Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountains

The bartender was responsive, which was the bright spot. Otherwise, this place is dated, and the airport and highway nearby make it loud. I have titanium status but wasn’t upgraded, and there were only four cars in the lot during my trip. Finding my room meant navigating a maze of turns, and changing floors required using the keys several times. My view was tents, which was a joke. The hallway carpet was stained, and the room furniture looked old too. It’s okay if you can get a deal.

The conference meals and food service were excellent, thanks to the staff who took care of us. The evening bartender clearly loves her job. But check-in was rough, and nobody explained the daily resort credit. I only found out from a colleague. My shower went cold after two or three minutes. Staff insisted there was no problem, then offered another room or a shower two floors away. I was also meant to get extra credit for the inconvenience, but never did, and was overcharged in the end. We took a shuttle to the airport, though I’m still trying to find out whether the hotel or my conference arranged it. The driver was dangerously erratic, swerving between lanes and failing to stop in time, including on the freeway shoulder. All five of us were angry and concerned. I plan to raise it with corporate Monday morning since the hotel couldn’t help when I called. I’m not sure I’d come back.

Once you’re past the lobby, the place felt very expensive for what we got. The room was badly dated, and the old stained furniture was so off-putting I wouldn’t sit on it. The hallway carpet smelled awful, and I could barely open the balcony door. Planes kept flying overhead, making it hard to enjoy the golf course view. There’s also a $30 daily destination fee and $23 a day for parking. The restaurant food was good, but pricey. I was really disappointed despite all the talk about the location and view, and would suggest finding somewhere else nearby.

The service was splendid, and the employees deserve a better property. But the building needs serious renovation. The carpets are worn and stained, the curtains have holes, the furniture is beat up, and the water pressure is awful. You waste gallons waiting for it to get barely hot. I spend over 100 nights a year at Marriott properties, and over the past five years I’ve watched other once-outstanding Marriotts decline too. This one also reaches for your wallet: there’s a daily resort fee, even though the pool is the main perk, and a parking charge despite the semi-suburban setting between a golf course and an office park. The restaurant costs like midtown Manhattan but serves food on par with Chili’s. There are many better options around.