Mar 5, 2018, 7:56 pm
Last edit by: hhoope01
This thread refers to the various Marriott brands within a specific geographic area. Marriott Bonvoy hotels in XX usually have posts asking which property is better, etc. Trip reports are usually better suited in the property specific threads.
Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ
Jan 10, 2018, 9:13 pm
#571
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Jan 10, 2018, 9:38 pm
#572
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Oct 14, 2018, 5:22 pm
#573
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Renaissance Phoenix Downtown
I'm thinking of possibly staying at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown for a trip my wife and I are taking. Although the purpose of the trip is to visit the Grand Canyon, we'd be staying in the Phoenix area as it seems hotels are nicer and costs are lower than in the Flagstaff or Sedona areas, and we are flying in and out of PHX.
Anyone have any thoughts about the best hotel to stay at, if my strategy makes sense (last time I visited PHX was over 15 years ago), and is the club at the Renaissance open over the weekends? Thanks!
Anyone have any thoughts about the best hotel to stay at, if my strategy makes sense (last time I visited PHX was over 15 years ago), and is the club at the Renaissance open over the weekends? Thanks!
Oct 14, 2018, 6:55 pm
#574
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I'm thinking of possibly staying at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown for a trip my wife and I are taking. Although the purpose of the trip is to visit the Grand Canyon, we'd be staying in the Phoenix area as it seems hotels are nicer and costs are lower than in the Flagstaff or Sedona areas, and we are flying in and out of PHX.
Anyone have any thoughts about the best hotel to stay at, if my strategy makes sense (last time I visited PHX was over 15 years ago), and is the club at the Renaissance open over the weekends? Thanks!
Anyone have any thoughts about the best hotel to stay at, if my strategy makes sense (last time I visited PHX was over 15 years ago), and is the club at the Renaissance open over the weekends? Thanks!
Oct 14, 2018, 7:05 pm
#575
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I was on a plane with the GM of this property a few years ago and was convinced to give it a try rather than staying in Scottsdale so I have done so a few times. It has an above average lounge but can't remember if it is open on the weekends. Rental car returns at PHX are a pain ... one option to think about would be to return the car the night before and Uber back and forth. It's probably cheaper than parking and you won't have to deal with the car return when you leave. Between the PHX Marriott ... which is elite unfriendly and this the PHX Renn, I'd go with the PHX Renn. Also, you can use the light rail to and from the airport as it goes right to the Renn, although its not as seamless as it ought to be.
One more hotel I'm looking at is the Westin Phoenix downtown. The Renaissance is slightly cheaper, but the Westin also seems to have great reviews. Anyone have experience with both (they're similarly rated on TripAdvisor).
Last edited by MarkP24; Oct 14, 2018 at 7:22 pm Reason: Added Westin
Oct 14, 2018, 7:27 pm
#576
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Thanks! Are rental car returns at PHX worse than any other airport? As we'll be visiting the Grand Canyon and Sedona, we will need a rental car, and we likely wouldn't take advantage of the light rail. Any other hotels I should be considering?
One more hotel I'm looking at is the Westin Phoenix downtown. The Renaissance is slightly cheaper, but the Westin also seems to have great reviews. Anyone have experience with both (they're similarly rated on TripAdvisor).
One more hotel I'm looking at is the Westin Phoenix downtown. The Renaissance is slightly cheaper, but the Westin also seems to have great reviews. Anyone have experience with both (they're similarly rated on TripAdvisor).
The PHX Airport rental center is an offsite consolidated rental center where you catch a bus for all rental companies to the center. It seems to me to take far longer on the average because the rental center isn't particularly close to the airport.
As for other options, I think it is a good option for you but another choice might be Courtyards in Tempe or Scottsdale with free parking.
Oct 14, 2018, 7:35 pm
#577
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I can't compare the Westin and the Renn.
The PHX Airport rental center is an offsite consolidated rental center where you catch a bus for all rental companies to the center. It seems to me to take far longer on the average because the rental center isn't particularly close to the airport.
As for other options, I think it is a good option for you but another choice might be Courtyards in Tempe or Scottsdale with free parking.
The PHX Airport rental center is an offsite consolidated rental center where you catch a bus for all rental companies to the center. It seems to me to take far longer on the average because the rental center isn't particularly close to the airport.
As for other options, I think it is a good option for you but another choice might be Courtyards in Tempe or Scottsdale with free parking.
Oct 16, 2018, 2:56 pm
#580
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I stayed at the Ren Downtown a few years ago (and also at the same hotel when it was a Crowne Plaza in 1998). It's an older property and speaking as a former resident of Phoenix, downtown itself is not the most fun place to stay. I prefer the Camby which is an Autograph Collection on 24th and Camelback.
Oct 16, 2018, 7:26 pm
#581
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I stayed at the Ren Downtown a few years ago (and also at the same hotel when it was a Crowne Plaza in 1998). It's an older property and speaking as a former resident of Phoenix, downtown itself is not the most fun place to stay. I prefer the Camby which is an Autograph Collection on 24th and Camelback.
Oct 16, 2018, 8:08 pm
#582
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I'm thinking of possibly staying at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown for a trip my wife and I are taking. Although the purpose of the trip is to visit the Grand Canyon, we'd be staying in the Phoenix area as it seems hotels are nicer and costs are lower than in the Flagstaff or Sedona areas, and we are flying in and out of PHX.
Anyone have any thoughts about the best hotel to stay at, if my strategy makes sense (last time I visited PHX was over 15 years ago), and is the club at the Renaissance open over the weekends? Thanks!
Anyone have any thoughts about the best hotel to stay at, if my strategy makes sense (last time I visited PHX was over 15 years ago), and is the club at the Renaissance open over the weekends? Thanks!
If you're getting a car and have no special interest in doing stuff within walking distance of the downtown properties (IIRC there's a Phoenix art museum With parking in addition to the more well-known one with parking in Scottsdale), I don't see the point of picking a hotel in downtown Phoenix (even though I believe there's a light rail option to/from the airport with a transfer). I'd pick a nice place in Scottsdale, near the airport, or in the more distant suburbs. Don't forget that parking is expensive at hotels in downtown Phoenix, which also has a decent Sheraton and a Westin. Depending on your tastes, either Tempe, Scottsdale, or a resort compound would be much more appealing and could be a better value. If you're a fan of big iconic swimming pools, don't forget the SPG LC Phoenician and its hotel within a hotel Canyon Suites. There are Starriotts near the airport, in Tempe, in Scottsdale downtown (W for example, but I think there are others), on resort compounds that are considered part of Scottsdale, farther but near the interstate (Sheraton Resort at something Pass, for example), etc. so you have lots of choices although of course the elite benefits, including lounge access, are very complicated now.
However, the drive to Sedona isn't quick and easy. It's interstate but parts are very mountainous and there are signs about the grades being tough on cars, with advice for example to turn off one's AC. You don't want to risk attempting this in a rental vehicle that isn't in top mechanical condition. Still the drive to Sedona and within the Sedona area itself is stunning with really special scenery, especially on the road through the park between the interstate exit and Sedona itself (really a couple villages that are tourist traps), roughly 15 miles with a number of scenic lookouts.
For day trips from the Phoenix area, there are some interesting "ghost towns" (plus Tucson if you've never been there). If you're interested, there are a couple major aircraft boneyards with varying access conditions, but the good experiences seem to require reservations at least a week or two in advance, so start your google research now.
Check driving times and distances. I think it's at least four hours from Phoenix to Flagstaff or the closest portion of the Grand Canyon in the best traffic conditions, so that would be ambitious as a day trip. Moreover, if you're bothering to visit the Grand Canyon, I would think that you would also want the experience of being there at sunrise/sunset (same for Sedona?) and ideally of staying at the historic iconic lodge within the national park, which seems to be booked far in advance and isn't cheap now.
However, the drive to Sedona isn't quick and easy. It's interstate but parts are very mountainous and there are signs about the grades being tough on cars, with advice for example to turn off one's AC. You don't want to risk attempting this in a rental vehicle that isn't in top mechanical condition. Still the drive to Sedona and within the Sedona area itself is stunning with really special scenery, especially on the road through the park between the interstate exit and Sedona itself (really a couple villages that are tourist traps), roughly 15 miles with a number of scenic lookouts.
For day trips from the Phoenix area, there are some interesting "ghost towns" (plus Tucson if you've never been there). If you're interested, there are a couple major aircraft boneyards with varying access conditions, but the good experiences seem to require reservations at least a week or two in advance, so start your google research now.
Check driving times and distances. I think it's at least four hours from Phoenix to Flagstaff or the closest portion of the Grand Canyon in the best traffic conditions, so that would be ambitious as a day trip. Moreover, if you're bothering to visit the Grand Canyon, I would think that you would also want the experience of being there at sunrise/sunset (same for Sedona?) and ideally of staying at the historic iconic lodge within the national park, which seems to be booked far in advance and isn't cheap now.
Last edited by MSPeconomist; Oct 16, 2018 at 8:23 pm
Oct 16, 2018, 9:03 pm
#583
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If you're getting a car and have no special interest in doing stuff within walking distance of the downtown properties (IIRC there's a Phoenix art museum With parking in addition to the more well-known one with parking in Scottsdale), I don't see the point of picking a hotel in downtown Phoenix (even though I believe there's a light rail option to/from the airport with a transfer). I'd pick a nice place in Scottsdale, near the airport, or in the more distant suburbs. Don't forget that parking is expensive at hotels in downtown Phoenix, which also has a decent Sheraton and a Westin. Depending on your tastes, either Tempe, Scottsdale, or a resort compound would be much more appealing and could be a better value. If you're a fan of big iconic swimming pools, don't forget the SPG LC Phoenician and its hotel within a hotel Canyon Suites. There are Starriotts near the airport, in Tempe, in Scottsdale downtown (W for example, but I think there are others), on resort compounds that are considered part of Scottsdale, farther but near the interstate (Sheraton Resort at something Pass, for example), etc. so you have lots of choices although of course the elite benefits, including lounge access, are very complicated now.
However, the drive to Sedona isn't quick and easy. It's interstate but parts are very mountainous and there are signs about the grades being tough on cars, with advice for example to turn off one's AC. You don't want to risk attempting this in a rental vehicle that isn't in top mechanical condition. Still the drive to Sedona and within the Sedona area itself is stunning with really special scenery, especially on the road through the park between the interstate exit and Sedona itself (really a couple villages that are tourist traps), roughly 15 miles with a number of scenic lookouts.
For day trips from the Phoenix area, there are some interesting "ghost towns" (plus Tucson if you've never been there). If you're interested, there are a couple major aircraft boneyards with varying access conditions, but the good experiences seem to require reservations at least a week or two in advance, so start your google research now.
Check driving times and distances. I think it's at least four hours from Phoenix to Flagstaff or the closest portion of the Grand Canyon in the best traffic conditions, so that would be ambitious as a day trip. Moreover, if you're bothering to visit the Grand Canyon, I would think that you would also want the experience of being there at sunrise/sunset (same for Sedona?) and ideally of staying at the historic iconic lodge within the national park, which seems to be booked far in advance and isn't cheap now.
However, the drive to Sedona isn't quick and easy. It's interstate but parts are very mountainous and there are signs about the grades being tough on cars, with advice for example to turn off one's AC. You don't want to risk attempting this in a rental vehicle that isn't in top mechanical condition. Still the drive to Sedona and within the Sedona area itself is stunning with really special scenery, especially on the road through the park between the interstate exit and Sedona itself (really a couple villages that are tourist traps), roughly 15 miles with a number of scenic lookouts.
For day trips from the Phoenix area, there are some interesting "ghost towns" (plus Tucson if you've never been there). If you're interested, there are a couple major aircraft boneyards with varying access conditions, but the good experiences seem to require reservations at least a week or two in advance, so start your google research now.
Check driving times and distances. I think it's at least four hours from Phoenix to Flagstaff or the closest portion of the Grand Canyon in the best traffic conditions, so that would be ambitious as a day trip. Moreover, if you're bothering to visit the Grand Canyon, I would think that you would also want the experience of being there at sunrise/sunset (same for Sedona?) and ideally of staying at the historic iconic lodge within the national park, which seems to be booked far in advance and isn't cheap now.
I'm now looking at basing myself more north (Flagstaff, Sedona...), and only going to spend 1 night in Phoenix as we have an early morning flight out from PHX. Based on that, I'm looking at PHX airport hotels. Any recommendations? Residence Inn, Aloft, or Phoenix Airport Marriott, and does the Phoenix Airport Marriott have a [decent] club?
Oct 16, 2018, 9:19 pm
#584
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AFAIK none of the airport hotels are really that close to the airport and there are a bunch of Starriotts with airport in their names. I think there was also a Sheraton airport property, probably with lounge, and something near downtown Tempe (aloft?) that had airport shuttle service and also was within walking distance of the downtown Tempe business district, which is somewhat oriented toward students. Unless you'll be using an airport shuttle, I don't see an advantage to staying at one of the airport hotels at PHX. Once you're in a rental car, you might as well pick any hotel you please that's easy to find from the airport rental car facility, ideally one with free parking.
I've stayed at the downtown Phoenix Sheraton, Canyon Suites at the Phoenician, W Scottsdale, Tempe Hilton, some other chain place along a main road going toward Mesa, some very good independent hotel right in the center of Tempe, Andaz Scottsdale, and Hyatt at Gainey Ranch, among others. They're all different and I wouldn't say that any of them clearly dominates without knowing what you prefer and the rates you're seeing. Of course, status benefits also matter, with for example the Andaz offering a very generous and interesting breakfast (ordered from the menu) for Globalists as well as waived resort fees.
I've stayed at the downtown Phoenix Sheraton, Canyon Suites at the Phoenician, W Scottsdale, Tempe Hilton, some other chain place along a main road going toward Mesa, some very good independent hotel right in the center of Tempe, Andaz Scottsdale, and Hyatt at Gainey Ranch, among others. They're all different and I wouldn't say that any of them clearly dominates without knowing what you prefer and the rates you're seeing. Of course, status benefits also matter, with for example the Andaz offering a very generous and interesting breakfast (ordered from the menu) for Globalists as well as waived resort fees.
Oct 16, 2018, 9:30 pm
#585
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AFAIK none of the airport hotels are really that close to the airport and there are a bunch of Starriotts with airport in their names. I think there was also a Sheraton airport property, probably with lounge, and something near downtown Tempe (aloft?) that had airport shuttle service and also was within walking distance of the downtown Tempe business district, which is somewhat oriented toward students. Unless you'll be using an airport shuttle, I don't see an advantage to staying at one of the airport hotels at PHX. Once you're in a rental car, you might as well pick any hotel you please that's easy to find from the airport rental car facility, ideally one with free parking.
I've stayed at the downtown Phoenix Sheraton, Canyon Suites at the Phoenician, W Scottsdale, Tempe Hilton, some other chain place along a main road going toward Mesa, some very good independent hotel right in the center of Tempe, Andaz Scottsdale, and Hyatt at Gainey Ranch, among others. They're all different and I wouldn't say that any of them clearly dominates without knowing what you prefer and the rates you're seeing. Of course, status benefits also matter, with for example the Andaz offering a very generous and interesting breakfast (ordered from the menu) for Globalists as well as waived resort fees.
I've stayed at the downtown Phoenix Sheraton, Canyon Suites at the Phoenician, W Scottsdale, Tempe Hilton, some other chain place along a main road going toward Mesa, some very good independent hotel right in the center of Tempe, Andaz Scottsdale, and Hyatt at Gainey Ranch, among others. They're all different and I wouldn't say that any of them clearly dominates without knowing what you prefer and the rates you're seeing. Of course, status benefits also matter, with for example the Andaz offering a very generous and interesting breakfast (ordered from the menu) for Globalists as well as waived resort fees.