Hotel Review: Villa Mirage Scottsdale, Arizona.
I used to make fun of the snow birds migrating to Arizona, but now I understand their secret. Damn they are incredibly smart!
After spending several weeks hiking in Sedona and staying at the Bell Rock Inn, we decided to head south to Scottsdale but needed a place to crash. Luckily for us our concierge hooked us up with a free week stay at Scottsdale Villa Mirage Resort. It is here that we feel in love with the idea of becoming a Diamond Resorts member.
Before we dive into the actual review of this property, we've just gotta say that being in Scottsdale in February was AWESOME! The weather was absolutely perfect with temperatures in the high 70s during the day and mid 50s at night. While most of the country was experiencing blizzards and ice storms, we were enjoying adult beverages by the pool.
Scottsdale has a lot to offer including golf, hiking, shopping, restaurants, and craft breweries. It's more of a "high end" city that's invigorating to the soul and not run down like other cities we've visited.
Scottsdale Villa Mirage Review 2021
Scottsdale Villa Mirage is owned by Diamond Resorts International, a timeshare company who is doing things a bit different as of this writing. You might be asked to attend an hour long presentation in exchange for perks, but you can certainly say no. Additionally you don't have to be a DRI member to stay here.
The Location
The resort is located just west from Highway 101 in an unassuming neighborhood in north Scottsdale. It's a few minutes drive from the TPC Scottsdale Champion Golf Course and about 20 minutes from McDowel Mountain, Fountain Hills, and Phoenix Mountains Reserve -- all great places to check out.
The area is very quiet with Villa Mirage being off the main streets. There's plenty of shopping, restaurants, parks, and golf courses all within a few miles radius of the resort.
The Views
Depending on where your room is, there doesn't seem to be many views of the surrounding area, but you will feel like you're in a tropical oasis. Incidentally our room did have a fantastic view of McDowel Mountain and the more private hot tub and water fountain. This was very relaxing as we kept the balcony doors open most of the day and evening.
The Property
When we drove into the Scottsdale Villa Mirage I honestly didn't know if we belonged there! The property is absolutely beautiful and pristine. It's surrounded by gorgeous flowers, plants, and palm trees. While it's slated as a 3 star hotel, I felt like the rating could be higher.
You'll also discover there are plenty of outdoor activities here including shuffleboard, corn hole, oversized checkers, tennis, playgrounds, and several amazing pools. Of course they also include a workout facility, business center, and a poolside restaurant that offers adult beverages.
The Room
Donetta and I were gifted with the one bedroom suite located by the adult hot tub and water feature ... and it was one of the best we've stayed in since we started traveling full time!
The room was very spacious and comfortable, giving us plenty of options to store our buckets and traveling arsenal. We had a full kitchen with granite tops, an electric fireplace, washer and dryer which is always a plus, outdoor balcony, and a large living room and dining room. The entire place was very clean and had a newer feel to it.
The bed and furniture were "standard issued" by Diamond Resorts but comfortable. And the oversized bathtub is perfect for two people. ; )
The Price
As previously mentioned, we were gifted a free week in exchange for doing a vacation package presentation. Currently it looks like you can book on several websites with an average rate of $89 - $99 per night. If you're a Diamond Member it's about $53 per night.
Of course the price will likely fluctuate depending on the season. In the winter months when the temperatures are cooler and the snowbirds are in town, it's probably a bit higher. Regardless it is well worth it.
The Negatives
I can't think of any negatives for our Scottsdale Villa Mirage Review as it relates to the property experience. We couldn't be more pleased with our hotel crashing at this resort.
The Preview
It's important to disclose that we did attend our second DRI preview while staying at this resort. We promised to give them 90 minutes of our time in exchange for a free week. Which is not a bad deal at all!
The preview itself was mostly good with no pressure initially to purchase into their program. While we could see the value of the offering, we weren't convinced this was the right fit for us. Unfortunately a guy name Bart came in to try and "close us" and was a complete jackass. This was the only negative of our entire time at Villa Mirage.
Despite our unhappiness at the moment, Zac and Lana came over to smooth things over. They did such a great job that we actually became members that day. While this new DRI experience needs another post itself, we've been happy with our decision. Plus it didn't hurt that Zac and Lana treated us to lunch and beers later that day.
Will we stay here again?
Absolutely! We loved the vibe and atmosphere of the Scottsdale Villa Mirage Resort and it has so much to offer to traveling couples. The people staying there were mostly older and nice and the staff was very pleasant.
If you'd like to know more about this property or want to book a stay, visit their website here.
