SkiAdcock

Marriott does not keep every standard room open for awards. They may have had a quota & the quota has already been met. If you have your heart set on this property (vs. other MAR or SPG properties), keep on checking back. Also, a lot of times award inventory gets opened a few months out, so it could be as simple as they've not yet loaded award inventory & it will get opened up. Again, book something else but if you have your heart set on this property keep checking back. Truthfully it sounds like they just haven't loaded up inventory yet.

Cheers.

returnoftheyeti

Staying here this weekend. I have Gold status, what, if any perks can I expect?
Someone upthread mentioned rooms with a private sundeck, that would be great for me. Anything else Inshould know about?

Kacee

I don't think there are really any guaranteed Gold benes here, apart from enhanced internet and 25% points bonus.

My first stay here as a Gold they waived the parking and resort fees, and gave me a spa pass. They've also offered me late checkout as a Plat. I wouldn't expect any of that though.

It's a beautiful spot, enjoy.

It may be a bit warm for that still. I'd try and get a room away from the road with a view of Camelback.

SkiAdcock

From the exec lounge sticky:

* Scottsdale / JW Camelback Inn Scottsdale Resort & Spa / (no bennies other than free wifi due to resort status); Plat arrival gift 500pts/$10FB coupon; $29 resort fee reduced to $19 for elites (might be Gold/Plats only); 06/03/16 update

Dyoungman1

just stayed at the JW Marriott Camelback. Had a wonderful stay and did receive a great upgrade to a two level room with a huge balcony. As a platinum member the standard resort fee was reduced from $35 per day to $30. Not sure if that was a great deal, but really enjoyed our stay.

Kacee

Just finished up a two night award stay (escaping the smoke in the bay area). This was my sixth stay in the past two years (all others paid). It's been one of favorite properties anywhere, for the spectacular location, the historic feel, and the great service.

They've now completed construction of a large new conference center, and IMO it's fundamentally changed the character of the place. Feels like a conference hotel, not a historic resort. Service is still friendly, but less personal and somewhat overwhelmed. They've also changed the decor in Rita's place, and it's gone from retro cool to generic Marriott. Overall I'm saddened by these changes. They've turned a unique property (where else can you see a candid pic of Jimmy Stewart standing in the chow line?) into just another corporate-feel JW Marriott.

As for elite benefits, they now offer the continental breakfast buffet in Rita's to Plats, including 18% gratuity (a $23.60 value). Six dollar upcharge to the full buffet. It's a nice buffet and a good deal with or without upcharge.

skunker

hockeyinsider

I would put this in the non-compliant breakfast category, as the property is resort-designated and, as such, you have to choose at check-in between 1,000 points per stay or "breakfast in restaurant." Moreover, even non-resort J.W. Marriott properties serve hot eggs and typically a hot meat (sausage or bacon) in the lounge.

It would be interesting to know how management would respond to a titanium or ambassador, as those two levels are not platinum.

Kacee

I disagree. It is one of the better breakfast benefits in the US. The continental buffet is excellent, and served in the restaurant (and is a separate menu item). It is thus, by definition, a "restaurant breakfast." The $7 upcharge is also fair. You have to be plain cheap to complain about that.

Unlike Hyatt, Marriott does not require that the "breakfast" include any specified items. So you are just making up rules. Marriott has enough difficulty sticking to the actual rules, without trying to hold them to imaginary ones.

hockeyinsider

If this weren't a resort-designated property and this was a lounge breakfast or the substitute for a closed lounge I might look the other way, but this is a resort-designated property and the terms and conditions for the resort properties state "breakfast in restaurant." Period.

Non-resort properties only have to offer a "continental breakfast" in the lounge or, if there's no lounge or it's closed, a breakfast in the restaurant. Some people argue a continental breakfast is satisfactory since that's what is required of a lounge. That's another debate for another date.

But regardless, even a lounge breakfast includes eggs (powdered or non-powdered).

Marriott could have prefaced "breakfast in restaurant" at resort-designated properties with "continental" but it didn't.

skunker

hockeyinsider

Are they providing this to everyone or did you have to specifically choose this at check-in?

skunker

hockeyinsider

That's my issue with this. If they were giving guest with eligible elite status a continental breakfast, as a non-resort property would do, then I may not take issue with this. But, they aren't.

The implication from the applicable provision of the terms and conditions is for resort-designated properties to offer a breakfast in the hotel restaurant with choices, hot and cold, either on buffet or off-the-menu menu.

Kacee

They are renovating guest rooms here this summer. I was told construction should not impact guest experience, but who knows. It is definitely impacting availability of some of the more desirable room categories.
They are not using coupons for breakfast. They have a list of Plat and higher and I was given a zero balance check to sign (which expressly included an 18% gratuity).

I will add that the continental buffet is extremely high quality. The smoked salmon (which I usually avoid in buffets b/c they tend to use the cheap stuff) is absolutely top notch. Fruit included not just usual suspects of melon and pineapple, but four types of berries (strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, rasberry), all of them tasty. They also offer a very good guacamole.