What to Expect at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa :
This handsome AAA Four-Diamond resort, opened in 2005, is well-situated on the Scottsdale end of Phoenix. It caters to many families and conferences, and the huge ballroom and other venues attract weddings. Couples enjoy the variety here. For her, there’s the Revive Spa. For him, Wildfire Golf Club with Arnold Palmer and Nick Faldo courses. The resort features ten tempting restaurants, tennis courts, pools, fitness center, a kids’ club, concierges, and inviting indoor-outdoor lounges.Guest Rooms at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa :
The 950 sunny, pretty rooms and suites are gratifyingly quiet. Balconies offer Sonoran Desert views and a place in the sun. Sheets are silky, pillows and mattresses ultra-comfy. Amenities include minibar, high-speed Internet, CD player, safes, cordless phones, robes. Spacious bathrooms feature oversize tub, stone-tiled shower, dual sinks. Housekeeping is impeccable and room service 24-hour. Cloud Club upgrade permits use of lounge with daylong snacks, open bar, hot breakfast, PC, and more.Dining at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa :
Part of the fun here is anticipating your next meal. Ristorante Tuscany flaunts Arizona chef Dina Davies’ elegant cuisine. Roy’s serves celeb chef Roy Yamaguchi’s Hawaiian fusion fare. Blue Sage offers spicy Southwestern dishes and killer margaritas. Meritage Steakhouse lets you savor juicy steaks and superb wines indoors or out. Revive Spa Bistro boasts the wildly tasty creations of Moroccan wonderboy Smail Yaakoubi. Casual eateries, bars, and Starbucks round out the mix.Weddings at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa :
An on-site wedding planner assists with custom nuptials. Venues range from intimate (the Isle of Capri, a landscaped mini-island) to major (Grand Canyon Ballroom, capacity 4000!). Cultural touches (Chinese silk banners, Indian mehndi body decorations, Native American flutes) can distinguish your ceremony and celebration. A variety of catering options are available. Wedding guests are offered a group rate on blocks of rooms and vacation planning services.Honeymoons and Romantic Getaways at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa :
Couples who tie the knot here enjoy an executive suite and many perks of the bubbly-and-flowers variety as part of their ceremony/reception fee. Getaways include the Honeymoon Romance Package, involving a deluxe resort room, Champagne, strawberries, rose-petal-strewn sheets, Blue Sage breakfast. The Escape, Spa Romance Package provides an executive suite, a couples spa treatment, and more.Spa at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa :
The superlative Revive Spa would do justice to any luxury resort. It’s like a playground for adults, offering first-rate treatments, a delicious spa menu, a top-notch gym and classes, a huge pool, sundecks, lounges, eucaplytus steam room, sauna, whirlpool, lounges, a fireplace, a boutique. Revive Spa has 41 treatment tooms but feels hushed and intimate. Face and body treatments highlight the inspired techniques and fragrant potions of Swedish-Californian spa guru Kerstin Florian.What Could Be Improved at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa?:
This is Arizona’s largest luxury resort, and those without instinctive GPS may find themselves getting lost. The resort could use better signage. It is a shame that some indoor spaces like the gym are inexplicably sealed off to the luscious Sonoran Desert air. The spa’s beautiful lap pool is kept too warm for actual lap swimming. Guests who don’t bring laptops must pay by the minute at the in-house Kinko’s instead of a more reasonable business center.Is the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa Right for You?:
This is not the place for lovebirds to nest in their room. Phoenix’s shopping, sports and antiquing beckon, while the resort’s outstanding golf, dining and spa options beg guests to get out and play …or just laze around pools, indoor-outdoor lobbies, desert garden and nocturnal “firepits.” While not especially romantic, this easy-to-get-to Southwestern destination provides couples, wedding guests and families with gracious rooms, a top spa, superb restaurants and varied activities.Where to Find More About the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa:
JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa
5350 East Marriott Drive
Phoenix, AZ 85054
800-835-6206
Official Web Site
Search for a Flight to Phoenix
As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodation and meals for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.
