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Carefree Resort & Conference Center: Traveler Reviews

3.5 of 5
37220 Mule Train Road, Carefree, AZ 85377
Hotel amenities
Carefree Resort & Conference Center
Ranked #2 of 2 hotels in Carefree
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317 reviews from our community

Traveler rating
    108
    86
    54
    36
    33
See reviews for
Families
85
 
Couples
103
 
Solo
17
 
Business
53
 
Rating summary
  • Location
    4 of 5 stars
  • Sleep Quality
    3.5 of 5 stars
  • Rooms
    4 of 5 stars
  • Service
    3.5 of 5 stars
  • Value
    3.5 of 5 stars
  • Cleanliness
    4 of 5 stars
Date Rating
1 review
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
“Terrible”
1 of 5 stars Reviewed January 6, 2013

I would not recommend the Carefree Resort & Villas to anyone. There were 5 couples staying at the resort over New Years Eve and each one of us had problems and issues. The front desk is extremely disorganized and just plain rude. We booked the reservation through Bookit and when we arrived they did not give my friend and I the room we booked even though it was clearly stated on our reservations. We went round and round with the Manager. We finally got BookIt involved (they were great) and finally it was resolved. However, it took BookIT four times calling to get them to answer their phone. The Manager and some front desk staff were downright rude. Our members in our group had similar problems in that they could not find their reservations, another party booked through Expedia and the front desk staff said they did not pay even though they had their paperwork. I could go on and on but my advice is to book somewhere else. Never again.

Room Tip: Stay somewhere else. Avoid this. I managed lots of people and traveled alot over my career and I hav...
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  • Stayed December 2012, traveled with friends
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 3 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 1 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 5
Ask Xpose about Carefree Resort & Conference Center
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
El Paso, Texas, United States
1 review
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
“Extremely Disappointing and lied about pricing.”
1 of 5 stars Reviewed January 4, 2013

I made the reservation for New Years in August knowing that I may never have the chance to visit Scottsdale again. I checked many hotels and settled on Carefree based on ammenities and price. First off, they did not say they were open for animals anywhere that I saw, but multiple rooms around us had dogs staying. I'm extremely allergic to pet hair and had such a sore throat that i lost my voice. I ended up taking Benadryl and slept through my second evening from staying in a pet friendly room. We also requested a mountain view (4 months in advance) but got a view of picnic tables and the parking lot instead. The bed and pillows were both extremely uncomfortable and obviously had not been replaced in some time. They boast multiple bars and restaurants but had only 1 opened and that closes at 10pm. Since Carefree is so far from anything else in Scotsdale it's too far to go out for drinks and drive to the hotel, but there is no bar to end the night at there either. The worst part is that they charged us for ammenities like microwave and refrigerator that we didn't get and had to dispute. Once looking at the receipt, we noticed that the price charged was not the same as the confirmation emailed to me by them. When I showed the desk attendant she told me "The rates change daily" as the only explanation. There was also a resort fee that was not listed on the confirmation. All in all, this hotel was nothing special and the service made it a horrible choice for our only trip to Scotsdale.

  • Stayed December 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 1 of 5 stars Value
    • 1 of 5 stars Location
    • 1 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 1 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 2 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 1 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 6
Ask Erin S about Carefree Resort & Conference Center
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Phoenix, Arizona
1 review
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
“Worst experience ever.”
1 of 5 stars Reviewed January 3, 2013

This dying resort was deserted during high season for a reason. The food was awful. The spa was small, cramped, and not even friendly. The rooms are not anything special, and we would have had more amenities in a holiday inn. Everything was terribly overpriced, clearly they think that they are competing with "real" resorts in setting their fees. And to make matters even worse, they over-charged us by $326 just for using a debit card, and rudely informed us that it would take 7-10 business days to refund us for the over-charge. Are you kidding me????? Let the sands of the desert overtake this place and erase it from the map.

Room Tip: To find a good room, choose a different resort.
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  • Stayed December 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 1 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 2 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 2 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 2 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 6
Ask alicebtokeless about Carefree Resort & Conference Center
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Melbourne, Australia
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
6 hotel reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
“Good value, Good rooms and service”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed January 2, 2013

A little late in my review; perhaps I'm very post-jet lag, but we stayed here on our first American holiday (vacation you call it). We travelled from Melbourne Australia, our first night was here, we found the rooms clean and pleasant, staff were fine, the pool was great (boy it was hot), and the steak I ordered that night, simply the best - and the beer, well, it was fine as well. Kids loved the pool, we used Expedia, and no issues what-so-ever, would love to stay again!.

  • Stayed September 2012, traveled with family
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes
Ask Evan_Jean about Carefree Resort & Conference Center
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
New York City, New York
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
3 hotel reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
“My horrible time at the Carefree Resort”
1 of 5 stars Reviewed January 1, 2013

I should have known that I was in for trouble when the bookings desk kept me waiting 10 minutes when I called from overseas to book a room for a conference. I specifically requested a refridgerator as I have special dietary requirements and I was told that it would definitely be included in the room. When I arrived there was no fridge and none was provided when I asked politely in person.

The woman at the Concierge desk (short fair hair) was very grump and unhelpful. When I asked if by chance they had a suitcase weigher so that guest could check whether their luggage was over limit or not she just snapped "no". Several guests remarked at dinner about her manner.

In the morning you could look forward to being woken up by a guy with a leaf blower by the pool. What's wrong with a quiet broom ? The blood marks on the net curtains were a worry too.

But the worst part was the renovations in the hallway outside outside rooms. You could look forward to dust and noise for a week. I won't return to this "resort"

  • Stayed December 2012, traveled on business
    • 1 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 1 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 1 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 5
Ask Bison B about Carefree Resort & Conference Center
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Additional Information about Carefree Resort & Conference Center

Also Known As:
Carefree Resort And Conference Center
Carefree Hotel Carefree
Carefree Resort
Address: 37220 Mule Train Road, Carefree, AZ 85377
Region: United States > Arizona > Central Arizona > Carefree
Amenities:
Bar/Lounge Business Center Fitness Center Free High-Speed Internet Free Parking Kids Activities Pets Allowed Restaurant Room Service Shuttle Bus service Suites Swimming Pool Wheelchair access
Hotel Style:
Ranked #2 of 2 hotels in Carefree
Price Range: $
Hotel Class:3.5 star (3.5*)
Official Description (provided by the hotel):
Carefree Resort has recently completed a multi-million dollar renovation of all meeting space, public areas, resort guest rooms, Lariat Restaurant and Lounge and launched the all new Sonoran Suites, a boutique experience within the Resort. Experience authentic Arizona, located amidst high Sonoran Desert natural preserves 1.5 miles north of Scottsdale. The Resort grounds are filled with towering 20' Saguaro, giant Ocotillo, desert wildflowers, and Prickly Pear Cactus. Reserve one of our Villas, if you are looking extra space and want the comforts of home. Equipped with a full kitchen, dining room, and living room and are available with one or two bedrooms. Our friendly staff can arrange popular destination activities such as scooter rentals, bike rentals, golf, desert jeep tours, hot air balloon rides, and other adventures. The Resort features a five treatment room Spa with full spa and hair salon services, five lighted Tennis Courts, two heated swimming pools, and a complete Fitness Center. ... more   less 
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Carefree Resort & Conference Center
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