Camelback Inn: A JW Marriott Resort and Spa

Pros: Calm, peaceful, like a resort should be.
Cons: Price may be high, construction.

I just returned from a 3 day trip to the Camelback Inn for a business meeting, and for business purposes, this was an incredible place to stay. Granted, there were ups and downs (and no, I don't mean the hilly terrain). All in all, it was a terrific ...

Pros: Excellent Service, Exquisite Views, Perfect Weather, Beautiful Property
Cons: Very Expensive!

I have had the pleasure of staying at the Camelback Inn twice. Part of my day job involves being the meeting planner/organizer for our annual national sales meetings. As part of this responsibility I get to travel to the meeting location for pre-meetings...

Pros: beautiful, quiet, relaxing
Cons: a few minor service chinks

The annual vacation search arrived and some weeks ago I began the trek through websites looking for the perfect vacation. After countless destinations, we landed back in Arizona and finally opted for a great deal on Travelocity.com (see my review...

Pros: Prepare to be treated like a god
Cons: The cost

If I were to draft up my view of Heaven it would look just like the Camelback Inn. I was fortunate enough to stay there for a week a few years back and was simply blown away by everything. Where do we start?

1) The location
It's situated...

Pros: True relaxation, beautiful grounds, excellent staff, great spa with pool, luxurious rooms
Cons: Breakfast costs a small fortune. Get your poolside chairs early if Inn is busy

One of the great pleasures at the Camelback Inn is simply looking around---at the incredibly beautifully landscaped gardens throughout the resort and next to your room; at Camelback and Mummy Mountains which surround the resort and at the awe inspiring...

Pros: Unsurpassed service and views, quiet and serene
Cons: Can't think of anything negative about this resort.  A true "gem"

The JW Marriott Camelback was a true 5* Resort offering serenity, relaxation and beautiful views of the camelback mountain.  The room was nicely appointed with a flat screen TV, King bed and a pull out sofabed.  We had 2 balconies (one small ...

Pros: Well groomed grounds, good wait-staff. Comfortable bed.
Cons: Confusing, maze-like grounds-too spread out. Plumbing problems. Spa unavailable. Pool needs makeover.

We just returned from a 3 night stay at Camelback Inn. It looked great on the website. I am not sure what constitutes a 5 star rating, but I would give it less.
With many rooms quite spread out over the well groomed grounds, it looks relaxing and blends with the land nicely. A little rustic, as expected. Although the one large pool could use some updating, the second pool was beautiful but unused due to its location and fountain.
Very difficult to find your way around the grounds, signage helps. I was not the only one who got turned around.
Shower/tub did not drain properly. We were told that it just had a "slow drain". The water from the shower filled the tub. Also the toilet was awful. Sounded like a jet engine when flushed and rattled the tank and lid quite loudly. One fluorescent light was flickering obnoxiously.
No spa availability on short notice. Darn!!
Rita's mexican food did not live up to the hype, but Navaro's breakfasts were excellent.
I don't think I will return. I would rather try another resort since there are many in the area.

Pros: Soft beds
Cons: unsafe, poor location, lack of dining options, bad service

I grew up in Las Vegas and have spent a lifetime in and around top-notch resorts. I mention that up-front so Epinions readers understand my perspective when I say that the Camelback Inn is not, in my epinion, a four-start resort.

There is no "award-winning" restaurant; there is, however, a walk-up dining counter outside the small pool near the hotel-room-turned-temporary-lobby.

There are no first-class service professionals; there are only friendly, yet "Sorry, unable to help" un-empowered staff members.

The hotel grounds themselves feel very unsafe; there are numerous blind corners, hidden driveways, isolated areas, and only the occasional drive-by of an unattentive security golf-cart.

Understandably, the "Inn" is undergoing construction, and hotel change is frequently a disorganized process wherein the travelers take the brunt of the load. Perhaps once the dust has settled, Marriott will attend to matters of service, security, quality, and customer satisfaction. However, for the duration of construction at least, I strongly recommend avoiding this property altogether.