gregorygrady

How did you get such a great rate? I've been looking to stay here this summer but the cheapest I've found is ~$180 per night..........

schriste

I was also able to find a rate of $129 for a few dates in the summer by using my companies SET code and the leisure option. I just looked for a few dates in August, but no availability. So… I think that rate is only offered when they have very high room availability (In my case over the July 4th weekend)

If you are looking to stay for 4 days the Taste of Luxury package with the 4th night free is a very good deal thru August. That’s what I used even with the $129 rate available.

BTW. Still curious why Canyon Building (my favorite) is closed for August.

sinfonia

We had the same option -- Westin Kierland or the Phoenician, and we chose Westin Kierland. The whole time we said we had wished we chose the Phoenician. Westin Kierland is definitely for the masses. The Phoenician is so much nicer. One good thing I will say about Kierland though -- their club lounge is pretty darn good. Wide variety of papers, computers free for use (they charge for computer use in business center if I remember correctly), excellent food all day long in the club lounge plus just a fridge full of waters which you need in the summer (we were constantly popping in to grab a water on the way down to the pool or when leaving the hotel), and the service at this lounge is incredible. They have basically your very own concierge up there who will help you with whatever you need. Had it not been for that service, we would have SO felt like the masses staying there. The club lounge was the saving grace of the hotel. The spa wasn't bad either -- good facials.

mattkatie7

I was treated very well as a PLAT at the Kierland. I was upgraded to a suite and was able to spend one night at the villa ( per my request). I enjoyed the hotel and their service much better than the villa. I had my best experience as a plat. there.

Sweet Willie

I’d generally agree with you.

What made the Phoenician unacceptable in my opinion is that there were not enough chairs around the pools. There were many people who were outside the gates on chairs and not by choice. If I'm spending that much per room, I at least want a chair IN the pool area.

That being said, we did enjoy the Phoenician overall more than Kierland but not by much.

vincom

Hands down it's all about the Phoenician! Whenever I stay at a hotel out in PHX, its there... Fabulosu service and Fabulous property.

-Vincent

TraveltheWorld

The Taste of Luxury package includes breakfast and taxes, so in addition to the 4th night free, it seems like an excellent value.

According to the Phoenician, the Canyon Building is closed in August due to low occupancy and renovation, but it due to reopen in September.

After reading the glowing reports about the Phoenician, I'll keep my reservations there and hope for a Plat upgrade to a nice suite or villa.

schriste

BTW, you can also have room service breakfast with the TOL package. Shame the Canyon Building will be closed. The suites there are so very nicely designed.

TraveltheWorld

Do Platinums receive complimentary access to the hotel gym or is it run by a 3rd party?

BoulderHyattHopper

I will start by saying my husband's a Starwood Platinum.

We stayed 4 nights at the Phoenician over 4th of July. We really had a nice time, but I would say it was crowded. We woke up early Friday and found out ABC7 was doing their weather segments from the hotel. We ran out and watched. They opened the slide for a couple of kids to demonstrate. A couple of women demonstrated yoga during a different segment.

With a 22 month old, we tried to break up the heat. It was very difficult to get chairs after early morning!!! Not fun when your child wants to run in the pool.

A point to note -- I believe the Hyatt Gainey Ranch is the only resort that "waters" the sidewalk. Your stuff gets wet if you put it on the ground, but your feet stay cool!

We really had a nice time. We were told we were in a casita. I believe we were in the B building (VERY close and VERY convenient to the pool -- bonus!) We were on the ground level. Just to note there were 8 hotel rooms in the casita. You do not get the whole casita to yourself. Do I assume there are casitas that you do? Our room was nice, but by no means HUGE. The bathroom was amazing!!! Huge tub and separate shower. Great for putting the child to bed and hiding out in for a while.

Ordered kids room service, which is VERY cheap! Great value for the little guy. We had thai takeout from ThaiFoon.

They did a lot over the fourth. I do not know if they monitored "friends" who were not resort guests, crashing the hotel. Unlike other hotels, the wonderful, amazing staff constantly replenishes the towels on chairs as people come and go. There is no way to tell if the person requesting is a guest or not.

I know personally that large groups of people were not guests. Basically because at 6PM as they were leaving, they said to their resort guest friends, "Hey, thanks for inviting us over. Maybe we will drive back over tomorrow!"

The problem with the B building was a lot of the time there were not parking spaces for our one rental car outside of it, because all of these crashers parked there, given its proximity to the pool. Very frustrating when your child falls asleep and you are trying to run him in the hotel room in the heat!

Overall we had a nice time.

Now we are moving on to the Westin Kierland for Labor Day! Cannot wait to try!

Sweet Willie

wildblueyonder

Apologies, but I'm not sure which rate I used. I don't think it was my Corporate rate, though...

We booked week-of, in late June. Hotel wasn't that full, and the weather was 109 degrees, so probably some cancellations, if I had to guess...

TraveltheWorld

Just completed a 4 night stay..

-- Gym Access is complimentary to Plats, would otherwise be $20/day
-- If you're not a Plat, you may pay $25 for gym and internet access
-- I found free WiFi in my Casita, not sure if it was a mistake or usual.
-- According to the front desk, the Phoencian was running at near capacity with the closing of Canyon, which meant no Suite Upgrade
-- Service was good, though housekeeping was not.
Half-used bottles of toiletries in room upon checkin.
Hair in the bathtub
-- Had a problem with mosquitoes in my Casita
-- Taste of Luxury Package includes a $50 breakfast credit which may be used in-room or in the restaurants.
-- Parking is a non-existant near the Casitas, but there is an underground lot nearby that looks like it's used mostly by employees. I had no problem parking there instead.

All in all, a decent stay, but I'll probably try another resort next time I'm in Scottsdale.

ski

Westin Kierland stay. 2 lines dedicated to gold/plat elites at check-in. Elite checking in next to us asked for a casita upgrade for a large family, and this was immediately found for them. We were asked if a room with club access was ok for us, we did not ask for anything. The room turned out to be a large 2 room good view suite with 1 1/2 bath. Amenity choice card was in the check-in packet. There is a single comp computer in a small area next to the elite check-in, they need to buzz you in, and also 1 on the club. There was a daycare activity program outside the restaurant on the weekend. Lazy river, water slide, and covered playground. Small table area for the kids with some activity books on the club to keep them busy. Comp. beverages on club with good appetizers. Excellent staff.

schoflyer

Just got it. Clever.