Westin Kierland Resort & Spa Review
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BOTTOM LINE
A big, polished North Scottsdale resort that pulls double duty for golfers and families, with 27 holes on-site, a lazy river, a FlowRider surf simulator, and a signature bagpiper at sunset. It is a Marriott Bonvoy property, so you can earn and redeem points and put your elite status to work. Come for the golf and the water park, and expect Arizona resort pricing plus a resort fee.
Scottsdale is full of resorts that pick a lane, either serious golf or family water park. The Westin Kierland is one of the few that convincingly does both, which is why it works for such a wide range of travelers. On one visit you might see a foursome heading to the first tee while, a few hundred yards away, kids are floating a lazy river.
I toured the property to see how it holds up across those different guests, and the short version is that it is a well-run, amenity-loaded resort in a strong North Scottsdale location. It has some genuinely fun touches too, including a nightly Scottish bagpiper that has become part of the resort's identity. Here is how the stay comes together.
Booking the Westin Kierland
This is a Marriott Bonvoy property, so it slots right into the Marriott points and status ecosystem. Award nights can be a good value here relative to peak-season cash rates, particularly during Arizona's high-demand winter and spring months when the desert weather is at its best. Bonvoy elite members can look for benefits like room upgrades when available, late checkout, and points or a food credit in place of breakfast at this resort tier.
As with almost every Scottsdale resort, there is a daily resort fee, and self-parking or valet will add to the bill, so weigh those against the nightly rate when you compare options. If you are paying cash, it is worth having me price it out through my agency, since I can sometimes add value on a paid stay. For a golf trip especially, bundling the room and tee times deserves a look. The 27 holes are split into three alternating nines — I’ve played the Ironwood and Acacia nines many times — and it’s a forgiving, resort-style course with excellent hole designs, mountain views, and conditions that are always fantastic thanks to Troon management (Troon card holders can score discounts, too). After your round, the Brittlebush Bar and Grill at the clubhouse serves from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the bag-drop crew will load your clubs onto a cart while you check in for your tee time.
One nice loyalty wrinkle: because this resort draws golfers and families in different seasons, award availability and cash rates swing a lot across the year. Booking off-peak, such as the hotter summer stretch, is where the strongest deals tend to appear, including packages that throw in resort credit. If your dates are flexible, that timing can make a real difference.
Best cards for booking
To get the most from a stay here, the cards I would reach for are the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, and The Platinum Card from American Express.
Location
The resort sits in North Scottsdale, in the Kierland area near the upscale Kierland Commons and Scottsdale Quarter shopping and dining districts. That puts walkable restaurants and shops within easy reach, which is a nice change from resorts that strand you on-property. You get the quiet, spread-out feel of North Scottsdale with real dining and retail just outside the gate.
From here you are well positioned for the wider Phoenix area, whether that means spring training baseball, hiking in the surrounding desert, or a day trip elsewhere in the Valley. The North Scottsdale address means you are a bit removed from Old Town's nightlife, which most families and golfers will see as a plus. It is a comfortable base for a low-key Arizona getaway.
Lobby and Check-In
The arrival experience matches the resort's scale, with a large, airy lobby and the desert-modern aesthetic Scottsdale does so well. Check-in was smooth, and the staff clearly handle a mix of golf groups, families, and business travelers without missing a beat. For a property this size, the process stayed personable rather than feeling like a conveyor belt. A few things worth knowing as you come in: the kids club sits just off the main lobby, there is an executive lounge that serves breakfast for elites and anyone who purchases a club pass, and the property houses a large convention center complete with a FedEx office, which explains the sheer number of rooms. On the drive in you will also pass the Westin Kierland Villas, which are timeshares; most guests stay in the main tower.
The public spaces set expectations nicely for what follows, striking a balance between resort polish and a relaxed Arizona feel. You get a sense right away that this is a full-service resort with a lot going on, from the golf desk to the activities board. It is the kind of first impression that makes you want to go explore the grounds.
The Room
I toured a base-level two-queen room in the main tower, and it was a comfortable, well-appointed space with the Westin touches you would expect, including the brand's signature bed. For a family, two queens plus the resort's amenities make for an easy setup, and the room felt like a restful spot to land after a day of golf or the water park. It is a solid, unfussy base rather than a showpiece suite. The rooms were redone right before the pandemic in that light, desert-toned aesthetic that’s spreading across Marriott properties — minerals set into the mirrors and all — and if you’ve seen my JW Marriott Anaheim video, this room will look familiar. You get a big television, a small desk to work at, a modest closet, and a huge balcony, ours looking out over the golf course.
If you want more space or a better view, the resort has larger rooms and suites, some looking out over the golf course and mountains, and there are villa-style options in the adjacent property for longer or larger stays. The base rooms do the job well, and for most travelers they are all you need. The value here is really in everything outside the room.
Pools and Amenities
This is where the Kierland earns its family reputation. The water park area is anchored by a FlowRider surf simulator, a roughly 900-foot lazy river, and a tall waterslide, alongside several pools for those who just want to relax. Between the surf simulator and the lazy river, kids can burn an entire afternoon here without ever asking what is next. The pool complex sprawls across a couple of acres: a huge lazy river with a bar you can order drinks from without ever leaving your tube (my favorite thing here), a water slide, a FlowRider surf simulator (extra charge), and Tommy Bahama-branded cabanas for rent. J. Swilling’s poolside bar and grill turned out really excellent food — drinks run a little pricey, as resorts do — and families should check out the OK Corral kids’ area, where the s’mores nights are actually included in the resort fee, while the adults-only pool sits quietly off to the side.
Golf is the other headline. The Westin Kierland Golf Club offers 27 holes across three nine-hole courses designed by Scott Miller, so you can mix and match your rounds, and it has earned a strong reputation among Scottsdale golf resorts. Add in a full spa, a fitness center, and the resort's signature evening bagpiper who plays at sunset as a nod to the area's Scottish heritage, and you have a property with real range across guest types.
Food and Drink
The resort has a good spread of on-site dining across several restaurants and bars, so you are not stuck with one option all week. The signature spot is Nellie Cashman's, a Southwest-leaning American restaurant with cocktails built on recipes tracing back to the late 1800s, which fits the resort's storytelling nicely. There is also a whisky bar with a deep list for anyone who wants a nightcap with some character. The resort leans into a Scottish theme, and the Scotch Library — complete with certifications lining the walls — is a must-visit if the doors are open. Downstairs there’s an unexpectedly fun mining-themed bar next to Nellie Cashman’s Monday Club Cafe, and outside, a giant Megatron screen plays sports on weekends while the lobby’s air conditioning blasts out over the seating area — a great summer-evening hangout before the fire pits light up at night. One dining note: Deseo, the resort’s well-known Latin restaurant, had not reopened since the pandemic as of my stay, so double-check the current lineup if you had your heart set on it.
For lighter fare there is casual dining and poolside service, which is exactly what you want between rounds of golf or laps of the lazy river. Resort dining in Scottsdale is priced like resort dining anywhere, so I usually balance a few on-site meals with a walk over to the nearby Kierland Commons and Scottsdale Quarter restaurants. Having those options a short stroll away is a genuine advantage of this location.
Service
Service across the property was attentive and well organized, which is not a small thing at a resort juggling golfers, families, and events at the same time. The golf and activities staff in particular knew their stuff and made it easy to plan a day. That coordination is what keeps a big resort from feeling impersonal.
Little rituals like the sunset bagpiper show a property that cares about giving guests a sense of place rather than just a room and a pool. Combined with reliable, friendly front-of-house service, it makes the Kierland feel like a resort that has its act together. For a stay with this many moving parts, that consistency matters.
Who Should Stay Here
Great fit if
Look elsewhere if
You want serious golf and a family water park in one place
You want an adults-only or boutique-scale escape
Your kids want a lazy river, FlowRider, and waterslide
You want to walk to Old Town Scottsdale nightlife
You collect and redeem Marriott Bonvoy points
You want to avoid resort fees and parking charges
You like walkable shopping and dining just outside the gate
You are looking for the lowest-priced Scottsdale option
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much golf is on-site at the Westin Kierland?
There are 27 holes, laid out as three nine-hole courses designed by Scott Miller, so you can combine them in different ways. The Westin Kierland Golf Club is one of the better-regarded golf offerings among Scottsdale resorts.
Is the Westin Kierland good for kids?
Very. The water park area includes a FlowRider surf simulator, a roughly 900-foot lazy river, a tall waterslide, and multiple pools, which keeps children busy for hours. Between that and the golf, it is a strong dual-purpose family and golf resort.
What is the bagpiper about?
The resort has a signature tradition of a Scottish bagpiper playing at sunset, a nod to the area's Scottish heritage. It is one of those small rituals that gives the property a sense of place beyond the standard resort amenities.
Can I use Marriott points here?
Yes. It is a Marriott Bonvoy property, so you can earn and redeem points and use your Bonvoy elite benefits. Award nights can offer good value against peak-season cash rates, especially in the busy winter and spring.
Are there resort fees?
Yes, like nearly all Scottsdale resorts it charges a daily resort fee, and parking is an added cost. Factor both in when comparing rates, and consider booking off-peak, such as summer, for the best deals and packages.
Is there dining and shopping nearby?
There is. The resort sits near Kierland Commons and Scottsdale Quarter, so you can walk to a range of restaurants and shops in addition to the several on-site dining venues.
Bottom Line
The Westin Kierland is a rare Scottsdale resort that genuinely serves two very different crowds at once. Golfers get 27 well-regarded holes, families get a legitimate water park with a lazy river and FlowRider, and everyone gets the sunset bagpiper and a walkable strip of shops and restaurants just outside. As a Marriott Bonvoy property, it also fits neatly into a points-and-status strategy.
It is a big, full-service resort priced like one, with the usual resort fee and parking charges to account for. If you want something small, adults-only, or bargain-basement, this is not it. But for a family golf trip or a multi-generational Arizona getaway where everyone needs something to do, it is one of the most versatile options in North Scottsdale.
