We stayed here for 4 nights in July for a family holiday. Let me first say the staff are all very nice especially at MacArthur's. We had a maintenance issue with our first room and were moved to a nicer room with no issues. My husband and I travel at least 6 weeks a year, abroad and in the US. Typically we travel using AMEX FHR so we stay at Four Seasons and Ritz Carltons. This was our first Waldorf experience. Never again. 1. No pool staff to help with anything until the clock strikes 11. They don't bring you water, towels or move your umbrella like the FS does. 2. Loved the gym, one of the best we have scene 3. Had to text every day to have our room serviced, and never did they do turn down service 4. At check out they did not apply my Hilton gold food credit or Amex credits. Also only had the car for 3 nights and they charged me for Valet all 3 nights and I only did Valet 1 night and self parked for one. Still waiting for that correction. 5. I had a 179$ property credit that I clarified with the front desk , Sarah, and she said yes you can use this at any of our stores. So I went shopping and got my husband a shirt. Again this credit still has not been applied to my bill. I think if you don't mind having to watch your bill every day and don't mind not getting real service then this maybe for you.…
I will start by saying that the Arizona Biltmore is my favorite hotel. I’ve stayed here a few times and reviewed it a few years ago. The (reported) $70 million overhaul has brought a few new features but the architecture and the impeccable service are still what I carried home with me from this stay. Alex at the front desk welcomed me back to the hotel and was able to get me into an amazing room even though I showed up a little before my check in time. I had a quiet balcony with a view of the new sprite installation outside the garden wing. Room: very clean. Shower pressure: 👍🏼. Bed: comfortable. I ate dinner at Frank and Albert’s. Had the Thai Noodle salad. Delicious, loved the noodles and mint. My server Joshua was conscientious and enthusiastic. After dinner I walked the grounds and took pictures and texted photos to my friends saying “I bet you wish you were here.” Somehow the team in charge of this renovation has made it very modern but with an ever present awareness of honoring the history of the property. Also, the signature scent that is piped into lobby and halls of the separate buildings is as familiar and welcoming as the people who work there. Every time I HOPE that a signature candle or room spray will be available for purchase in the gift shop. (Well curated gift shop, I might add.) In summary, I had a great time (obviously) and will continue to recommend the Biltmore to my friends.…
I have stayed in several very hot destinations during July including Vegas, Miami and AZ. I have never had so many issues with the AC system. Upon checking in, it was 75 degrees andI had it running for 2 hours straight on high and it did not cool even 1 degree. Finally called front and asked for engineering and 2 box fans. Engineering did a special override of rhe AC that lasted 72 hours so I had to call again 3 days later and insist on having them come back out again. Even the overdose never got below 70 degrees. The issue is that anytime you leave the room, or while you are asleep, the AC turns back off and goes back to 75 degrees as it is motioned controlled. So, even in your sleep, you have to sleepwalk or wave your arms constantly to keep the air on! I had several work colleagues that weren’t able to sleep due to the heat and when they called down to the front desk to ask for engineering, the front desk was condescending and rude, telling them that “this is AZ in the summer”. That may be true for THIS hotel but I have stayed at the JW Marriott in both Phoenix and Scottsdale in July and never had this issue. We even had cooler temps than normal the week I stayed there (end of July) and some rain compared to my stays in previous years. The hotel has great architecture and the pool and fitness center were great. Valley view wing where I stayed was old, only one working elevator and their pool was under construction so not the best view. If you sleep hot- demand the AC override or stay at the JW.…
While we’ve loved staying at this resort for many years, our last visit has ensured we won’t likely return. My wife booked our stay in advance so that we could check in on her Birthday and enjoy the rich history and amenities we’ve come to love. After the typical airport and car rental hassles, we arrived in the later afternoon and had the valet take our rental, bell guy take our bags - going straight to the check-in counter. Upon providing our name, the front desk agent seemed uncomfortable and summoned Courtney, the front desk manager. Courtney comes out and sits us down in the lobby - she begins by stating that they made a mistake and were completely overbooked. Before we could get a word in edgewise, she assured us that our stay has been fully refunded and we’ve been rebooked at another sister property (the Omni). Her offer was to have us stay at the alternate property a couple nites, and then return to the Biltmore for the remainder of our stay. The Omni is a beautiful property and we had no complaints - but it wasn’t where we chose to stay, nor would we pay Biltmore rates for it. We weren’t too upset since well, the whole stay had been supposedly refunded - so who were we to complain. —- well, that was in April and it’s now almost August and still no refund. Every attempt to call Courtney goes to voicemail immediately with a full mailbox; multiple emails to her have gone unanswered. I’ve left messages for the property billing department only to get no call back (and no one answers). It is clear they messed up bad that day as we were far from the only guests relocated for the same reason. What is clear however is they told us whatever they could to make the problem go away with no intention on following through. - We liked the alternate arrangements but don’t feel they were on the same caliber as what we paid for - so in the end, we not only did not get what was profusely promised to us; we overpaid for a forced bait-and-switch solution (and that’s really what this was).…
This was a surprise staycation from my hubby. I have stayed at the flagship hotel in New York a few times. The luxury is there, but the feel of the hotel is uniquely it's own. If you admire intricate mid-century modern meets Frank Lloyd Wright design, then the Biltmore is your place. The hotel sprawls out, so be prepared to walk around a bit; the ramps are steep. This doesn't take away from the serene environment provided. We enjoyed the adult-only pool and the cute crafted cocktail. The modern feel is just enough to breathe fresh life into the property. There is a little construction right now on the way into the resort, but it doesn't take away from the property. The room was great spacious and designed perfectly with a quiet luxury feel. The bed was a dream, not too soft or firm. I would recommend this hotel and brand again and again.…
Had a great time on a solo spa weekend at the Biltmore. Per title, mostly excellent stay (4.5/5) - will be back in August and looking forward. Pros: - Of course - gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous historic resort with beautiful grounds and landscaping - Nice, stylish, big room with plenty of useful space (desk/table for two, lounge chair, very comfortable bed, balcony with chairs) - Spa was gorgeous and my treatment (CBD massage) very relaxing - Excellent gym area with loads of equipment (incl. 4 pelotons) and never a crowd - Dining options had consistently good food (Renata's was the star) and mostly (see below) very friendly service - Beautiful pool areas with good vibes (good DJ on Saturday) and not too crowded - Didn't partake, but there was a large variety of activities incl. fitness classes - Staff was really friendly, despite not being 100% polished (see below) Could be improved: - Weird check-in: arrived early and was told that despite booking through Amex and having Hilton status, I wouldn't get an upgrade or any chance of an early check-in. Checked the app and confirmed there were upgrades available, messaged the front desk and miraculously one was available before 11am... - One dinner at Macarthur's took forever; waited 15 minutes after drinks arrived to order and then waited 20 minutes after I'd finished and had to get up to find my waiter to settle the bill - Spotty service at the pool - I was never approached for orders (despite everyone around me being - maybe I look like I don't eat or drink?) and no proactive water, even with food order (despite the heat ~110 degrees) - Standard + patio/balcony rooms have pretty small bathrooms (tasteful, but a separate shower/tub would be appreciated in this hotel category) Like I said, really looking forward to coming back and hopefully the few little service gaps can be addressed.…
Isn’t this place supposed to be 5 stars? Our first room was incapable of cooling down. It was 79 on the thermostat when we arrived and 80 degrees 2 hours later with the AC full blast. They moved us to a new room. Upon entering, we saw another occupant’s belongings all over the room and had to chase down the hotel staff to tell them they just gave us access to someone else’s room. So we waited around for yet another room. You would think that after all this they would do something for us but we are not the type to push for it. So this is what we ended up with after all the hassle (see photo). Not to mention we had to lug all of our own luggage around from room to room. We have been here a whole 3 hours! What a great start.
It hurt my heart a little to walk into this place after being away during Covid only to find it's been "remodeled." I've been coming here for a few decades now and am used to the occasional "upgrade"... the last one wasn't so bad... but now they've totally ruined a desert classic. What a disappointment. I can't tell you how awful it is. But I'll try. (BTW, shouldn't this have been named an architectural heritage site or something to preserve the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired and assisted design? The people of Phoenix should have gotten involved. This place was a historic resort and now it's been desecrated). Let's start when you walk in. The lobby now has a bad faux-wood tile floor that's grooved. So... 2008? I expect this in a tract model home, not a five-star resort. The lobby furniture is pretty ghastly, too. The main interior bar and restaurant look a bit better now, but the previous Hillstone-y casual restaurant called MacArthur's has been redesigned to resemble a tacky pool hall in a bad casino. The grounds are not that well-maintained and you can see where, despite all the money they apparently spent, they didn't bother tucking away loose wiring, fixing classic old light fixtures, or caulking doors or painting trim. However, they did manage to put on rooftop decks with all glass railings that are better suited to anonymous, modern condos. What designer thought this was appropriate? The worst thing is... they took away the giant, classic lawn from the back that the hotel was built around, which featured a nice, elegant bar with outdoor fireplaces. It's been replaced with something out of a huge, Vegas Strip hotel. Enormous TV screens in a tower face in every direction over hundreds of seats. And the classic upper lawn that faced the lower lawn is now a huge pool. Not as hideous as the outdoor bar, but so unremarkable. There is no more room left on this property to breathe... they have monetized every square inch. I will say the rooms are okay and perhaps even an improvement. That's why this place is getting 2 stars. The outdoor bar may be unforgivable, but I think the 5 story high pool slide that's lit up in neon colors at night and is visible from all corners of the resort is the lowest of the lows. How could they build this here and get away with it? I expect this in a trashy waterpark on the 10 freeway... not the oldest, most revered resort in Phoenix. The owners and designers (and managers) should be ashamed of what they have wrought. And I doubt they are. Very, very sad. A classic is no longer classic. And it was destroyed to make a few more bucks.…
On site for a conference the hottest week of the year. 24 hr pools were ideal; too hot during the day. McArthurs food was great price was excessive. Drinks at the bar were not good. First pina coloda that didn't taste any pineapple; watery. Had appetizers a couple days later and they were tasty...I passed on more drinks.
My family and I did a day pass at their phenomenal pool or should I say poolS! and it was such a wonderful time!! From the second we pulled up and having our car doors opened from the friendly valet team and being greeted so wonderfully to being escorted out to the pool by the most friendliest manager Justin. He was so accommodating for us and getting a cabana for our family of 6. If you haven’t checked out their cabanas I HIGHLY recommend it!! Never have I ever been in a air conditioned cabana with our own personal bathroom and shower!! It was perfect for that 114 degree day to be able to cool off! Our server Austin was constantly stopping by to check if we needed anything he was so kind and was very good at checking on us. I’ve been to other pools with servers and remember it being so difficult to track someone down or they never walked around and that was not the case at all here!! There was always someone walking around! The food and drinks were amazing as we had the crispy onion rings with prickly pear ketchup which I believe were the best onion rings we ever had and that ketchup is to die for!! They need to bottle it and sell it! We also had the gorgeous hummus platter that came out on fresh shaven ice to keep the veggies and hummus cool. The hummus and olives were delicious!! I also need to give another shoutout to Ken who works in the restaurant at McArthurs who by far is the most fun server we had, he had great recommendations and knows the menu extremely well we had so much fun with him! My daughter also left her water bottle in the lobby when we first arrived and the front desk were so helpful that they had it and you had to sign a form to get it back which I personally loved as they ensure quality assurance that their guests get their lost items back with a track record! Hands down the best resort in the valley and look forward to coming back! You will not be disappointed!!…
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