Resort Details
Customer Ratings & Reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
3443 reviews
-
Apr 06, 2025Wonderful vacation spot
With everything going on in the world, my husband and I value friendly, welcoming people more than anything else on our vacations and the staff at the The JW Marriott in Phoenix far exceeds these criteria. We were very happy with our trip here. This enormous, sprawling complex had lovely pools, a great lazy river for all ages, waterslides, and several bars and restaurants. We particularly enjoyed the landscaped grounds which we were able to walk around a couple of miles a day.
-
Apr 06, 2025
Excellent family-friendly resort
The JW Marriott Desert Ridge is an excellent family-friendly resort with a unique water park, but it is a more impersonal, less luxurious experience than the JW Marriott Camelback Inn or other luxury hotels in Phoenix. My wife, teen son and I stayed on a Saturday night with points and the front desk clerk was sort of rude about it, which I was not expecting with Platinum Bonvoy status. No upgrade, no lounge and just breakfast for two offered. We were given a standard two queen bed room, but at least it was on the quiet side (if you face the pools, there were dozens of kids playing football on the lawn well past 10 pm). The room was fine, decent beds and TV, nice bathroom with tub and separate shower. We did like the large pool area especially the lazy river and the biggest water slide. They were the biggest draw for us to stay at Desert Ridge. You need to place your towels early. I was up early and went to the in-hotel Starbucks, which was mobbed. My wife and son used my breakfast for two, and unfortunately my wife had effects of what we thought was food poisoning overnight that night (because my son and I were fine). The hotel is in far north Phoenix and is about 25 minutes or more from most attractions. But it is a large attractive property for families on the weekend and business meetings. Overall, Desert Ridge felt less personalized than the Camelback Inn and other luxury hotels we have stayed at in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. Better for families than couples.
-
Mar 31, 2025Awful
I have no idea how this place has good reviews. The rooms are awful, mold in the shower, stains on the couch…and the pool has people packed in like sardines. You want an umbrella you have to pay extra and reserve a lounge chair, and all after paying close to 1,000 per night! It was so bad we switched our flight to a red eye just to get out of there. We could not even get refunded because we booked it through JetBlue mint. Will also contact JetBlue as it doesn’t speak well for them either.
-
Mar 18, 2025
Blood trail in hallway, terrible management
I recently visited here with my young son. We opened our door the morning after we arrived to find a very large amount of fresh blood directly outside our room and a trail about 50 meters down the hallway. A potentially life changing amount of blood. A true crime documentary amount of blood. Enough blood that you could smell it. Shocked, I asked two employees if it was blood, and they lied and told me it was sauce. We went to the front desk where a manager confirmed that it was blood and gave us a new room, that a guest had “fallen”. We went straight to breakfast and upon returning to the hallway, found that no one was there to advise people that it was blood and to stay out. There were young children walking through this UNMITIGATED BIOHAZARD. We packed up our things, called the bellman to help with our things and went to our new room, hopping over the blood trail to avoid housekeeping carts rolling through the blood. Disgusted, I stopped to ask why they hadn’t shut the hallway down, there were guests walking through still wet blood. Harsh, a manager, informed me (direct quote) “I just got here and this isn’t how I want to start my day.” Sorry, sir, I just got here and didn’t want my child to have to jump over blood. At least you’re getting paid to be here. He was incredibly rude and proceeded to argue with me and lie about the situation, saying that the hallway had been shut down. Boldface lie. We changed our flight and left the next morning. This was place is disgusting and terribly managed.
-
Mar 07, 2025Great conference hotel
Excellent conference hotel that accommodated over 2000 for annual event. Hotel was large roomy and plenty of space for networking meetings. Room was excellent, large and very clean. Two double beds and a lovely view of the pool and nearby dessert hills. Gardens are beautiful to admire from the balcony. Bathroom was large with both a bath a separate shower. Breakfast in Mia Carmen restaurant was ok. Food options are limited with short menu. Choice of small continental breakfast or hot buffet. Food quality was excellent. Outdoor seating was a bit dirty from the birds but otherwise ok. Would love to visit with my family for a holiday but fear it will be too hot in the summer. When I stayed it was winter and the weather was glorious. Although for the one time I sat outside to eat it rained for the first time in months! Thanks to the check in staff for providing me with such a nice room with a view. Photos attached.