There are varieties of cactus that will surprise you. This is a good place to enjoy the varied plants and local wildlife. We stayed from late December, 2022 to early January 2023 (a week's visit). If you book, just consider your food and cost preferences. We'll still be back and would recommend this resort. As for our particular experience, we enjoyed some of the extra dishes added to their already amazing breakfast spread, but not $100 worth. They need to get the details right in delivery and to err on the side of simplicity. Marriott seems to be adding more combo packages and not just at this location. On other occasions we might even seek it out, but it was more than we needed at the time.

The goal for the weekend was to escape from math and negotiating, which is what we ended up doing. What they hadn't shared was that during those extended hours on Sunday, breakfast switched to a more expensive grand brunch buffet, which was $100 more (for 2). Having through-hiked Camelback the day before, we were delighted to take our time in the morning, knowing we'd still get breakfast. At check-in, we were told about the breakfast location and hours, including that it lasted later on Sunday. It seems requisite for Phoenix resorts to have a place to host old west themed events.) Our single negative involved the breakfast experience, which we'd bought as a pre-paid package when we booked through the Marriott website. (Some might say the faux western town is an exception, but that site is at the edge of the property where you'd have to go looking. The property uses the same design elements you see all over Phoenix, but it's done more elegantly here. We enjoyed the pools, the hot tubs (both of them), the outdoor bar and a yoga class at the spa. Staff were top-rate and attentive everywhere we went.

Interspersed throughout are plenty of spots to sit and enjoy the beautiful gardens and views of Camelback. The casita-style rooms are spread apart enough to feel relaxed, yet close enough to the main amenities. This resort is everything you would expect from the JW brand in Scottsdale.

Camelback resort download