This was our first visit to the Westin Kierland Villas. I would like to mention that we do own a week in a 2 bedroom villa. However, I do not think that made a difference in what room or the service we received.
The villa resort is located in a home development and on a golf course but it was easy to find. We happened to have a GPS but the mapping software online gave the same directions to get there.
First the grounds were impeccably landscaped and taken care of. The flowers and flowering trees were all in bloom and it was so pretty. The photos that I took really do not do the landscaping justice.
Second, the staff was attentive, polite and seemed genuinely nice. The only time there was a problem was when you tried to call for service or the front desk. I called on three occasions. The first they did not answer, the second they took 10-15 rings before they answered but were very responsive when they did. The third they answered then put me on hold for at least 5 minutes. I hung up and went found someone to assist me.
However, this is a pro and a con; the room was only accessible by going through the pool/gardens. This meant that you needed to carry all your groceries through the lobby and common areas. It is a little uncomfortable. The bellmen will bring all of you goods to your room for you if you pull your car to the front and unload on to the bellman cart. They are SUPER helpful....
Next the room was, well I want to say clean but the main kitchen counters were not. I always travel with the kitchen disinfectant wipes (I take them out of the plastic container and put them in a zipper closed plastic bag for travel) because of past experiences. They came in handy this time. Also, the rugs were stained with dark marks. I didn't give the rooms a 5 because of the stains and the counters.
The bathrooms are fantastic. We LOVED the master shower. It was huge and both the master and the second baths had dual shower heads. Tiled floors, very large sink areas. The master bath had a jet tub to relax in as well. They were so nice.
Everything else was well taken care of. The beds were delightfully comfortable and the furniture was reasonably comfortable. The design of the room and furniture was urban chic; straight cuts, modern art, and glass in the doors... it was very nice. We heard the people above us a few times. They must have been super heavy walkers and slammers because after they left we never heard anyone else.
Bringing a cell phone if you have one is a good idea. Making calls from the room is $1 plus whatever the call itself costs. This can add up quickly if you are checking times and directions to local places. We have nationwide cell service so we bring ours wherever we go.
There are two pool areas (at the villas, there is full access to the resort which is physically located a short distance away). One area is where the water slide is and all the activities are held. There are a lot of activity with children and games. The bellman said they were at 95% occupancy. You would not have known it. There was plenty of room and plenty of pool chairs.
The second pool was for adults and you were supposed to be at least 16 to go into that area. It was open 24 hours and was very relaxing. The lounge chairs had red flags that you put up if you want one of the wait staff to come by and you can place and order for food or beverage. That was kind of neat. We had lunch at the pool one day it was very good but as you would expect fairly pricey.
The villas are located reasonably close to main roads so getting to attractions was easy. Nothing in Phoenix is close so be prepared to spend some time in the car to get to the things you would like to see.
If pools and lying about are what you like then the villas are great. Or if you want to take the shuttle bus (a very short 5 minute ride) to the resort (which villa occupants have full access to), then there is a huge pool complex there that includes a lazy river. It is a fabulous looking place. We did not stay in any of the rooms, it is a hotel, but the grounds were beautiful.
Overall this is a beautiful resort but expensive if you use the onsite services. We had a great time and plan on going there again.
