Songer5

We just returned home from our 2 night stay at Westin Kierland (hotel, not the villas) over Columbus Day weekend (Oct 10-12). It was a purely relaxation trip, so we planned to stay on the property the entire time. We didn't even rent a car.

Booking
We were hoping it would be the shoulder season, but SPG was charging the high end of the Category 5 range (16,000 pts/night). AAA rates when we booked were about $330/night including taxes. Resort fee was waived for SPG Platinums.

Check In
We arrived at 10AM without any expectations that our room would be ready. We just had them store our luggage and went to the pools to enjoy the day. We were allowed into the Agave Spa locker rooms to change and given lockers. Around 2:30PM, we received a text message alerting us that our room was ready for check-in. Normally, check-in is 4PM.

Elite Recognition
We were thanked multiple times by different people for being a SPG Platinum. They really seemed to go out of their way to remember your name as well. Many times, one staffer would introduce us to another staffer and clearly mention "Mr. Songer is a Platinum" as if that should get us better service. I'm not 100% sure if non-elites are given that level of treatment, but I actually think they would, given the high standards of client service here.

We were given a welcome card that mentioned Plats get complimentary breakfast in the Lounge as well as vouchers for their happy hour called "Unwind" at their Deseo restaurant. However, we had to reference these vouchers on the welcome note to receive them at the Front Desk. They seemed to imply the vouchers were no longer standard gifts, but they were happy to give them to us.





We were offered 4PM checkout, though we didn't need it since our flight home was at 1:30PM.

Room
We used 2 Suite Night Awards to get upgraded to the Parlor King Suite (separate living room with french doors between them - not the "suite" made of two regular rooms with a connecting door). We were very happy with the extra space as my 4 year old daughter had a place to nap in the afternoons without us whispering in the dark.

Royal Peaks Lounge
Contrary to prior dated posts, for those with access, the lounge is complimentary for up to 2 adults AND 3 children per paying guest or SPG Platinum guest. It was constantly refreshed every time we visited.



Complimentary breakfast (fruit, pastries, cold cuts, cheese, deviled eggs, cereals and of course, the pancake machine) was from 7-10AM. It was rarely busy, but we were still on East Coast time, so we'd get there at 7AM. At 5PM each evening, they offered antipasti and cold cuts/cheese platters. Also, quickly refreshed.

Texting
Perhaps other properties also use texting, but this was our first time hearing about it. You could basically text the Front Desk with your requests (more towels, dinner reservation requests, etc). They were super prompt in responding and delivering. Very impressed!



Kid's Amenities
When you check in, stop by the Concierge to pick up a Compass booklet for your child. It's a scavenger hunt where the kids (and the parents) go to different places in the resort (Golf club, restaurant, pool area) and collect stamps. Then you can show your stamps to the Kid's Activity center and they get special pins to keep.



The family pool is open 10AM-5PM and the Lazy River opens at 11AM. Both were huge hits with my daughter, though the Lazy River is VERY lazy in that it flows very slowly. There's also a smaller Pool for adults by the Spa that's 24/7. I think kids can access the Adult Pool when the family pool is closed though.

Also, there's a daily activity schedule with free and paid activities that your child can enjoy. Relay races, tote bag decorating, story reading.



The regular Kids Club takes children 4-12 and teens can visit the Digital Kids Club where there's a lot of cool technology they can access.

Every night, they offer Pajama Parties (which is babysitting from 5:30-9:30PM). It's $50/child including dinner, but if you dine at the on-site restaurant Deseo and bring your receipt, you get the Pajama Party for free (up to 2 kids). But you need to reserve this a day in advance as it books up fast!

Dining
We had lunch at the Pool (J. Swilling’s) one day and at Waltz & Weiser (the casual bar/patio restaurant) the other day. Most items at the Pool were $15 each (sandwiches, wraps, salads). They were pretty basic and not really "restaurant quality." Beers were $6.

The food at W&W was fine, though not somewhere we'd eat again. I had the tacos and my wife had the BBQ buffalo wings. The Kid's Menu had a bunch of adult sized portions (and prices, $12-15). Including a beer, our bill was about $75. It was really nice to sit outside though.

We had dinner at Deseo twice, the second time because it was going to make our daughter's Pajama Party complimentary. The food was South American (not to be confused with Mexican). All the items were definitely full of flavor, but almost too much for our tastes. Overall though, we enjoyed all our apps and entrees, which were very large portions. Oddly, they had a more appropriate kid's menu than W&W, though the $6 mac & cheese was Kraft Box kind.

Spa
My wife used the Spa for $20 a day to access the Jacuzzi and steam room. Didn't do any treatments.

Golf and Gym
We didn't use either, so no comment.

Overall
We'd happily come back again and given my daughter's only 4 years old, my family will likely be frequenting the Westin Kierland each time we're in Phoenix-Scottsdale over the Phoenician.

Ursa_Atlantis

Thanks for the great write-up! Headed to PHX for the first time for the NCAA football championship this weekend and hoping for a great time at the Kierland.

I was hoping to use my suite night awards, but apparently I chose the Amazon cash last year (since the SN awards never seemed to work $100 in the hand vs. magic suite promises in the bush...) I'm glad it worked for you though.

Cheers,

shawneve

It seems two of the posted pics by Songer5 have differing info.
One welcomes Plat guest to enjoy the lounge along with one other person, with extra charges for additional adults and children.
The other says that lounge access is good for two adults and 3 children.
I assume the latter takes precedence as it looks like a sign posted at the lounge.

Jazz_FB

Stayed at Kierland resort last week on points (two separate one night stays).
Am a Gold member with SPG business Amex. Was given access to club lounge without me asking for it (not sure why, didn't dare to jeopardize). Daily resort fee was lowered from $29 to $10 for being Gold. No room "upgrade".
Had a pleasant stay. Friendly staff, nice kids activities.

Jazz_FB

One piece of advice, especially regarding the Spa, is to make sure to get a receipt for services, especially when being room charged. At the Kierland Spa we were promised a discount (we had two people have a treatment simultaneously). However, you guessed it, no discount was applied to the room bill. I only found out long after we left, and Kierland's accounting has no record of a discount, hence they say we were correctly charged the standard Spa rates. It's not a huge amount of money, and we had a pleasant stay, so will call this a lesson learned, and ask for receipts next time (especially if prices deviate from the standard rates). But in the end it doesn't give me a good feeling about the Kierland.

habshabs444

I just recently returned from a 4 night stay at the Kierland Villas. This was my first time staying here after having stayed at the Phoenician the last 10+ times. We only chose to stay here as we were taking advantage of an offer of a 4 night stay in one of their smaller 1 bdrm + 5K starpoints for only $350USD along with a to be expected timeshare presentation. This time of year wasn't the ideal time to maximize value out of this but it was about to expire so it had to be used up.

As compared to the main Westin resort, it is very quiet and low key (which we like). The suites are in reasonably good shape, however I wouldn't recommend the smaller one bedroom units as the only windows are in the bedroom and the small living area almost feels like you are in a box. There is a small kitchenette with a microwave, 2 burner stove, and small fridge. The kitchen is well stocked with dishes etc.

We spent our days at the adult pool which was quiet and relaxing as to be expected. The servers were around fairly frequently replenishing waters. We ate all of our lunches at the one restaurant on the property. Food was extremely reasonably priced and was of good quality. Service on the patio outside the pool did tend to be a little slow. There are happy hour specials every day from 6-9 - $3 drafts, $5 mixed drinks and $7 glasses of wine.

In my opinion, one of the best features of this property is the location. You are a short walk to the main resort (or a quick ride on the shuttle) if you want to take advantage of the larger pools and lazy river. I will note that on the Labour Day long weekend, it was an absolute zoo over there and we were relieved that we were staying over in the Villas. Just on the other side of main hotel, there is the Kierland Commons shopping area with numerous restaurants/shopping. The shuttle is also available to take you over there 24/7 and can come pick you up when in short notice when you call the hotel.

We did have to sit through the SVO timeshare presentation which was relatively painless. Although we weren't buyers, we did take advantage of a 'bounce back' offer for 6 nights in a larger 1 bdrm suite + 60K starpoints for $2,500. High season rates are usually $500USD+ so I was able to rationalize this as a decent deal when you throw in the additional starpoints.

Overall, we did miss the Phoenician which is markedly more upscale, however, the close proximity to amenities at the Kierland Villas was a definite plus. This property would be much more ideal with kids and more economical with the kitchen and very reasonably priced food/drink offerings.

habshabs444

Was trying to book a C&P stay at the Kierland Resort for 3 nights in May, however, it is showing as unavailable. When I search availability, all 3 dates are showing as available, but it appears I need to book a total of 5 nights in order for it to go through. Is there a way to get around this?

s_flyer

Hi, can anyone comment on the pros / cons of Westin Kierland Resort vs Hyatt Regency at Gainey Ranch ? Family with small children (all under 8 yrs old). Thanks!

davidw70

Stayed at the Westin Kierland a week ago on points. Upgraded from Traditional to Grand Deluxe - rooms are looking slightly dated but have good amenities and the view across the golf course was excellent.

A couple of changes since the posts above and my previous stays:

1) Royal Peaks lounge now has evening appetizers. No Deseo vouchers now given
2) Looks like they are about to introduce self parking charges. Barriers had been placed at all the entrances and exits but were up when I stayed. The barrier had the following sign:

zagguru

anyone have success getting breakfast at the villa for a gold status?

CO-PLAT

I was here earlier this week as part of a conference. They did't charge me for self parking, but maybe it was included in the conference rate. Lounge was disappointing for breakfast. The only hot items were toast and pancakes that you could make yourself. The first night I left the car park, the barrier wouldn't open and I had to go have my key card reprogrammed. I was given a golf course view room on the 11th (top) floor. Large room and very clean. TV is affixed to the wall and can't be rotated. Lighting in bathroom is good. USB chargers on nightstands. Rainshower shower head wouldn't stop dripping regardless of the position of the lever. Housekeeper came into my room (after knocking) even though it was my checkout day. I was granted a 3PM late checkout as requested prior to arrival. My coworker had two separate employees enter his room uninvited...one had someone else's laundry and the other had some tools in his hand. My coworker was given two drink coupons as compensation.
There was a dude playing bagpipes out in the courtyard one night.
Walking distance to several shops & restaurants.
Check in - check out lines were extremely long at times.
I would be pissed if I was staying there on holiday during one of the conferences. I spoke to some vacationing guests about exactly that and they said the hotel had given them all kinds of discount coupons as compensation.
The gym is large, but still crowded at 6AM. Three Life Fitness elliptical machines, but good luck getting access to one. The TV function on them didn't work.
500 points/night offered if you choose to skip housekeeping services.

Having said all that, the property is really nice and I intend to take my wife there for the next conference in two years.

JBauer

We stayed here over thanksgiving with family in four rooms. The hotel was not sold out, but our rooms very small and unimpressive. Considering the 120 or nights a year i spend in hotels, these were some of the most basic and plain rooms -- think Sheraton. The goal here is to spend as much time outside your room as possible -- the good news is there are lots of activities for kids. Our kids loved it -- except, and this is a BIG except -- The Pools. The weather was 80 Degrees over Thanksgiving but all of the pools were freezing -- we have a pool at home and i know what is heated and what is not -- these were simply not heated beyond using solar. In fact, you'd look at these huge lovely pools and they'd be empty except for a few small children -- no adults would go in. They have a great lazy river and I heard other adults joking about going on "the frozen river." This is simply not acceptable when going to a family resort. Save a few bucks with no heat -- or, worse yet, minimal heat???

This hotel does have a great location. You are able to walk to a myriad of restaurants and shops, which is great.

But don't expect much in the way of Platinum 100 recognition. We didn't get offered anything like the previous poster who got offered a happy hour? There is a lounge with a very basic breakfast -- you cannot take it in a restaurant.

knicknut

Hello. I recently received an "exclusive invitation," similar to others on here for a one bedroom villa for 4 nights for $299, but they gave me less than a week to lock it in. (Of course, I can pay now and schedule my dates later!) I understand I'll have to attend a presentation for the deal.

I have 2 main concerns from reading the fine print:

1) Limited availability, "space available basis"--my travel dates are usually pretty inflexible. I worry the few weekends I can swing this trip will be blacked out. Rescheduling at all generates $100 charges, and within 45 days seems to forfeit the deal.
2) It says I'm liable for fees, "taxes, tips, housekeeping, or other charges," which is pretty vague. I'm worried my $300 offer may come with $600 in fees before I even purchase a meal or play a round of golf.

I emailed them about this, but get calls in response, as they are not allowed to email customers and put anything in writing, which makes me very skeptical. Of course, my fears are assuaged in vague terms orally, with a hard sale on locking me down today because it's FIRST COME FIRST SERVED AND SET TO EXPIRE!!! (also skeptical)

Can anyone who's taken advantage of offers like these at this or similar Westin properties speak to my concerns? Separately, has anyone tried inquiring about an "expired" offer? I suspect these offers aren't nearly as exclusive and short-term as they promise, but am curious whether they will call your bluff if you inquire after the expiration.

Apologies if I sound overly cynical--I've been burned before, though not by SPG. Thanks!

FlyerJ

We’ve done a few of these promo stays at a couple of different Westin villa/timeshare properties. They’ve all been fantastic stays. And they’ve all been incredibly good deals — impossible to beat the offer.

It’s not a scam, and you’re not going to get burned. Yep, meals and housekeeping tips and other spending is not included. But there are no surprises or tricks.

These really are a great deal, and well worth it. And totally legit.

The “limited dates” thing can be frustrating when booking, but it’s true. The Westin Vacations/VSN people use these super-cheap offers as part of their timeshare marketing ... and they really do get random batches of available arrival dates just dropped into their booking system. Who knows what the logistics are re how they actually get allocated these batches of inventory ... but it definitely is for a limited range of arrival dates.

If you’re really that inflexible with your future travel, just skip it. No harm, no foul. But it really would be too bad, as these are a smoking good deal, and hard to pass up.

knicknut

Thanks for the positive feedback! Yeah, housekeeping tips and meals and all are obviously fine, I was more worried about mandatory upcharges disguised as basic included services. Glad to hear that's not the trick.
I'm not inflexible, my boss is If they're truly random (and not all mid-week or anything), I will look into it further.
If I can't decide in the next day or two, maybe I'll try to redeem it post-expiry. Worst they can say is no!

If anyone else has experiences to share, please do!