JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa review

What is the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa?

With its earth-toned hues, ample natural lighting and artwork inspired by Mother Earth, the understated decor and color scheme of the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge reflects the green cacti, sandy desert and clear blue skies that guests will find outside the hotel’s front doors.

This is a true resort property, with enough activities, dining and amenities so that you can have just as much fun exploring the resort as you would exploring the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. Families can start their day by feeding the fish, turtles and hummingbirds who call the resort home before splashing all afternoon at the AquaRidge WaterPark. Those traveling without little ones in tow can spend the morning golfing (after grabbing a coffee from the on-site Starbucks, of course) before heading to the adults-only Sky Island pool to relax.

How to book the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa

The location is quiet yet convenient

Rooms feel tranquil with earth-toned decor and modern amenities

The JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge has several room categories to choose from, including standard one-king or two-queen rooms with resort, mountain or pool views; patio rooms with fire pits; studio suites with Murphy beds and sofa beds; wellness suites with yoga nooks or Peloton bikes; and one-bedroom suites.

We were in a one-bedroom suite that had a sofa bed, sitting area, desk and large TV in the living room and a king-size bed and second TV in the bedroom. The beds were soft and comfortable, with bedding that wasn’t so heavy you’d feel overheated with the warm outdoor temperatures.

There were storage cabinets in the bedroom and the bathroom, giving my family of five plenty of space to hide away our luggage and souvenirs we picked up along the way.

The living room also had a minifridge and coffee maker with Illy espresso pods.

Upon entering the room, there is a short hallway with a bench and a closet that holds an iron and ironing board, robes, hangers, a laundry bag and a scale. This hallway leads to the bathroom, which is one of the largest hotel bathrooms I’ve seen — even in a suite of this size.

The first section of the bathroom had a double vanity with a few handy additions to the standard amenity lineup, including facial wipes and mouthwash. A door separated the vanity from the rest of the bathroom, which included a stand-alone shower, a toilet and a large soaking tub. Sitting atop the tub was a small tray with slippers, bath salts, facial soap and body wash.

The bathroom was stocked with Aromatherapy Associates Balance scented products, which had relaxing notes of lavender and ylang-ylang.

My favorite part of the room wasn’t inside the room at all, but rather the spacious furnished balcony outside of our room (and every room at the resort). I started each day here with a hot cup of espresso and watched the sun rise slowly over the Sonoran Desert.

Some rooms come with exclusive club access

Our room also came with access to the hotel’s exclusive JW Griffin Club. The Griffin Club is open for breakfast, lunch and evening hors d’oeuvres. It also has coffee, tea and juices and a bar with beer, wine and spirits, plus snacks, sodas and water that you can grab at any time.

You can purchase access to the club for an add-on fee of $150 per day for adults and $50 for children or book a room that includes access. These rooms run about $200 per night more than standard rooms and include Griffin Club access for two people.

Not one, but two restaurants helmed by a celebrity chef

The restaurant scene at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge has gotten a major overhaul in recent years, with two concepts from acclaimed “Top Chef” alum Angelo Sosa.

Tia Carmen

Tia Carmen opened in 2022. Both the name (which translates to Aunt Carmen) and the menu are inspired by chef Sosa’s aunt, with a menu of fresh Southwestern flavors in a light, airy setting that felt as inviting as you would expect the kitchen of the aunt who loves cooking for everyone to feel.

Standout dishes here include the pan frito with honey butter ($14), the tuna crudo in a corn coconut broth ($23) and the chicken guisado with turmeric rice ($34). The latter I felt obligated to try, because it is based on Tia Carmen’s own recipe.

My kids weren’t as excited for the Dominican stew as I was, but the restaurant luckily has a dedicated kids menu with fallback fare like chicken fingers and fries.

Kembara

Open since December 2023, Kembara is chef Sosa’s most recent addition to the resort. Consider it the Asian-inspired, edgy counterpart to Tia Carmen’s warm, inviting atmosphere (it is worth mentioning that the service was exceedingly friendly at both).

The decor at this restaurant was much darker, with graffiti on the walls and pink neon lights strung across the ceiling. Most dishes were designed to be shared, so we sampled a little bit of everything. Our favorites included the tuna Thai jewel in a lemongrass-ginger broth ($23), steamed pork dumplings ($14) and lamb spring rolls ($18).

My kids were equally impressed with their meals, which were served in bento boxes and came with chicken, fruit, cucumbers and rice. What I think they liked even more, though, was that the kids menu came with a piece of paper and instructions for making an origami bird.

Other dining options

Guests can also dine at Twenty6, a lobby lounge serving American fare along with beer, wine and cocktails; at Meritage next to the Wildfire Golf Club; or at the Just a Splash Bar & Grill at the AquaRidge WaterPark.

The on-site Starbucks is also open from morning until late afternoon for coffee or grab-and-go items.

There are plenty of on-property activities (both energizing and relaxing)

One of our biggest takeaways was that JW Marriott Desert Ridge really does have so much to keep guests busy during a visit.

In addition to at-your-leisure activities like yard games on the large outdoor lawn, a 24-hour fitness center, bike rentals, and walking or jogging paths are available (the hotel also provides maps for area hikes). The property also boasts both pickleball and tennis courts (including group and private instruction), fitness classes and personal training available for an additional fee.

The hotel also provides a rotating monthly schedule of activities, some complimentary and some for a fee. During our visit, we fed fish, turtles and hummingbirds, and there are also weekly wellness walks around the property, sound bath experiences, horticulture tours, arts and crafts and more.

Several of the kid-friendly activities take place at the Family Escape kids club. Day care is available for kids ages 4 to 12 for a fee, but they also have daily family activities like craft time and movie nights, which are complimentary.

Treatments at the full-service Revive Spa include everything from massage, cupping and reflexology to facials, body scrubs and wraps. Spa services included access to the complex’s pool, cabanas, sauna, steam rooms, bistro and salon.

To give you an idea of pricing, a 50-minute massage starts at $209, a 50-minute facial starts from $214 and a 50-minute full-body magnesium detox wrap starts from $224.

The Wildfire Golf Club’s two courses were designed by PGA legends Arnold Palmer and Nick Faldo. Guests can reserve a tee time at either course or sign up for lessons. Rental clubs are also available if you don’t want to lug yours to the airport.

There is a full water park for splashing, sliding and sunbathing

Of everything on offer at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge, we spent the majority of our time at the AquaRidge WaterPark. Most of the 140,000-square-foot water park was part of a resort-wide $80 million transformation in 2023, $18 million of which went toward expanding the water park.

AquaRidge is home to several sections designed to let you swim and sunbathe however you prefer. If you want family-friendly fun like wild waterslides, a splash pad and a meandering lazy river, head for the Havasu Playground area.

This is where we spent most of our time. On the day when we had a full afternoon to swim, we set up shop in one of the resort’s cabanas. Our cabana had a fan with a mister to keep us cool, a refrigerator and safe, towels, water pitchers and ice and ample seating in both the sun and the shade. We also had a server who delivered food and drinks from the nearby Just a Splash dining outlet.

If you prefer a quieter spot to swim away from the splashes and squeals of the kiddos, head for one of the pools and the hot tub in the Sedona Springs and Sedona Cove areas. These are not limited to adults only, but during our visit, they definitely had a more relaxing vibe than Havasu Playground.

For the true luxury of not seeing or hearing a single child, you’ll need to reserve paid access to the resort’s 21-and-older Sky Island pool complex. This area has a pool and a hot tub, with the option of daybeds, chaise lounges or cabanas for seating.

Accessibility

The JW Marriott Desert Ridge has several accessible guest rooms with features like widened doors for wheelchair access, roll-in showers and hearing or visual assistance devices.

The resort’s public areas are also wheelchair accessible, including wheelchair-friendly elevators, wheelchair lifts at the pool, convenient ramps and more.

Checking out

With comfortable rooms, family-friendly activities, an impressive new water park and mouthwatering restaurant menus, the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa was an ideal location for our time in Arizona. I wouldn’t hesitate to return to this property if our travels bring us back to the Phoenix/Scottsdale area.

Even when traveling without children, this resort can pull double duty as a relaxing getaway for grown-ups, thanks to its adults-only spaces and more sophisticated offerings (though I would recommend even adults take on the JW Marriott Desert Ridge’s thrilling waterslides … you’re never too old for a water slide).

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