Royal Palms Resort and SpavsJW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa
Both hotels are rated highly by reviewers writing for major publications. Overall, Royal Palms Resort and Spa scores significantly better than JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa. Royal Palms Resort and Spa ranks #1 in Phoenix with positive reviews from 16 publications like Fodor's, Frommer's and Afar Magazine.
Royal Palms Resort and Spa Show All Reviews
5200 East Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85018
From $322/night
- Pet Friendly
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Laundry Service
Concierge
"Drive up the cobblestone driveway to the hacienda-style buildings, and the feeling of seclusion makes it hard to believe that the center of Scottsdale is only minutes away."
Insight Guides
"The Royal Palms is especially atmospheric, with towering palms, Spanish mission-style rooms, and an open-air spa."
Jetsetter
"The Sonora Desert stretches out in every direction from the Royal Palms Resort and Spa, but the property itself bears a closer resemblance to a Mediterranean mirage."
i
If you’re looking to go above and beyond, the resort employs a Director of Romance who can produce flamenco guitarists or flocks of white doves upon request.
Fodor's
"This Mediterranean-style resort has a stately row of the namesake palms at its entrance, courtyards with fountains, and individually designed rooms." Full review
Lonely Planet
"It's a hushed and elegant place, dotted with Spanish Colonial villas, flower-lined walkways and palms imported from Egypt." Full review
Star Service
"This second-tier temptation actually sits at the top of many visitors' Top 10 lists, its small room count, deferential service and deluxe desert mien a magnet for knowledgeable travelers." Full review
i
For travelers able to avoid the latter trio and stomach the annoying resort fee, this very well may be the answer to affordable bliss in this desert destination.
Gayot
"This boutique resort is so luxurious and tastefully designed that it makes you feel as if you've been dropped into the middle of an Architectural Digest photo shoot."
Zagat
4.5
"Midway between Old Town Scottsdale and Biltmore Fashion Park, this "elegant", "luxurious" Arcadia hideaway with "Mediterranean styling" is "perfect" for a "romantic getaway"."
Forbes Travel Guide
Recommended
"Intimate and tranquil, the Royal Palms Resort and Spa is a boutique hideaway with quiet pathways." Full review
Condé Nast Traveler
""The epitome of romance," this cruise line executive’s former summer retreat, at the base of Camelback Mountain in an area once populated by citrus groves, centers on a 1929 Spanish Revival villa." Full review
JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa Show All Reviews
5350 E Marriott Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85054
From $369/night
- Pet Friendly
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Shuttle Bus
Fodor's
"A private sanctuary where you can tickle your taste buds at 10 restaurants, stimulate your pores at a luxurious spa, perfect your stroke at championship courses, and float in 4 acres of pools." Full review
Oyster
Luxury
"It's part of Marriott's JW luxury brand, and mostly lives up to expectations, but prices seem a bit high considering decor is a tad generic and signs of age are starting to show." Full review
i
Light sleepers should avoid the pool area to avoid late-night revelers and live music.
Travel + Leisure
"Set on 316 acres of Sonoran desert outside of Phoenix, the 950-room JW Marriot Desert Ridge Resort boasts palm-tree-lined walkways and four acres of pools and waterways." Full review
Gayot
"This over-the-top resort has almost 1,000 guestrooms and suites and a host of amenities and facilities spread over 80 acres of grounds of stately palms... and numerous pools and waterfalls."
Zagat
4.3
"Four acres of "spectacular" grounds boasting pools and water features (including a tubing 'river') are the highlight of this "sublime", "romantic" Desert Ridge resort."
Forbes Travel Guide
Recommended
"The largest upscale hotel in Arizona, JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa sprawls across more than 300 acres in the Sonoran Desert." Full review
Star Service
"Located 25 miles north of downtown and a 30-minute drive from Sky Harbor Airport, this is Phoenix's quintessential deluxe convention resort, and the largest resort in the state." Full review
i
Apart from the hotel's reservoirs of chlorinated water, 28,000-sq-ft spa and twin golf courses, guests may also choose to play on one of the eight tennis courts, work out in the large gym, or use the whirlpools and saunas in the spa.
Jetsetter
"A sprawling getaway with seven restaurants and an Arnold Palmer golf course in the dramatic Sonoran desert." Full review
Travel + Leisure
"Set on 316 acres of Sonoran desert outside of Phoenix, the 950-room JW Marriot Desert Ridge Resort boasts palm-tree-lined walkways and four acres of pools and waterways." Full review
U.S. News & World Report
17.0
"This mammoth resort in northern Phoenix is a major convention and family vacation hub." Full review