My standard hotel reviews include a breakdown by the following topics. Feel free to skip to whichever section you find most interesting.
- Highlights
- Lobby
- Room
- Hotel Space / Ambiance
- Food & Drink
- Fitness
- Miscellaneous
Highlights: JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa
This business trip was at an excellent resort property. As my first JW Marriott experience, it was a good one, with great service all around, kart drivers, room service, front desk, etc. Food at breakfast at Rita’s was decently good, and I am sure there’s plenty to do here. One small hiccup regarding my reservation – I cancelled it in December but they still checked me in – I was actually supposed to stay elsewhere. It’s been an ordeal following up.
LOBBY & CHECK-IN
At this JW Marriott, your car will drop you off in a circular area, where the bell stand, rental bikes, and shuttle karts are. They will direct you a minute’s walk up to double doors, where the lobby is inside on the left. I checked in without issue but they were not able to give me any upgrades. Note that when you’re dropped off by car they’ll hold your bags and drive you to your room – the resort sprawls over several dozen acres of land. I was able to secure late checkout to 4pm as well.
ROOM
Unfortunately, there were no upgrades available when I checked into the JW Marriott (not even for my Marriott Platinum status) and my room was a basic King. It was still quite spacious, and the single-floor townhouse sprawl design was appealing. There were many issues with my room, from the shower not draining properly, to the temperature control hidden behind the bathroom door if it’s open, a broken phone, and the pesky internet resetting daily on each device. Minor headaches, but they did add up.
Of course, room service was really good – they sent techs to fix things immediately and gave me plates/silverware for my delivery pizza without any issue. Additionally, they delivered the pizza to me! Lou Malnati’s dropped it off at the bell desk and the hotel staff hightailed it over to me. Greatly appreciated, along with the in-suite refrigerator and microwave. Waive off housekeeping and get more points as well. There were also several annoying bugs/flies in my room that I was unable to be rid of.
HOTEL SPACE / AMBIANCE
I was in town for a convention so there were plenty of professionals. As it was cold in Arizona for an early February, I didn’t see too many younger or older people.
FOOD & DRINK
Arriving in time for lunch, I got a quick juice and sandwich at Starbucks. Overpriced, but decent. Most of the time we ate outside, but I did have breakfast at Rita’s which was delicious and filling. Their French Toast is crunchy and large – exactly what I want.
FITNESS
My room was directly across from the pool. Although I had a map of the property, I still got lost multiple times searching for the fitness center. They should have mentioned it being entered through the pool area, because this resort is crazy large and does not have anywhere close to enough signage and lighting for people to figure out where they’re going. I was just getting the hang of it when I had to leave.
MISCELLANEOUS
Lastly, JW Marriott convention center is adorned with nice art, but I did have internet connectivity issues there. I’d definitely come back here, perhaps a day earlier or later to enjoy the property and explore the area a bit more. Also, note that they do have a very hefty resort fee – $40 – for things that should be included, like wifi and shuttle service and others. Parking is an additional $10, should you choose to park. Unfortunately, this is not a cheap hotel, with rates in the $300s during my midweek stay. Hopefully I can fix the reservation issues and ensure that the charges are correct.
A guest experience specialist did reach out to me during my stay, and when I notified them of my in-room issues they comped me 5,000 points. Decent.
Featured Image of a beautiful pool area at the Frank Lloyd Wright museum, Taliesin West. Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links which, should you click through and/or make a purchase, grant me a commission. Also, I only post in the best interest of my readers. Lastly, thank you for supporting my blog and my travels.
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