The Boulders - Resort hotel in Carefree - 34631 N Tom Darlington Dr, USA

The resort itself is in a very beautiful location with lots of wildlife around. The rooms themselves had a very nice theme, and the staff is extremely friendly and provide great service! The main lodge pool was fantastic and there was a lookout point off the pool that had an amazing view of the property. We did run in to a few issues during our stay: First when checking in, we were shocked that the incidental hold was $100 per night ($500 total for our 5 night stay). No where on their site does it mention the hold being this high. As other reviews have said, they have a serious pest problem. Our room had a mouse, a large amount of ants behind the coffee bar in the room, as well as us finding a cockroach. Staff did offer to move us and have someone come out to locate the mouse. It just was not feasible for us to move rooms with 2 kids in the middle of the night. They also charge a $35 per day resort fee to cover concierge services. These fees were not covered when booking and had to be paid at check out. We booked through Capital One Travel so could be a 3rd Party booking issue. The resort is pretty spaced out and it requires a good walk to basically get anywhere. You can also text the guest services line to have concierge golf cart you, and the resort fee covers tips for concierge staff. We did use this service and staff was always there promptly. "Spa Access" is included with the resort fee, but it's not clear what this includes as spa services are listed as extra cost. To play golf, you have to pay $100 to reserve a tee time and an additional $100 for green fees. The additional $100 Green Fees were not listed anywhere on their website. The course itself was in good shape and had some great scenery from different tee boxes. The resort fee includes things that most hotels already include with their guest such as "Self Parking", Internet Access, and Shuttles. It just felt as though to make use of any of the other amenities, you have to pay extra. We tried the Spotted Donkey Cantina which is a restaurant located on the resort property and the food is mediocre at best for the high prices they charge. All in all the stay was average. I wouldn't really call this a "Resort" as the only thing you can do without spending extra money is swim at the pool.

Manage expectations at the spa. The spa does not recognize Hilton Diamond members and you do not receive your Diamond discounts. Previous visits include the Fairmont, the four seasons, and the Biltmore to name a few. These are definitely a different level properties to be fair. We stayed in room 208, which was a stand alone king Casita overlooking the 5th hole green. The room was well updated with a southwestern vibe with full stone floors throughout. It is a very large property and all cars are parked in a designated area. You can either walk around in the designated pathways or easily call a golf cart ride to take you anywhere. The paths are very nice, well lit and provide awesome views of the 45,000 year old boulders and rock formations. The entire staff was friendly and accommodating. The front desk mgr Shirley was a huge help and went above and beyond. Onto my only complaint about this property, which unfortunately is a big one. The spa area, which includes a pool area, dry and wet sauna and whirlpool is available for use for “all guests” regardless if you’re paying for a treatment or not. That immediately takes away the exclusivity of the area. The entire spa was nice but very basic. If you are looking for a “wow” moment I suggest the Fairmount or the Four Seasons. When I checked in and went to relax in the steam room and whirlpool I noticed there were a few young men in the area engaging in a loud laughing conversation as if it was a high school locker room. Anyone who has ever visited a spa, the sanctity and peace and quiet is not just appreciated, it’s expected. At one point they were actually jumping into the whirlpool behaving like it was spring break. They were so loud I was surprised no one came out to remove them from the facility or a therapist paused their treatment because of the interruption. My entire pre-massage experience was ruined because I had to remove myself from the entire area in order to find some sense of tranquility for what I was paying for because of non paying guests. To conclude, my treatment and therapist was spot on. Jadwika will not disappoint. If you are not getting a spa treatment, you should be fine at this resort, but if one of your objectives is a spa day, I strongly suggest the Fairmount princess or the four seasons, which is in in close proximity. The boulders is relatively away from Scottsdale proper where all the busy hustle and bustle nightlife and restaurants are. So if you’re looking for close things to do, this resort is not it. However, Carefree and Cave Creek is a five minute drive where you were find nice main street shopping and old town Arizona vibe.

The Boulders is not what it used to be. The room I stayed in was musty and the sliding doors could barely open. The bathroom is run down. Time for a rejuvenation and investment to make this a worthwhile stay for their prices.

Stayed 6 nights. Rooms are worn down and need to be refreshed. Screens on sliding doors are difficult to open and close. The shower is super small. Towels are quite worn and ragged as illustrated by picture and we had more than one towel in this condition on different days. Food is average at best, so we ate off property about half the time. Staff is very friendly!!

We stayed here for a week in December! Loved everything about it. The rooms are so nice, we loved the wood burning fireplace and the huge bathroom. The spa building grounds and pool area are amazing. Loved all the wildlife around the resort. My husband especially enjoyed playing golf multiple times. The food was excellent and the staff was so friendly and accommodating! Especially the golf cart drivers getting us around the resort! Highly recommend staying here! Thanks for an amazing vacation!

This property is absolutely beautiful! The views from the top of the boulder are amazing. All the casitas are just adorable. We had so much fun at the resort and in Scottsdale. The staff were so nice and helpful. We enjoyed breakfast each day in the main restaurant, everything was delicious. The spa was relaxing and had lots to offer. So glad we chose this resort vs. a modern standard hotel. It's just picture perfect. I would definitely recommend staying here and would come back myself. Thank you to Maddie, Mel and Jaclyn who were especially great to us during our stay.

Gorgeous place to stay,Staff was extremely friendly and for the most part the employees that carted you around on the golf carts were very friendly.

Amazing property and a short drive from PHX airport. Very friendly staff. Shout-out to Jay, Marcella, Matt, Michael, Erikka, and Alex! Gorgeous views, lovely villa's, great food from 3/4 restaurants and 3/4 pools (also amazing). They weren't kidding calling it "The Boulders", they are everywhere. Even though they were at about 70% capacity in mid October, it seemed like you had the place to yourself. The stars were beautiful, they make sure not to have any excess lighting so you can really experience the night sky. Relaxing, inviting, and worth the stay. The Spa staff was also top notch. Extremely soothing the entire time at The Boulders. I'll definitely visit again.