but sufficient for a one-night stay). The pool seemed pretty decent and fun but we didn't use it.

DJ_Iceman

1) I'm not a fan of the Camelback. IMO it's living on reputation and memories of good times decades in the past.

2) Yep, outstanding location but very ho-hum hotel. I stayed here plenty when I was traveling to Phoenix, and it seems to meet the OP's criteria pretty well.

3) I think the Mesa Marriott is one of the best-run properties nationwide. GREAT treatment of elites, and all guests for that matter. The challenge is the location, which is not really close to anything (although central to almost everything). There is a great sports bar across the street, and a nice restaurant at the hotel itself.

miraclebear2003

I agree. Needed a 1 night stay around there in May and was a little hesitant about the location, but it turned out to be great.

returnoftheyeti

Desert Ridge is $99 a night the 28th. Is that just because of the weather and its the weekend before Labor Day? It seems extremely cheap to me.

SkiAdcock

That is cheap. I'd book that rate!

Cheers.

returnoftheyeti

I just looked again. It's a "restoration" room. No balcony and noise from 9-6. Not sure this is a good idea after all.

SkiAdcock

Ah, that explains the cheap price. But at least they're upfront about it being a restoration room vs. finding out when upon arrival.

Cheers.

SkiAdcock

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