The Westin Kierland Villas, Scottsdale

HOTEL OVERVIEW

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much when I first pulled up to The Westin Kierland Villas – I mean, it’s tucked away on this quiet stretch of Clubgate Drive that you’d probably miss if you weren’t looking for it. But that’s actually part of what makes this place work so well. You’re literally five minutes from all the Kierland Commons chaos (which, let’s be real, can get pretty intense during snowbird season), but once you’re inside the property, it feels like you’ve found this secret pocket of calm in North Scottsdale.

The villa setup is what really sets this apart from your typical hotel experience. These aren’t just oversized rooms – they’re actual residential-style spaces with full kitchens that actually function properly, which honestly surprised me. I’ve stayed in plenty of “suite” hotels where the kitchen is basically decorative, but here you could legitimately cook a proper meal if you wanted to skip another $40 dinner at one of the resort restaurants. The living areas have this relaxed, lived-in feel without looking worn down, and the bedrooms are separated enough that you’re not hearing every conversation if you’re traveling with family or friends. What I really appreciated was the attention to small details – like, the wifi actually works reliably (shocking, I know), and there’s enough counter space in the bathrooms that you don’t have to play Tetris with your toiletries.

You know what really sold me on this place though? The pool area in the late afternoon when the light hits the McDowell Mountains just right. It’s not the biggest pool setup you’ll find in Scottsdale, but it’s got this intimate vibe where you can actually relax without feeling like you’re at a water park. The staff seems to get that people want to unwind here – they’re helpful without being hovering, and check-in was refreshingly straightforward. Parking is never an issue, which might sound trivial until you’ve circled Old Town Scottsdale for twenty minutes looking for a spot. The location puts you close enough to everything – TPC Scottsdale, the shopping, decent hiking if you head toward Pinnacle Peak – but far enough from the main drag that you’re not dealing with constant traffic noise. During peak season (basically January through March), you’ll want to book restaurants early since everyone and their snowbird parents descend on this area, but that’s just Scottsdale for you.