which one rates highest in your opinion if you are looking for a top notch spa, your 12 year old likes over the top pools with water slides and the like, your husband wants a state of the art fitness center and all three of you want a nice accommodations, a few good dining options on the premises and service with a big smile.........

Thanks!

Well, you have the Fairmont and the Four Seasons in Scottsdale and the Royal Palms in Phoenix. For water slides and such AND a good spa, I would suggest the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess.

have now booked at the Fairmont Princess for a week in February. any updated opinions on this place? is the spa as nice as it looks and sounds? what is a must see or do off the premises? thanks!

We stayed at the Scottsdale Princess in summer a couple of years ago. I would think kids would love the pools. There are 2, one with slides. They showed big screen movies at one in the evening. Did not use the spa but is rated high. The Mexican restaurant La Hacienda was great. We were with a convention but service and everything was a good experience. We do not golf.

We stayed at the Marriott JW Desert Ridge about a year and a half ago and absolutely loved it. Beautiful grounds, lovely rooms, serene spa, a Roys restaurant and one of the most beautiful lobbies I have ever seen. You walk down the stairs to the lower lobby and there are big comfy couches and chairs with reading lamps. They piped in new age music as you walked through the grounds.

Across the street is a huge mall/outlet kind of place (called Desert Ridge I think) that had a ton of restaurants and shops and maybe movies?

One thing when there I would recommend doing when there is to go and see Frank Lloyd Wright's southern studio which is near there. It is called _____ west and for some reason the first name has totally escaped me. Fascinating place, especially that time of year...IMO.

Taliesan West

I agree with Heavens. The JW Marriott was fantastic. The Roy's there is the best Roy's that we have ever been at. I know there were other dining choices as well.

The pool was HUGE, and if memory serves I think it had one of those lazy rivers thingys, best to confirm that with another source though, ha.

The spa was lovely, I had a great massage there.

Enjoy! Tiff

The Spa at the Princess is fabulous. Best in Phoenix IMO.

Hyatt at Ganiey Ranch has all that you are looking for, nice spa experience, good pools.

Only have stayed at the Westin, which has an adult, children's, and large lazy river pool with water slide, and plenty of seats and cabanas.

I agree with the other poster about Hyatt at Gainey Ranch (Now I guess it is call Hyatt Regency Scostdale). We have stayed there as well as Fairmont Princess and the Westin. For us Hyatt wins hands down. Beautiful grounds, fun pools, with sandy beach and clocktower slide. Great dining on the premises, although I must say if you are there on Sunday you definitely should have Sunday brunch at the La Marquesa at the Scottsdale Princess. Definitely the best brunch anywhere! I am not a spa person wo can't compare those.

I absolutely *hated* the JW Marriott Desert Ridge. Granted, I was there for business but the rooms, in my opinion, were extremely sub-par, at best. Fairmont rooms, very nice.

thanks all! will be sure to post a report when i return. i am going to make sure to spend time in the spa. someone at work also mentioned the Sunday brunch at the Princess as a "do not miss".

Yeah, I thought the Sunday brunch at Marquesa at the Fairmont would be a do not miss too. Until I found out is was $78 per person. So I missed it last time around... Maybe someday but I just wasn't in the modd for $78 for breakfast.

We also really have liked the Hyatt Regency Gainey Ranch. It has been a wonderful place to stay and relax every time we have been there.

Surprised that someone thought rooms sub-par at JW Marriott Desert Ridge. Ours was above par in all respects, including the brand new bedding just installed (mid-November 2005). Great Egyptian cotton sheets and comforters, new towels, etc. Could not fault the room in any way - well maybe one in that the mini-fridge built into the side of the mini-bar did not keep things as cold as I like, but no big deal.

I agree that Roy's at this resort is outstanding. One of the best meals we have ever had was enjoyed on the patio one evening at Roy's.

This is a superb resort and one that I would never hesitate to recommend to anyone. The lazy river pool, though cool in November, was still fun even for us old codgers....kids would surely love it.

The rooms at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge are sub par? Whew, I imagine you have never stayed at a Best Western or Comfort Inn then.

We loved our rooms (comfy and spacious, as I recall), the grounds, the pools, the atmosphere and particularly enjoyed the big lobby with the comfy couches and pillows downstairs.

Views are lovely and my DH enjoyed his golfing and I had a very peaceful, tranquil day at the spa. What more could you ask for?