JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

4.5 Excellent

  • Cleanliness 4.7
  • Location 4.4
  • Rooms 4.4
  • Service 4.5
  • Value 4.0

3488 TripAdvisor reviews

TripAdvisor users rated this property 3 out of 5

Reasonable but expensive and poor attention to detail

BagpussZurich (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) on Jan 02, 2026

It's a large resort hotel with large resort quality of service and care. They do Ok but it's nothing special. Everything is pretty expensive so prepare for that. Waterpark is really just three slides and a lazy river so don't expect too much. Room cleanliness for our room was terrible. Upon bringing their attention to it it was addressed.

TripAdvisor users rated this property 1 out of 5

Very disappointing front desk experience

riya p (Bellingham, Washington) on Jan 02, 2026

We arrived on January 1 with a room for 3 nights. We had emailed and called before our arrival to ensure a seamless check in. Unfortunately our check in experience was marred by an unprofessional front desk agent named Nara. He repeated insisted that our reservation was only for one night, despite us showing email confirmations, credit card receipts, and the Marriott Bonvoy app indicating a 3 night stay. Rather than reviewing the information or assisting, he become rude, raised his voice, and then walked away from the desk flaring his arms. This behavior was completely unacceptable, especially at a JW Marriott. Please note all my reviews for a JW Marriott previously have been 5 stars. I am a Gold Member and my partner is a Titanium life member, so this level of service was particularly disappointing. Please note, I did not say anything rude or raise my voice once during the whole interaction. The saving grace was the manager on duty, Kaylee, who was able to resolve the reservation issue immediately. She was herself shocked over Nara’s behavior, and remarked his behavior was absolutely inappropriate. We were assigned an accessible room with no standing shower and a view of the parking. At this point, I did not feel comfortable requesting anything. We will not be returning or recommend this property to anyone. I hope Marriott’s executive team takes this feedback seriously, as this experience does not reflect our he standards expected of the brand.

TripAdvisor users rated this property 5 out of 5

Very enjoyable stay

spud-tato (Minneapolis, Minnesota) on Dec 30, 2025

Great resort and looking forward to returning. Stayed over Memorial weekend, it was very busy throughout the resort. We planned ahead and reserved loungers in the adults only pool for two days. Then we realized as part of the Griffin Club we could access the Spa pool, which we did for the rest of our trip. Both pools have different vibes. Spa is secluded and very quiet, what you'd expect for a spa pool. It was a good sized area with food and beverage service. The main pool grounds are large with plenty of pool options and water slides. Even adults should try the slides :) The wrist bands to enter the pool were a little annoying, wish there was another system We stayed in rooms offering the Griffin Club. For us, it was perfect. The club offers light breakfast, lunch, and an appetizer dinner. We appreciated the access to this, canned beverages, and snacks. Typically we rent a car and didn't find it necessary with the club being available. Instead we uber/lyft to dinners off the resort. The service in the GC was another highlight. The garden grounds are beautiful and highly recommend taking a short walk through them, especially if you're there early enough for hummingbird migration. The garden staff does amazing work there! Room was a bit basic, but expected that. Some decks lack privacy, which we didn't realize until too late. The gym is well appointed. Overall, highly recommend the resort.

TripAdvisor users rated this property 5 out of 5

Perfect Ending After A Week of Hiking

trvln_d_wrld (Woodbridge, Virginia) on Dec 29, 2025

Stayed here during Christmas week. Approximately 20 miles from PHX. The location is great – an outdoor shopping mall is across the street, and the area is very walkable. The grounds were immaculate, and the atmosphere was very festive. The J.W. Griffin Club concierge were outstanding, and everyone was genuinely friendly. Despite the large number of guests and visitors for the JW Jingle, the hotel operated seamlessly. The rooms were immaculate, and housekeeping truly deserves a bonus. There are many amenities and a family activity center. I especially loved the heated lazy river. We are definitely coming back.

TripAdvisor users rated this property 3 out of 5

Fireside experience

janetfletcher2002 (Midlothian, Virginia) on Dec 13, 2025

Young kids looked like they had a great time in small skate rink. We bought Fireside table for $140 plus food and drinks for 2 of us. Definitely not upscale or worth money. Could have sat at nearby hotel fire pit for free and enjoy the same experience. Definitely a reason that most of the tables were not booked.

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