The Phoenician, a Luxury Collection Resort, Scottsdale

I absolutely suggest you stay at one of Scottsdale’s many other resorts. This place is absolutely awful. I’m still on property, generally they run a shotty three star Marriot service level. rooms were not ready on time, they promised they would call or text when they were, they never texted. they couldn’t get me a reservation to the restaurant here even though I’m a guest, however, when we saw the restaurant half the tables were open at the time we wanted. I tried to call the front desk four different times from my room, nobody ever picks up. The original reservation was supposed to be at 4 PM check out which I get through Amex, they forgot to put that on there. bellman were supposed to take our luggage for four hours and left it out the entire time with absolutely nobody guarding it, and it was only just luck that nobody stole the contents. Hopefully you get the idea. This is not someplace you want to stay, especially if you’re spending more than $1000 a night. The real kicker, the front desk wouldn’t even give me the email address of the GM. They said he was too important and it had to go through his assistant. I’ve stayed at fine hotels around the world, that’s a first. But it’s emblematic of why this place runs so poorly. It’s a shame. It’s a beautiful property, but terribly managed.

This has been one of the most historic and expensive hotels in the entire Phoenix area. It’s still extremely expensive, but it’s not living up to it’s reputation at all. My wife and I decided to have a Staycation at the Phoenician Hotel for Valentine’s Day. We stay at Marriott properties numerous times a month and have been Titanium Elite members for a long time. We had booked a King Bed Casita for the night, the charge for that room for one night was approximately $1,100 before taxes and the $50 RESORT FEE! I called the hotel a couple days in advance requesting an upgrade to hopefully enjoy a special night with my wife. Marriott’s are normally wonderful about upgrading their members, especially if you have a high status like I have. I was told to call in again the morning of check in to request again a nice upgrade. Each time I called in, I talked to wonderful employees, Cole was very helpful and tried extremely hard to get a nice upgrade for us. He asked me to follow up the next morning (check in day) to confirm getting the upgrade. I called in again, and this time I talked Emily, she was professional and very willing to help. She thought she had a nice upgrade locked in. Unfortunately, she had to call me back to tell me the upgrade disappeared. She was extremely apologetic, it was okay because I knew she really tried for me. That was the best part of the experience. When we did check in, we realized that they basically gave us the original Casita that we booked without much of an upgrade (maybe a better view). The Casita they gave us was extremely dated, I’ve seen better furniture (and in far better condition) at a Super 8 hotel. The room was so disappointing, especially for a room that was over $1,000 a night. The photos showed that the room at least had a couch in it. It didn’t, it had an old arm chair that was terrible. It also in the photos a double sink in the bathroom, there wasn’t. It was actually a pretty small outdated bathroom. We called down to the front desk three times over a three hour period to have a few wine and champagne glasses delivered to the room. When and if their services did answer the phone I had to explain that we were getting very disappointed that we hadn’t received them. We decided to try the pool for a while and they eventually showed up. When we up to the Thirsty Camel for some drinks and appetizers, it took forever for anyone to wait on us. They kept going to other tables where people were just sitting down. It was embarrassing that we finally had to ask someone to wait on us. The drinks were $17 to $19 each. This hotel has become extremely outdated. Not to mention they charge a $50 Resort Fee!! For what??? This was not a special place to spend Valentine’s Day whatsoever. REALLY A DISAPPOINTMENT in so many ways.

The stay was amazing in all ways. Facilities, staff, gym, amenities, etc are first class. We give special shout outs to: Mowry and Cotton - Devin, Elba, Hector, Jordan, Kennedy, Christine, Desi, Al, Ahmet. Each of these people make our stay routinely extra special. J&G - Frank and Mike along with server David. What a meal and what an experience. Gennaro at the pool - excellent service and hospitality. We are grateful for each of these persons and love this place. 10 stars.

The Phoenician in Arizona was a massive disappointment. Despite my partner’s Marriott Gold Elite status, a promised room upgrade was revoked, and the front desk’s dismissive response added insult to injury. Room service failed us twice, never delivering a simple knife and bowl for my service animal, despite the resort claiming to be pet-friendly. Dinner options were limited to the J&G Steakhouse, where the manager, Mike, behaved aggressively and unprofessionally. He physically grabbed my shoulder, verbally berated us, and questioned my service animal in a condescending manner. Although he eventually backed down, his hostility ruined our evening. Staff at the bar apologized, but the damage was done. The night manager’s offer of two glasses of wine was insulting, and no meaningful resolution was provided. Mike’s behavior was unacceptable, and it’s shocking that this has reportedly happened before. For a resort that claims 5-star status, the experience was appalling. Avoid at all costs.

Located at the base of Camelback Mountain, the Phoenician delivers on all fronts. It's an excellent spot for a family spring break vacation, a business meeting, or a girl's trip. The rooms are spacious, and the hotel attendants are friendly and helpful. If you like breakfast, this is the place for you. It's consistently delicious, with many options, such as made-to-order homemade omelets. There is a lavish spa for an apres-hike indulgence, golf, tennis, swimming, mountain biking, and hiking, and don't forget to check out the shopping in Scottsdale if that's your thing. The fitness facility is not too shabby, and it has panoramic views. The pools are clean, pretty, and well-attended. If you have kids, there is plenty for them to do. There is something for everybody.