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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
Dallas, TX
Top Contributor
65 reviews 65 reviews
15 hotel reviews
Reviews in 34 cities Reviews in 34 cities
42 helpful votes 42 helpful votes
“The half full bottle of shampoo was the clincher”
2 of 5 stars Reviewed January 24, 2013

I booked a three night stay and paid in advance before I read the reviews. That was a big mistake.
The reviews that rated this resort terrible outlined the problems. I am rating it poor as we have decided to leave after one night. Our package included valet parking. We could not find the valet when we arrived. At the front desk we found a clerk who was neither friendly nor helpful. We were supposed to have a room with a view. She put us in a first floor room. It would be an understatement to say there was no view. We complained and we were given a second floor room overlooking the pool. So, we did have a view.
Our room was spacious which was nice. The mattress and pillows were not up to standards.
But, the clincher was when we went into the bathroom and discovered a bottle of shampoo that was half full. In all my travels in all my years, I have never checked into a room with shampoo that had apparently already been used. What could be the possible excuse?
Even though we will not use two nights we have paid for, we feel compelled to check out after one night.

  • Stayed January 2013, traveled as a couple
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Location
    • 2 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 2 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 4
Ask cordpar about Carefree Resort & Conference Center
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
1 review
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“Our Carefree Stay”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed January 18, 2013

Upon arrival at the resort, we were greated at the front desk by a professional and friendly young lady. The room was huge, comfortable and clean. The only thing the room lacked was a refrigerator and microwave. The grounds were beautiful and clean. We found the food to be excellent and the staff very courteous and friendly. We are definitely planning another trip to Carefree in the near future and would highly recommend it to family and friends.

  • Stayed October 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 1
Ask ggh39 about Carefree Resort & Conference Center
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Anthem, Arizona
1 review
“Great get-away !!”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed January 18, 2013

What a great get-away weekend we had at Carefree Resort. Felt like we were far away on vacation but not so far that we can't go back often. Highly recommended !! Staff was wonderful, made every interaction a true pleasure....Food is FABULOUS !! Just a great overall experience .... can't wait to go back again and again.....

  • Stayed November 2012, traveled with family
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask Eileen H about Carefree Resort & Conference Center
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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.
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Additional Information about Carefree Resort & Conference Center

Also Known As:
Carefree Hotel Carefree
Carefree Resort And Conference Center
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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