The Boulders Resort & Spa

RATS IN THE RAFTERS! 1 week before Xmas we booked a 2 room Exec suite (prem room). The Boulders is over 40yrs old & it shows. Minimal maintenance shows everywhere. Finally, when we ckd into our suite, there was a strange smell. We called maintenance, “we’ll deal with it tomorrow “ (like I said, minimal everything). That night, we saw, heard & smelled rats scrambling around in the ceiling rafters! This was a $1,200/night suite. Shocking! We immediately went to ck out the next morning. The day manager was very snarky, offered no explanation. Actually seemed angry we were checking out early. No apology. No credit. Never again. (As Gold member, I’m now leery of future Hilton stays).

This was a mixed bag. All the reviews previously posted are relevant and honest as far as I could tell- it just depends on your perspective. I went here solo- for some much needed decompression time. I booked a stand alone casita. I love nature. This is my kind of place. Strengths: Setting, lots of options for exercise outside and inside, facility options- 3 pools, spa, gym, group classes (golf obvi) the southwest charm of the casita layout and style. Weaknesses- not all casita's are created equal. Some are are in more central locations with lots of golf carts and people going by. There are maintenance issues- sugar ants all over the wet bar, dilapidated patio furniture w/holes, cleaning is inconsistent- hairs in the bath tub, standing water in the shower, tons of sneezing in the room dust? dog dander?. The rugs are torn and worn- bathrobes discolored. Pets are not permitted but "service dogs" are- one barked quite loudly one night, I'm not convinced they are all performing an actual service- likely leading a blind/deaf person or detecting seizures. Oh and the worst- there a foul smell when you walk into the women's lounge in the spa- like rotting potato salad- on day 3 I discovered the source- the drains in the floor in the toilet stalls and told the front desk spa folks. I communicated about all the other concerns listed- except the hairs in the tub of my first casita- Yes, I moved casita's after the first night- the casita I moved to was in a quieter location, with a view and patio chairs without holes in them but it was attached on the side to another casita? If the resort could be a bit more pro-active about cleaning, updating worn furnishings and maintenance it would have gotten a much higher rating from me.

We had a wonderful time at the Boulders Resort in Scottsdale/Carefree! From the beautifully appointed casitas, the scenic location, and the warm hospitality, we recommend the Boulders for a getaway! I wanted to highlight the Front Office Manager Shirley for going above and beyond in taking care of us during this stay! We are staying here for my wife's birthday and the staff really made this a memorable experience for us!

My husband and I stayed at the Boulders Resort & Spa in Scottsdale earlier this month and have never quite had such a bad experience at a golf resort before. He booked golf time as a single and the golf pro set him up with another team, who once they heard he was a "guest" at the resort and not a "Member" refused to play with him. They were quite rude and yelled at my husband simply for wanting to play with them. The guy at the golf course felt bad and sent my husband out then to another course on the property and the same thing happened again, only this time the member couple berated him and went to the guy who sent my husband out with them and yelled at the pro. We learned then about the lawsuit that's happening at the course between members and Hilton. I called the front desk at the Boulders and left a message for the manager, who apologized and comped the ~$300 cost my husband paid. However, that comp didn't come close to the discrimination unleashed on my husband and by the members at the Boulder golf course. Hilton SHOULD NOT be subjecting its guest to this rude treatment. He was so embarrassed and felt so sorry for the workers at the golf course who get yelled at as well. As if that's not bad enough the rooms themselves are VERY dated and dirty. Door handle out to patio in our room was broken, we had no fixture in the shower to put soap or hair product on. Told concierge to see if they could get us something in the shower to put our stuff on and they left a handicap stool in the shower stall. Expected better for the $400 a night we paid to stay here, we might as well have stayed at a motel off the highway because that's how grungy the room was and HORRENDOUS treatment at golf course.

We arrived tired but by the next day I began to feel like I’ve been on vacation for a month. The staff from the food servers and bartenders to those who carted us back to our casita at night - can’t do enough for you. So welcoming and nice. Special thanks to Maria Griffin. The spa is very beautiful. No lovelier way to have an extremely quiet day. The facilities are very first class. . The boulders are extraordinary. Very scenic place. Do pay attention to the location of your casita as it is a large property . Specify if you want to be right near parking or the lodge etc. Or have a feeling of being very away. Obviously people try really hard to have a welcoming and beautiful and well run and immaculate place. I heard some staff members have been there for a decade or more. That very much shows.