Arizona Biltmore, LXR Hotels & Resorts

Well, it’s off to a slow start. Goldmember, booked a citrus club room and was inquiring on the Hilton Honors app with the front desk asking about when I would be able to access my digital key for my reservation and I got two different agents who took 15 minutes to respond to one of my text messages. I had to ask the question three times before I got the answer that I needed. So we shall see what happens when I get there next week Read less

I stayed here for four nights while attending a conference. We had a mostly positive experience, but there are some negatives that keep this from being a five star review. The grounds of this sprawling resort are gorgeous and well-maintained. I loved walking along the paths and seeing all the plantings and statuary, the seven swimming pools and the assorted types of lodging. The lobby is stunning, and the common areas throughout are well designed and filled with seating options. Our check-in experience wasn't great, since we had to wait long past check-in time for a king room (in spite of having a reservation for a king), and then the only one available was in the main building overlooking the street. The other option was a two-queen room in the Paradise Wing, one of the large stand-alone buildings just past the main building, and we said we'd take that instead of the king. The best thing about this room was that it was very spacious. The area was quiet with a view of the Paradise Lawn. The room and bathroom were clean and fresh looking but nothing special - they were similar to what you'd find in a mid-range hotel. There was no nightly turndown, something I expect in a luxury hotel, and we were surprised that housekeeping never took away some dirty glassware and dishes that we left near our coffee setup (after several days we put them in the hallway). The outdoor Spire Bar was nice with plenty of seating that spills over onto the surrounding lawn. Drinks were very pricy, which wasn't a surprise. We had one free afternoon for pool time and were disappointed that all the seats in the adult pool area were taken. There was plenty of room at the other pools, I assume because it wasn't a prime family vacation time. We also used the hotel bikes and we enjoyed exploring the neighborhood and the canal. The hotel website shows e-bikes for rent but the ones we had were well-used traditional style bikes, and they were free. Read less

The Beautiful, delicious, iconic, historic and surly, all in one spot We reserved using a covered Hilton Amex Aspire card annual free night certificate. We flew red eye from the east coast and checked in after midnight. Pre flight advance communications with the staff indicated Hilton Diamond benefits would be hard to get. (No advance auto upgrade, no advance consideration for a late checkout) We arrive very late the night of July 4. The resort appears to have been at less than 60% occupancy for that night. Check in staff lacked premium relational and hospitality skills, and was more suited for the Fairfield or Hampton Inn tier. Cold, surly, uncaring, disengaged. Upgrades offered only to next room category and none available. However, three increasing upgrade options were offered, starting at $100 and going up from there. Late checkout for Hilton’s top tier loyalty program are not guaranteed, and again, late checkout options were quoted with three different prices, from $75 all the way to half nightly rate. Similar to an extraction, and over numerous communications days prior up to the check in counter, we were finally granted 1pm late check out. I forgot to mention they will for $250 allow you to stay a few hours later in the citrus club. So once you get beyond the used car lot check in experience your relaxation can begin. Principal leadership of this hotel needs to learn that first impressions set the tone, and the current strategy for incoming guests is not adding equity to the Arizona biltmore brand. Again, pre and actual check experience is much like buying a car. The grounds are beautiful and well manicured. Stephanie in Macarthurs is a gem and management is very lucky to have her. She alone righted a terrible used car experience. Would we return? Not quite sure. First impressions are huge. And I wouldn’t want to repeat the low class treatment which began a couple days prior to check in and was only overlayed with quality the morning after check in at breakfast. Principal leadership: every guest should receive amazing service, and your Hilton Diamonds even more so. And this experience was on a low occupancy and off season stay. Read less

Location (3): Not much in the area to walk to; plan on taking a car/Uber/Lyft. Easy to get to from the airport. Accommodations (4): As a Diamond, I was able to check-in early with no charge and was upgraded to a larger resort room with a shared balcony that spanned many rooms. Room was comfortable and clean, however not overly memorable. Bathroom was small, however to be expected given age of hotel. Could easily hear conversations in the room next door. Service (5): Interactions with front desk and restaurant staff were excellent. A billing question regarding my Diamond credits was answered quickly using chat. Dining (4): Breakfast food and service in the restaurant was excellent, although somewhat small portions. Received friendly service at the lobby bar. Food served at the meeting was acceptable. I wish there were more casual options, especially in the late evening. Facilities (4): Clean property and grounds. I noted there was always someone cleaning and landscaping. Although the grounds are spread out, I did not feel like I was walking long distances. Pools looked nice, however did not have time to use. Atmosphere (3): Dated atmosphere, but to be expected. Appreciated the history. Value for Money (2): If I was paying rack rate (~$400+/night), I would have been disappointed. Cleanliness (4): Clean in all areas of the property (see above). Overall Experience: Overall, a nice stay and would stay again if cost/night was more reasonable and I had time to use more hotel amenities. Given the amount spent on food and drinks, the Citrus Club may be worth considering. Tip: Those looking for a modern property should avoid. Note: I stayed when this property was part of the Waldorf collection. Read less