This is definitely a spectacular hotel. I've stayed here two separate times and will summarize both here.\n\nSetting:\nThe hotel is built into a rock, quite literally. It's pretty powerful driving up for the first time. There's not a whole lot by way of food or things to do in the immediate vicinity, but you're no more than 15 minutes from downtown Tempe and Mill St, and maybe 25 minutes from Scottsdale. So the hotel feels tucked away and private but is only three minutes from the freeway. It's also up a hill so you get a pretty nice view of the rest of PHX/Tempe. So not as walkable as I'm sure some other properties nearby are, but you get a sweet view to make up for it.\n\nRooms:\nJust really uniquely set up, with a kind of spanish style layout. The TVs are the old school kind, not the flat screen, but I don't watch TV generally so it didn't bother me. The showers are spacious and almost like the waterfall style showerheads so you can totally relax in them. \n\nOne of the best parts of my first stay anyways was the fact they hooked up chocolate/fresh baked cookies in the hotel rooms for turndown service. Utterly unbeatable. Probably the only reason they have four stars and not five is that the second time, I didn't get them at all during my stay, until I found out a buddy was still getting the cookies, prompting me to call and find out what the deal was. Turns out they had forgotten or something. Anyone who knows me knows I need me some cookies. So anyways the guy comes by with some \"chocolate chip cookies\" only they turn out to be oatmeal raisin. Buzzkill.\n\nAmenities/Resources:\nTop notch. You get all the Aveda stuff in the rooms, definitely high class, and you get large bottles of it too. The pool area is expansive and really nice to chill out at. There's around 6 jacuzzis tucked in little nooks around the pool. Breakfast is awesome, far better than the normal Marriott fare - they've got eggs benedict, custom omelettes, and other awesome stuff. The first time I stayed they had fruit and cheese blintzes which was absurdly good. Service at the breakfast buffet is top notch as well, and it's free (or possibly just if you're Marriott elite, not sure). Haven't tried the spa yet - it seems a bit steep.
places reviews