This past weekend, Andrew, Sage, and I did a “staycation” at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Scottsdale. It was a much-needed getaway for our little family with lots of fun activities in a beautiful desert setting! This was our first staycation together, and I have to say, it’s a super convenient way of “getting away”. We may have to do another in the future, maybe in the summer here in the Phoenix area, to take advantage of the pool! I’ll be sharing more about the hotel, its amenities, and what we did during our quick stay.

Tia Carmen

Sunday morning, we had breakfast at the fabulous Tia Carmen, a southwestern restaurant with beautiful modern interiors. We really enjoyed the mercado-style breakfast buffet. They had traditional breakfast food like eggs, potatoes, and bacon as well as pastries, fruit, and more. I really enjoyed the tostadas with pork and beef birria, and the agua frescas were amazing as well! Andrew and I had several plates and shared with Sage, who ate so much. I was obsessed with the design aesthetic of this restaurant, which is something I really care about with my background in interior design. I would totally go back in a heartbeat! There are several other restaurants on the property to dine at as well.

The Room

We really enjoyed our room, which had a queen-sized bed, a lounge area, and dining area with lots of storage as well. Andrew enjoyed sitting outside on the patio, which had amazing views of the pool areas, and I took an amazing bath in the tub after Sage went down for the evening. I can never seem to find the time for a bath at home, so that felt very luxurious! The bed was super comfortable and the hotel provided a play pen for Sage to sleep in, which was super convenient.

The Pool

One of the most popular amenities at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge is the AquaRidge WaterPark! There were so many people relaxing poolside all day during our visit. Both kids and adults were enjoying the lazy river and water slides. On Saturday evening when we arrived, we checked out AquaNights which will be going on all summer during the weekends. They had a deejay, fun neon lights, late-night slides, and food available. The next day, we spent the afternoon soaking up some sun and Sage got the chance to try out his new pool floatie, which was so cute!

Copper Alley

Saturday afternoon, we spent a few hours checking out the Copper Alley arcade. I was amazed at how good Andrew was at all of the arcade games, even while holding Sage! Sage was mesmerized by all the lights and sounds and enjoyed watching us play. Afterwards we enjoyed the buffet at Copper Alley which consisted of pizza, wings, fries, salads, and more.

The JW Marriott Desert Ridge is the perfect hotel for a family vacation with something for everyone! Book your stay at Desert Ridge here.

XOXO