The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa

As a golf resort, a family getaway, and a corporate retreat, the Westin Kierland is a clear standout in Scottsdale. How does it manage to satisfy such a range of guests? It's big, for starters. While kids run wild at the onsite Aquaventure water park, couples relax at the comparatively serene adults-only pool, great big blue margaritas in hand. For a bite to eat, there are eight places to choose from onsite -- from Nuevo Latino fine dining, to pizza, to a quality poolside salad, to steak and bourbon out by the greens -- plus another 11 restaurants across the street at Kierland Commons, an upscale shopping mall. Three golf courses; tennis courts; extensive spa facilities; four lounges; daily activities for kids and teens; beautiful, meticulously-maintained grounds -- the Westin simply has more stuff than other resorts, and a convenient location to boot. But how does it satisfy so many guests? Routinely fun, friendly service and a bit of Scotch-Arizona character -- bagpipes at sunset, for instance. So while the added fees can be irksome ($20 to access the gym's locker rooms; $13 for Wi-Fi) and the guestrooms aren't extraordinary (they look like higher-tier hotel rooms anywhere), most guests happily return.

• Poolside food and drinks service
• Helpful concierge staff
• Evening turndown service, available by request
• 24-hour in-room dining
• Shuttle service to Kierland Commons, an upscale shopping mall adjacent to the resort
• Free daily newspaper delivery
• Express video checkout
• Hertz Rental Car desk, on site
• Free self-parking; valet parking costs $27 per night (attendants literally run to your car)
• During peak travel times housekeeping can be a bit slow; a room might not be cleaned by 3 p.m.
• The staff delivers when it comes to special requests, but note that there's often an additional fee.

The Westin Kierland has a fairly central location in Scottsdale, a sprawling, upscale suburb of Phoenix. Large resorts, department stores, strip malls, golf courses, and a handful of fine dining restaurants and night spots scatter across the broad, mountainous, desert expanse. When compared to more scenic, isolated-feeling resorts like The Sanctuary or The Boulders, the Westin feels relatively connected to the outside world -- a large shopping mall, Kierland Commons, is only about a five-minute walk from most guestrooms. The great advantage to this is that if you don't intend to explore the area -- and there is much to do and see in and around Phoenix -- you don't really need to have a car. And if you do want to venture outside the resort for a day, there's a Hertz rental car desk inside the Westin.- Across from 72 shops and restaurants at Kierland Commons: dining ranges from P.F. Chang's to Morton's Steakhouse to farm-fresh cuisine and great desserts at The Green House; shopping ranges from Anthropologie to BCBG to Coach. The Westin also offers a free shuttle to and from the mall.

• About a 20- to 30-minute drive to the bars, restaurants, and boutique shops of "Old Town Scottsdale."
• 30 to 45 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, depending on traffic

While the guestrooms maintain all the high-end comforts of the Westin brand -- you'll hear no complaints about the trademark "Heavenly" beds -- they don't exactly wow in the way one might expect from a hotel in this price range. They were refreshed with new furniture in 2010, and they're contemporary and reasonably stylish. But the standard rooms, while certainly adequate in terms of size, are about on par with those at even less expensive resorts, such as the FireSky. And the noise insulation is less than perfect -- you'll likely hear doors slamming in the hallway and your neighbors watching TV.- The standard room, called a Traditional Room, is a comfortable 426 square feet and it comes with either a king bed or two double beds. The Deluxe Room is basically the same, though it looks out over the mountains or the golf course (a significant improvement over the parking lot or noisy pool area views from the Traditional rooms). Junior Suites offer a bit more space (641 square feet).

• The one-bedroom Parlor King Suite (854 square feet) also includes another half bathroom and a separate living area with a sofa bed and a wet bar. The Executive Suites are available with either one bedroom (also 854 square feet) or two bedrooms (1,281 square feet) and come with two or three full baths. Corner Suites are significantly larger (1,281 square feet with a one-bedroom; 1,708 square feet for a two-bedroom), and also include a foyer, larger living room, a kitchen with a full-size fridge. As for the one- or two-bedroom Presidential Suite, add in a bit more space (1,708 to 2,135 square feet), as well as a large dining table, a Roman-style tub in the master bedroom, and a bigger balcony.
• Separated from the rest of the rooms, and located near the pool and lazy river, the Casita Suites (816 to 1,225 square feet) also include a gas fireplace, a kitchen, and a breakfast bar for two.
• Handicapped accessible rooms availableAll rooms include:- Large, flat-screen TV; in-room movies cost a steep $14 to $20 extra
• Westin Heavenly Beds: pillow-top mattress; high-count sheets; down comforter and pillows
• Heavenly Bath: separate tub and walk-in shower; dual showerheads
• White tea-scented bath products (Westin's own brand)
• Large work desk with task lighting and two dual-line speakerphones
• Electronic safe
• Wi-Fi or wired Internet access ($7 for four hours; $13 for 24 hours)
• Private balcony or terrace
• Velour bathrobe
• Stocked minibar and a coffeemaker with free Starkbucks coffee
• All rooms are non-smoking

• Small, 24-hour fitness center: free access to free weights, cardio equipment, and core equipment (no strength-training machines); $20 access to the whirlpool, steam room, and sauna
• Two outdoor tennis courts; racquet rentals (kids' and adult sizes), private lessons, and balls available
• Quick, free computer and Internet access at the Coffee Flats and Snowbowls shops
• The FedEx Business Center offers printing, copying (black-and-white and color), faxing, binding, computer rental, and shipping services (all for an extra fee); open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday
• Free self-parking
• Nightly "Bagpipes at Sunset Series" -- a celebration of the Scottsdale Scottish heritage
• Extensive meeting facilities (208,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space across 37 rooms), along with dedicated staff organizers and tech support
• Tip: Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) members can use rewards points to buy just about anything onsite, from spa treatments to dinners.

The Adventure Water Park:- 900-foot long "lazy river" (a streaming pool you can ride along on in an inner-tube)

• 110-foot long waterslide (must be at least 42 inches to ride)
• Shallow kids' pool and play areaAdults-only Aguamiel Pool:- Open 24 hours
• 25-yard lap lanes
• Large hot tubAt both pools:- Cabanas include a ceiling fan, four chairs, two lounges, a table, a TV and DVD player, bottled water, a fruit basket, and a dedicated server; from $65 Monday to Thursday; $90 Friday to Sunday
• Attentive food and drinks service; better-than-average fare
• Tip: Get to the pool, especially the adults' pool, early during peak travel times -- the loungers fill up fast.

The Agave Spa, just outside the resort past a shaded walkway lined with citrus trees, is a large-scale facility with a full range of treatments. It doesn't quite match the new age spectacles found at other Scottsdale resorts like the Golden Door Spa at the Hilton's Boulders or the spa at the Sanctuary at Camelback Mountain, but it's a fair option for a family-focused resort.- 20 treatment rooms, facilities open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Treatments generally fall under the "Eastern Essence" banner, which includes acupuncture and Thai massage, as well as less-common Tui' Na and Craniosacral (light touch) massage. There's also a wide range of not-too-Eastern body wraps, facials, "rollerssage" (Swedish massage mixed with semi-precious stones), hot stone (LaStone) therapy, and organic spray tanning. A 50-minute massage starts at about $149.
• Full-service salon with a broad range of pre-wedding hair and makeup services
• Access to the 24-hour fitness center is free, but access to the whirlpool tubs, saunas, steam rooms, and juice bars inside the men's and women's locker rooms costs $20 extra.
• Fitness classes include "FORE-MAX" (golf fitness), eight types of yoga (ranging from traditional hatha and vinyasa to a candlelight deep stretch), and wellness walks. Body composition and nutritional assessments are also available.
• Vaughn Center meditation courses, founded by former NFL player Damian Vaughn, designed to get you "mind fit" (about $140 for a two-hour session)

• Three 18-hole courses -- Acacia, Ironwood, and Mesquite -- designed by Scott Miller, the former senior designer for Jack Nickalaus
• Greens fees, during peak play hours, range from about $189 (January to April), $169 (April to mid-May), and in the scorching summer the fees drop down to $69.
• Kierland is the pioneer of Segway Golf, in which you stand up and ride around on a two-wheel machine, rather than a conventional cart. It's not quite as cozy, but it's quiet and it's easier on the greens. Of course, you can still rent a not so eco-friendly air-conditioned golf cart, which blows cool air on the back of your neck.
• Comprehensive instruction and programs from the LaBauve Golf Academy led by husband-and-wife teaching team Mike and Sandy LaBauve (both listed among the "Top 100 Instructors" by Golf magazine). The signature training: FORE-MAX, a training system designed to improve one's drive via strength training, traditional instruction, and nutritional guidance.
• Outdoor driving range with an air-conditioned canopy ($20)
• Top-notch rental shoes ($15), balls, tees, and clubs ($60) for men, women, and kids (refreshed every six months). And if you didn't bring your traditional Scottish kilt, they've got you covered.
• A bit more than your typical pro shop, the Kierland's golf shop offers everything from customized club fitting to the latest Greg Norman fashions.

• Daily activates for families, such as camp fires with s'mores included (every Friday and Saturday), talent shows, outdoor movie screenings, and desert animal demonstrations brought in from the Phoenix Zoo (every Saturday, from Memorial Day to Labor Day).
• Kids can play golf or tennis with their parents (greens fees are half-price), and rent kid-size clubs and racquets.
• Kids' in-room dining menu; kids ages five and younger eat free at Nellie Cashman's.For ages three and younger:- The "Heavenly Crib" (available by request) comes with a four-inch mattress made from fire-safe (yet non-toxic) materials.
• Babysitting services, available through the concierge
• So that parents can pack light, the resort offers bed rails, booster seats, bottle warmers, a Diaper Genie, diapers and wipes, high chairs, potty seats, safety kits, step stools, strollers (umbrella and jogging), and in-room refrigerators.
• Pumpkinville Playground, a small jungle gym with slides
• The Adventure Pool has a shallow, zero-entry area and pop-jet spouts designed for toddlers and babies
• Arts and crafts, story time, and other age-appropriate activities offered at the Kierland Mining Co.For ages four to 12:- The excellent Westin Kids' Club, for kids four to 12, hosts supervised activities year-round such as swimming, scavenger hunts, video games, soccer, and tennis clinics. Half day: $35 per child. Full day: $75, including lunch.
• Designed for five- to 10-year-olds, the two-hour "Kids in the Kitchen" program lets kids learn from the Westin's culinary team.
• Aqua Tots Swim School hosts half-day ($39) and full-day swimming and snorkeling clinics ($79).
• Supervised pajama parties give parents the night off, for $50 per child (from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.).
• Game Truck, a truck filled with multi-player video games, is available to all kids.
• RaceZone allows kids to design, build, and race a toy vehicle, which they can then take home ($50).
• At Digital Kids' Zone, children capture footage, take digital photos, and play with special effects and music to build a vacation video to take home ($35 for a three-hour session).
• Scuba training (in a chlorinated pool) for kids ages eight to 15 ($59 for a half day; $109 for a full)For teens:- Various, teen-targeted activities include "Teen Fear Factor" (relay races), "Kierland's Got Talent" (talent shows), scuba training (in the pool, with a PADI-certified instructor), and "Cardio Tennis" (high-energy drills for $25 per person, which parents might enjoy as well).

• Deseo: Nuevo-Latino cuisine from James Beard Award-winner Chef Douglas Rodriguez; open for dinner only, Wednesday to Sunday; entrees average $30
• Nellie Cashman's offers more casual Southwestern-Mediterranean dining, including pizza, for breakfast (about $15), lunch, and dinner (about $13). Plus, kids ages 5 and younger eat free.
• Brittlebush Bar & Grill, a Scottish-influenced gastropub, serves soups, salads, and burgers (about $12).
• Waltz & Weiser Saloon, open 11 a.m. to midnight, offers sandwiches and sides (about $15) to complement its whiskey collection.
• J. Swilling's Pool Bar & Grill serves high-quality salads and sandwiches daily, out by the pool (about $12).
• Edie's Range House is the place for burgers and beers when out at the golf course.
• The Rim Lounge, located in the lobby, serves the basics -- like shrimp cocktail ($15) and margherita pizza ($14) -- from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• [[/phoenix/hotels/the-westin-kierland-resort-and-spa/photos/restaurants-bars--v727848/|Coffee Flats]] and Snowbowls -- serving Starbucks coffee and gelato -- also has a free Internet station (first come, first serve). Open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.- 24-hour in-room dining

• Free welcome kit with clean-up bags, disposable gloves, and a dog ID tag
• Top-quality dog beds available for the room ($50 fee if damaged)
• Cat litter box with litter ($20 fee)
• All pets must be on a leash or in a carrier at all times throughout the resort; pets are only allowed in the courtyard and public spaces (not the pool, or in any of the restaurants)