Embassy Suites Phoenix Airport

The service was good, everything was clean, and breakfast was great. The cook works hard and gets it out quickly. The rooms, though, were old and worn, so I took off a star. We had to lift our bathroom door to get it to close, and a friend’s room had peeling wallpaper. They’ve introduced some rules to stop non-guests from coming in and taking advantage of the benefits, but those policies weren’t enforced regularly.

The place is very clean, with nice rooms and retro decor. Breakfast was great, and the two happy hour drinks were free. The front desk, though, wasn’t very customer service friendly. They charged my card and added “incidental” fees without telling me, then charged it again when I checked out the next day. I won’t stay at this particular hotel again, but I still love Hilton's.

We had a wonderful getaway, and the staff were super nice. The free drinks were awesome too. The bathroom was tiny, especially for a big guy, and it stinks that the balconies are locked off and unusable.

The most troubling part for us was the air conditioning. It never cooled the room enough. It was 104° when we checked in and the overnight low was around 90°, but a desert hotel should be able to keep a room cool. We arrived late and didn’t mention it until the next day; staff apologized and offered a partial refund. The rehab residents were another concern raised in many reviews. Some looked shady, but we had no trouble with them, and those we spoke to seemed nice, just down on their luck. Program officials knocked on our door and alarmed my wife and son. Participants apparently have to be in their rooms by 9 p.m., with spot checks through the night. I understand the rule, but program and hotel staff need to avoid confusing paying guests with participants. I wanted to add our family’s experience after seeing so many negative reviews. We stayed at the Phoenix Embassy Suites before flying out of PHX. The room and property were in fine physical condition. There was no mold in our room, the towels and linens were clean and sparkling, and the in-room electronics worked properly. There was also a group smoking marijuana by the pool one night. Marijuana is legal in Arizona, and I don’t know the hotel’s policy or whether they were rehab participants or paying guests. There were several kids around, and the drug use seemed inappropriate, though we didn’t complain. Breakfast was much like at other Embassy Suites, with a very nice and capable cook. There were fewer buffet items than usual and the buffet counter was nearly empty, but cereal, fruit, yogurt, and cooked-to-order items were available. The hotel is charming, the pool was beautiful and felt great, and every staff member I met was extremely nice and helpful. I also looked at the fitness center, which was well equipped. The bad reviews felt very overblown based on my experience, though the cooling problem was a real issue. Embassy Suites is probably my favorite hotel brand. This one isn’t horrible, but it has problems to address, especially the need for adequate cooling.