Overview
Set on 316 spectacular acres in the Sonoran Desert in north Scottsdale – adorned with five sparkling swimming pools, two championship golf courses, spectacular spa and exquisite dining. Gracefully designed rooms with private patios and balconies, deluxe bedding and beautiful views.
Resort fees include
- Complimentary high-speed internet
- Complimentary unlimited local and U.S. domestic long distance phone calls
- Complimentary Pickleball for up to 4 (2 hours of court time & paddles)
- Complimentary use of the on-demand fitness center in Revive Spa (ages 16 and older)
- Complimentary dinner, appetizer or dessert from resort restaurants. (One per purchased entrée- maximum of two per room, up to a $12 value each. Details to be given at check-in)
- Complimentary use of Wildfire Golf Club driving range (unlimited balls & use of clubs on range)
- Complimentary golf bag storage at Wildfire Golf Club
- Complimentary use of tennis facilities, includes up to four racquets
- Complimentary two-hour bike rental, based on availability, up to four bikes
Check in
4 p.m.
Check out
11 a.m.
Rooms
869
Inclusions
Rooms
- 1 king bed, or 2 queen beds
- No more than 4 guests in the room
- Minimum 1 adult, maximum 4 adults
- 1 king bed, or 2 queen beds
- Minimum 1 adult, maximum 4 adults
- Maximum 3 children
- No more than 4 guests in the room
- Mini fridge
- Smoke-free
- A/C
- Alarm clock
- Bathrobes
- Coffee maker
- Hair dryer
- Housekeeping
- Iron/Ironing board
- Rollaway bed (on request)
- Safe
- TV
- Private balcony or patio
King bedded rooms allow a maximum occupancy of 3.
Amenities
Pool
Spa and Cabanas
Exterior
Meritage Fire Pit
Location
Reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
Nice location and great waterpark.
MGoBlue99 (Atlanta, Georgia) on Apr 22, 2025
We came to Scottsdale for spring break with one other family, and spent half of our vacation at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge. Here is my review of the resort: GROUNDS: It was a really nice and laid out re...sort. It's definitely on the bigger size, but not so large that you can't easily walk everywhere. They had some nice walking trails that we did at night in the cool breeze. POOLS: The new waterpark was one of the main reasons we booked the JW, and it was great. We all loved the lazy river. The slides are a lot of fun also. They are thrilling, but I wouldn't call any of them scary. The various pools were nice too. It was fairly crowded when we went, so we did have to play the "towel game" to get seats. ROOM: We booked the basic two bed room. I would say the room was adequate. The bathroom was small, with only one sink and a very small shower. On the bright side, the shower water pressure was strong. The balcony was small but had a nice view of the pool areas. Next time, I would consider booking an upgraded room. DINING: We ate at the resort a few times and had tasty meals. The breakfast buffet at Tia Carmen was terrific. They had your standard breakfast items, but also some unique stuff such as Native American grain rice and Mexican fresh juices. The poolside food was solid as well, especially the nachos. They also have a full sized Starbucks. KIDS CLUB: We went to one afternoon art activity at the kids club. The kids club was surprisingly small, but the activity was fun (and free). The staff there was really nice. There is also a sizable arcade at the JW, and the kids enjoyed playing games there also. You have to load money on a card to play there though. AREA: The large outdoor Desert Ridge development across the street was really convenient. They have a big grocery store, so you could get some food and drink for the room. There are also some good restaurants such as In N Out, and we visited the Dave N Busters there one night also. Overall, we had a really nice stay at the JW Desert Ridge. I would definitely recommend it for families.
A Disappointing Family Getaway
Summer E (Santa Monica, California) on Apr 14, 2025
Our recent five-night stay at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge fell considerably short of expectations for what is marketed as a luxury resort experience. While there were some bright spots during our ...family vacation with our two kids (under 10), the overall experience revealed significant gaps between the property's advertising and reality. Despite the hotel providing a $200 credit and refunding one night in points after our complaints, these gestures did little to compensate for the numerous shortcomings we encountered. What We Enjoyed - The resort's pool area was a highlight, featuring attentive service and quality food when we rented a cabana. However, it's worth noting the waterpark was smaller than the website images suggested and offered limited options for younger children. - Our children particularly enjoyed the large lawn area for daily play and the on-site arcade. The tennis facilities were well-maintained, and my lesson with the tennis pro was a positive experience with knowledgeable instruction. - The suite itself was beautiful, and the bell desk and valet staff consistently provided prompt and courteous service. - Dining at Tia Carmen was great for my son with allergies as they were more than happy to accomodate him. - Having a Starbucks in the hotel made our mornings fairly easy Significant Disappointments - Our accommodations presented immediate problems. Despite explicitly booking a "King suite with a sofa bed" (and calling ahead to confirm its comfort), we discovered an extremely uncomfortable spring-laden sofa bed. A requested rollaway bed proved equally bad, and the staff member who delivered it was notably rude when asked to wait a minute for my husband to inspect it. Our children ultimately slept on the sectional with makeshift bedding of pillows and blankets. When raising this issue, the front desk manager, Laura seemed disinterested in addressing our concerns. - Dining at Meritage proved disappointing with nearly hour-long wait times for food (challenging with young children). - Despite specifically requesting a quiet location upon arrival, our children's sleep was disrupted by a conference event's live band playing until 10:00 pm. Even with two sound machines, our children were repeatedly awakened by the noise. The night manager Tiffany (who was incredibly nice) attempted to resolve the situation, but with the hotel fully booked and our kids already in bed, our options were limited. - Additional frustrations included a missing remote control and limited allergy accommodations at some of the restaurants, creating dining challenges for one of our children. Post-Stay Service Issues - Perhaps most concerning was our post-departure experience attempting to resolve questions relating to our final bill. My call to clarify charges was met with dismissive treatment from the same front desk manager, Laura, who implied we were attempting to extract further concessions despite the hotel having already "given us enough" with previous credits and what she saw to be a system error that gave us a lower rate. Her suggestion that we should be grateful for what they had already provided was both unprofessional and missed the point of my inquiry. - The escalation to Laura's superior was even more troubling, with the manager threatening to increase our rate to what "it was supposed to be" and dismissing concerns about an honest review by stating they would simply respond by mentioning the compensation already provided. The JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge markets itself as a five-star luxury resort, but our experience revealed inconsistent service quality and concerning management attitudes. While the property boasts beautiful facilities, the significant gaps in service, comfort, and professional courtesy make it difficult to recommend, especially when numerous alternatives exist in the area offering more consistent luxury experiences. For families seeking a truly premium resort experience in the Phoenix area, I would suggest exploring other options where the reality better matches the marketing promises.
Ready to find your next getaway?
Select your dates to check availability and book your vacation package now. Looking for more accommodation options? Use the Vacation finder tab to explore more destinations and vacation experiences.
