Marriott’s Shadow Ridge I-The Villages

As owners at this resort we come by weekly to use this beautiful facility. Normally we are greeted with a smile but the last couple times Gabrielle greeted us. Remember she is the first person your guests meet and is the face people will remember. She did not smile either time and was actually making faces and rolling her eyes as she was getting us are pass. Also she was dropping the sign in book and even laughed when an older gentleman asked where the papers were. I worked for the Marriott in the 80s on Marco Island and than went an opened the Ritz in Naples both in food and beverage. I own a Restaurant and painting company and my Girlfriend also owns 2 businesses. This girl would be fired on the spot. Absolutely looked miserable.

This place is great for my boyfriend and I. We wanted a close mini little getaway and because I’ve worked in Rancho mirage this place was down the street and I decided to book us here to check out somewhere new. The rooms are clean, staff is friendly, food is good. We both ate at the chukawala pool for lunch both days. The turkey wrap is good and satisfying, the chicken sandwich and Cobb salad are also great items of you’re looking to satisfy your hunger without leaving the pool. The pool is heated and large enough to accommodate a lot of people where you aren’t getting splashed by kids every 5 feet. As well as there is another pool with like a kids zone so this pool was nice with mostly adults. The drinks were also great. There is an in house bus that will shuttle you around inside the complex and it comes pretty quick to pick you up from your room.

So…
Not sure what I was expecting here. Our guest room was nice enough but seemed to just fall short of Marriott standards. This was our first time staying in a Vacation Club and it was more like a motel with outside entrances. Our room in bldg 1300 was a little tricky to find in the dark and for whatever reason the headboard on the bed was absurdly high and blocked an over the bed window. It was just aesthetically odd but the bed was comfortable.
Same odd set up in the bathroom with the vanity smack up against the oversized tub requiring you to get in on the end where the faucet was… just odd. Hot water was strong but took a while to get there which is always a bit disconcerting in these drought conditions.
Nicely appointed guestroom although the pool towels and other items on the small table for two felt rather cramped. Why not leave them in the closet or in the under vanity space in the bathroom.
Our view was of the golf course but only if you stepped out onto the balcony to see around the corner. Otherwise it was a parking lot view. We didn’t mind because we were not in the room that much but perhaps the reservation might indicate partial view for those who care. Best bet is a back unit with unparalleled views of the snow capped mountains with palm trees in the foreground. Stunning.
Pool area is nice with many chairs. Grounds are beautifully kept with outstanding examples of native plants well xeriscaped.
Highlight for us was the service provided by Berto on our last night there. He was very courteous and helpful with the menu. Our meals were scorching hot and very delicious. Had the penne pasta in the Asiago sauce with shrimp. Huge portion. Really tasty. My husband had the beef with veg instead of potatoes which they kindly accommodated. Great homemade apple cobbler for dessert. Thanks Berto! Well done.
Free in room movie was a nice touch. 10 am check out is a bit early but it gave us a little extra time to get home.
One note. The materials they provide at check in indicate there is no housekeeping so I made the bed and hung up the towels before we left the room thinking no one would be in. When we got back both the towels and the amenities had been replaced. Odd.
I will say the brand of soap and shampoo is among the best I’ve ever used at a Marriott anywhere ever!
Free parking and free strong signal wifi is a nice bennie as well.
Good and not so good here. Maybe needs some updating in some regards but overall a nice get away for a few days.

We really enjoyed our stay here. We were in a 2 bedroom unit in The Villages on the top floor with a great view of the golf course and lake. We were fortunate to get a unit that was just deep cleaned (carpeting and upholstery) and it made our stay very pleasant. Great wifi. We were located in a quiet area near the serenity pool which we really appreciated. The patio was very large. We spent lots of time in the evening just soaking in the beautiful desert setting. Check in was smooth and easy. Nice lobby and small market. There were a few mechanical items that needed fixing but were taken care of right away. Can’t wait for our next stay!

If you are a time share owner, I recommend the Shadow Ridge. It was pretty awesome, especially for a family.
We stayed in a 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo on the third floor of the 2200 building which is right in the middle of the property. The condo is great… the only bummer is no HDTV (they need to upgrade) and the carpet could be upgraded, but other than that it was great. Beds are very comfortable. It is set up nice and the kitchen is perfect.
Pools. There are at least 5. In the villages, there is one that is by itself near the tennis courts. The main pools include one for adults and one family pool which has a little water part and a slide for kids. There is also a grill and bar there too. The Enclaves pool has a big water park and two pools (one for kids one for adults). All the pools are well heated to a comfortable temp.
The activity center for kids has a movie theater, arcade, Wii games and crafts (for an additional fee). My kids loved it. They also did the Kids NIght In and had a blast ($ 45 for two kids from 6−9pm).
My hubs played golf which is quite expensive for this course but it is the middle of golf season so to be expected. He said the course was beautiful.
There are lots of roads to do runs or bike rides, we did both. Also the restaurant is fine but closes early at 8.
Overall I would really recommend this facility. It’s great.

Beautiful resort that is perfect to go in a big group or with family!
I came here few weeks ago with my friends and didn’t expect much but wow! It was so nice that we planned on coming back here as soon as we arrived.
We got the two bedroom 2 baths villa and got a very nice corner room with a lot of privacy. Once we got there, first thing I noticed was how beautiful the villa was! Our room floor plan was also perfect for our group that we thoroughly enjoyed our stay from the beginning to the end.
Now, let’s talk about the kitchen! It was a very nice sized kitchen that was fully stocked! If anything, all you need is some oil and other condiments, because they even have tiny salt & pepper. You also don’t need to bring any cleaning supplies.
They also really listened to our requests for extra towels and supplies which I thought was a nice touch too the whole booking process.
And that view outside! We were overlooking a very nice green outside which made us want to golf in peace by visiting again.
Right outside, there are BBQ grills with nice tables to cook off some meat and we enjoyed all of this with no one else around.
Our villa was quite far from their main pool but once we got there, we really enjoyed their many jacuzzis & empty pool!
Because I only stayed for one night, I didn’t get to fully experience other amenities, but they also have basketball court and other cute areas all around which was overall very kid-​friendly.
I definitely plan on coming back here for a nice relaxing getaway.

I would have given the resort 5 stars had it not been for the dirty room we had. The studio was small and the carpet and floor were filthy. I blame myself for not going to the office and complain but my wife did not want to pack our suitcases again since we were there for a week.
We spilled some water on the kitchen floor and when we cleaned it up, the napkin was black.
As to the carpeting, it is brown in color so we did not really notice till the next day. My white socks were black from the dirt on the carpeting. Suggest you check these items when you stay. We travel a lot and I am so surprised myself that we did not follow up but I did tell them the situation when we left two days early.
The resort itself is beautiful and the staff very friendly and helpful.
Did not see to many children and did not see play areas for children. The pool is the only play area but some kids (6 and under) are to loud for most guest.

Dangerous pool.
Poor customer service.
Dull and boring place for family with kids.

The resort is nice for those of you who likes to travel with kids lke myself.
I usually don’t leave comments, but this time I feel like I have to.
For those of you who gets timeshare offers, do NOT purchase the timeshare.
It is not worth a dime!
I unfortunately was too naïve and believed the sales rep’s sheer lie and fell for it and now I’m stuck with it. The reason I’m writing this review is to hope that this kind of incident will not ever happen again. I did file a complaint to BBB for their sales practice, and I wanted to make sure that everybody, I mean EVERYBODY gets informed of this before they think about purchasing timeshare.
Once again, purchsing timeshare is not worth a dime. Reason? The price that you pay to stay at shawdow ridge villages vs. the cost of the timeshare. Price that you pay to stay at shawdow ridge is much cheaper and you don’t have to be committed to anything. Their point system is very tricky.
As per Sales rep, the points that are required to book a vacation between seasons may vary a bit. A bit? Who on earth says a %1000 increase a bit? And on weekends it’s about 200% increase, and they call it a slight increase. Also they didn’t show you the exact charts although it is available at each location.
I 1^st called sales rep to find out what the hell was happening. The sales response was «I don’t know what you are talking about?» manner. So I filed with BBB and their response was same. «You signed it, you are stuck with it. Our sales says otherwise, so we have nothing to worry about.»
I just hope this kind of misfortune doesn’t happen ever again.

The Marriott Shadow Ridge is all about setting expectations.
Do not expect Palm Springs, because you are not within a close cab or über ride.
Do not expect anything boutique or stylish, because this is strictly a family joint.
Did not expect late-​night revelry because… well, see above.
That said, if you are traveling with the child or are somebody that enjoys self-​contained traveling — this is your spot.
There are six pools, three bar & grills, and friendly staff willing to drive you around the enormous complex on their golf carts. There is a small amenities store, large enough to contain he necessities for cooking your own meal, which you will be inclined to do it if you’re staying for a weekend. The rooms have balconies and some even have views of the golf course. They also come equipped with a kitchen because, I believe, these are really meant to be timeshare properties.
Again, I want to be clear this is a positive, if not beaming, review. If you have children, this place is great. If you are looking for young adult fun, this is not your spot. So set those expectations properly.

Stayed here last week as we have previously stayed at the Enclaves, and I must say that our experience was even better than before. We arrived on thursday afternoon after a two plus hour drive with two kids hoping that they would take pity on us. Boy did they. Sure it’s midweek and off season, but the front desk was very accomodating and allowed us to check in just after 1pm, when regular check in is 4pm. We asked for a room near the family pool. No problem. We asked for third floor. No problem. We asked for mountain views. No problem-​o. We were surprised to find out that these units also have balconies, which our prior unit at the enclaves did not. I had it all planned out in my head, chill on the balcony with my special lady and a nice cigar, a nice cocktail. Not so fast. There is a sign on the door to the balcony that there is no smoking allowed on the balconies, or else face a $ 250 fine. No huge deal since it rained at the two nights we were there. Oh well, not a deal breaker. The room was very nice, and of course the Enclaves are nicer, this room was nothing to be disappointed about. The bed was soo nice and comfy. And the pillows, my gosh the pillows. They were like sleeping on a cloud. The room was overall pretty well appointed with a large flat screen tv, the kind I wouldn’t mind having at home myself. The fridge was small but still big enough for takeout leftovers, snacks and beer. The room has a sofa bed, which, dare I say, was actually comfortable cuz of the memory foam mattress. The resort is big but well spread out so it doesn’t seem as if you are all on top of each other. The pool was right around the corner from our unit and was very easy to get to. The activity center was also there and they offer all kinds of things for families to do from pottery painting, make your own stuffed animals to watching movies. Everyone is so friendly and the staff always says hello. This is my home away from home.

This year we decided to do vacation on the cheap and stayed in-​state and booked Marriott’s Shadow Ridge — The Villages off season (after July 4^th) in the blazing heat. Our kids are still young enough that going to a pool is a huge deal, so that’s pretty much what we did on this vacation and it was one of the best vacations I’ve taken in a LONG time!
Took us just under 2 hours to arrive here from the Los Angeles area and we’re so glad we chose to stay here. Unlike a lot of these resorts, the parking lots are in between all the buildings and the golf course surrounds the whole outside of the complex which makes for wonderful views out of the suites/​villas/​rooms (whatever you stayed in.) We were in a one bedroom villa. It was a wonderful size for the 4 of us. The kids were happy to sleep on the pullout couch and the wife and I enjoyed the big king sized bed. It’s not really meant for more than 4 people, so I’d recommend they reduce the dining room table as it sat 8 and we looked kind of silly all lumped on side of the table. I’m guessing it’s because we had an adjoining room beside us, but still odd. Kitchen is also a tad small, but we made it work and prepped all of our meals here (there’s a Costco and Wal-​Mart in Palm Dessert and a Winco in Indio if you want to get cheaper groceries)
The pools were okay. It would have been nice to have one that started out shallow and went deeper instead of either the kid’s splash pool or the 4ft deep pool. My 5 year old felt silly in the splash pool, but a little overwhelmed in the big pool. Waterslide was great and there was one operator at the top who did a fantastic job, talking to the kids and asking them questions. She was super friendly and I really appreciated her energy. Wish I could remember her name!
Everything is pretty spread out which isn’t great in the July heat, but I drove to the fitness center a few times and ran. It’s a nice gym with a really big locker room. I’d probably reduce that and increase the size of the gym.
We listened to the vacation club presentation and they were pretty close to having us sign on the dotted line, but if you have a young family and are choosing between a home and vacation clubs, go with a home! We researched the reviews of the vacation club and everyone says to stay away and that it’s not as easy to book the villas where you want like they claim. That’s just my two cents.
I got a great deal on our week staying here due to a promotion I saw at work so I recommend looking for that. It’s pretty pricy, but if you can get a deal, it’s really worth coming to. We had a great time here and plan to come again.

We stayed here 3 nights after the Labor Day weekend so it was so peaceful at the Villas. No, we’re not owners, unfortunately. Wonderful property, three huge pool areas, and the rooms are amazing. Because it was such a hot weekend and it was after school started for everybody else, there weren’t many people. That was nice. I know we couldn’t get replacement pool towels unless we paid extra so we threw them in the wash that was in our room, but it was pretty easy. Filling up the fridge was easy too. There’s Costco, and then there’s some organic market too nearby. Otherwise there’s Marriott’s marketplace if you really have no where else you can get food but they’re pricey. Had a great memorable time!

I had to downgrade my rating because Julian, who is the manager, is not willing to help guests at all. My mom paid for a villa but was given a standard room. Julian told her she was in a villa, but a villa was supposed to have a full kitchen… how do I know this, because I Paid for a villa and I am IN A VILLA. We both ordered the same room but she has one without a full kitchen and I have a full kitchen. Veronica tried to be helpful and asked us for our receipt so she can compare, but Julian was not willing to give at all.
This is our 3^rd year in a row spending a week here with my mom and this is the first time we had a problem. Just know that if they happen to get your room right, you will probably have a great time. But if they happen to get your room wrong, well, your gonna be out of luck!

Our entire family has time at both shadow ridge and the villas by the JW Marriott. All of us have been owners for years. Marriott hold very high standards for both team members be it house cleaning staff to maintenance team, quality and consistency it’s a huge plus in my books. Marriott always falls well above stands in every single way. If you are in distance a team member they will smile, wave or say hello. This not only applies to the time shares, but to the hotels. It’s few and far between you find this type of friendliness. Which is why we have been with them so long. customer service and patron satisfaction is top notch there. Great job Marriott, see you at Christmas!

We just finished a week-​long stay at Shadow Ridge I, and overall were very pleased. The other reviews here are insufficiently positive; this is a really good family escape, especially for Los Angeles and San Diego families.
ROOM The room was fantastic. We had a 2-​bedroom suite, and it was huge. There were two full bedrooms, each with a king bed plus more. One had a soaking tub, the other had a sofa/​sofa-​bed area. The two were then connected by a common kitchen, dining room area, and another sofa/​sitting area (the sofa was a sofa-​bed too). Our family of five was extremely comfortable, both for sleeping (the sofas and the beds were both great) and for hanging out.
WEATHER The temperatures were 100 – 120, which is hot, but the heat was not a problem. We spent most of our time in the pools, where the heat did not bother us one bit. And in the core of the day (say 12 – 2) we would go back inside into the AC and watch a family movie. (Indeed, bring an HDMI cord so that you can hook your computer directly to their flat-​screen TVs, and you can then stream anything and enjoy it from the sofas, the beds, etc.)
ACTIVITIES Here the resort could do more, and at low cost. (Maybe this is a point that can be improved for next year?) The movie theater is fun and offers 5 – 6 recent movies each day, without repetition. That’s great and feels really generous and well-​done. But the arts-​and-​crafts are by comparison pretty lame. A couple are ridiculously priced — the movies are free, but to tie-​dye a shirt costs $ 15? — and there are just too few good ones. This strikes me as something that would be easily improved, as there are many college-​aged employees who might be able to step into the activities center for an hour each day and lead something cool for the kids to do. (The only event my kids liked? We made lightsabers out of swimming pool noodles; really cool.)
FOOD We had the pool-​side food once (okay) and went to local restaurants otherwise (hit or miss, though the kids loved the IHOP). Watch out for the fact that almost everything closes by 9pm in Palm Desert, even the pizza places! We also cooked in the room a few times, and there are grills if you stay at Ridge II (the other half of the resort, which seems pretty similar.)
MAID/​UPKEEP Here, the resort should simply communicate more clearly what is and is not included. My family was always unsure about whether we were about to be charged for extra services. I think the rule is that you launder your own pool towels (there is a washer in the room, and a dryer, and it is all easy and nice) but I still am not sure if we would be charged for them to launder the regular towels, pick up the room, etc. This is just something that the resort needs to explain more cleanly up-​front; whatever it is, it’s fine. We really didn’t need any maid-​like help, as we were very happy to wash our towels and swimsuits in the in-​room laundry each evening, and beyond that were in great shape. Hotels are silly when they wash bedding and towels every day; it’s just a waste.
SERVICE The staff was very good. We had a maintenance issue that they somehow forgot to help with — we called, but they never came — but the important stuff they did great. We wanted to extend our stay by one night, for instance, and the manager was awesome at making sure we got to stay in the same room, at the same rate. We checked in early, too, getting to the room at 1 instead of 4. So, no complaints here.
PHONES/​INTERNET. Internet is great; good fast signal in the room, and at no charge. We streamed movies without any trouble. The phone system is annoying, however, because the resort constantly (at least once per day) leaves messages trying to sell you a future trip, or a golf lesson, or whatever, and then you have to waste a few minutes calling the operator, asking to hear your messages, getting connected, and then listening and deleting. (Yes, you can’t directly check messages; you have to ask the operator to connect you.) The resort probably should just stop leaving messages for guests, or doing it in a little note under the door. The flashing red lights get annoying, and you have to check the messages in case something important is mixed in.
OVERALL We had a great week and really enjoyed the resort. The pools are numerous and big and clean. The slide is just right for the kids (my three under-​10s all loved it) and there were tons of places to walk, sit, and relax. And the room is perfect for a family adventure that still allows Mom and Dad to have some quiet time once the monsters are fast asleep. Well done, Marriott. We’ll try other Marriott Vacation Club properties for sure.

Marriott’s shadow ridge is a great place for family and friends. We stayed in the 2 bedroom villa. 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 balconies, living room and a kitchen with washer and dryer inside the unit. It was more then spacious and we were fortunate enough to be near the main pool and playground. The staff was also very accommodating. We had a golf course view outside from our balcony and it is down the street from all the shopping centers. If you’re looking for a place to take the kids or relax with some friends this is definitely a place you would want to consider.

We booked our one night stay thru Orbitz, failing to realize until half way to the resort (driving from San Diego) that the hotel check out time is 10am. Ugh, that wasn’t going to work for our travel plans, so we were planning to request a late check out upon arrival.
We were greeted by the man at the front desk with «well, you’re already checked in! You’re VIPs!» We had no idea what he was talking about, but they had our keys and everything ready so we were psyched! We stood there while they checked in our (non VIP !?!) friends. They were able to place our friends in a room close to ours (yay)! And when they asked for a late check out, they were immediately granted a 1pm departure! So I asked for one too, and was turned down (wait, but I’m a VIP?,). It was weird and kinda rude, but whatever. I called and asked the next morning and they gave us only until 11.
The rooms are nice (my «non VIP» friends were on the 2^nd floor with a view. We were on the 1^st floor, with a view of a bush. Very VIP???)They are well equipped and comfortable. There’s a lot to do and I wish we could have stayed longer to take advantage of more than the pool and slide. We have a 7 yr old who would love the kid stuff! Also– I wish the bar/​grill at the pool opened earlier. 11 is too late.
My Inlaws live in PD, so we visit a lot and try out a bunch of different hotels/​resorts, and we’ve started looking into timeshares. So far, I’d take the Westin (which is close by to this) over this one, but I would try this one again and stay a little longer to see what their service is really like. (P.s. The housekeeping staff is awesome. Almost everyone I passed today wished me a happy Mothers Day). :-)

This was a good place to stay for Coachella. I really liked the fact that they had a shuttle directly to the event. The room was nice and clean. There are tons of pools to hang out in and sunbathe near. The restaurant on the property is decent. I thought it was kind of lame that they didn’t provide hot breakfast. or at least continental breakfast considering that we paid $ 400/​night during Coachella. The staff was all super friendly and said hello, asked how your day was, etc.
I would stay again if in the Palm Springs area.

Being an owner at Marriott’s Desert Springs Villas II in Palm Desert, I utilized my week of 2014 as the split option and traded my smaller unit lock out for the two bedroom unit here for Christmas week. Check in was effortless on a Sunday evening and the two bedroom fully furnished villa was located on the second floor with a golf course green view.
This was my first time staying here Christmas week and the vacation club was nearly at capacity and even the fitness center was the busiest I’ve ever encountered. The weather was perfect and the two bedroom and fully equipped kitchen was perfect for me to prepare and host Christmas dinner for my guests who stayed for three nights in the guest bedroom. The unit also included a washer and dryer which was nice so we could pack light for the trip and was just an hour and a half drive from my residence in Whittier.
We played golf three of our 7 days here and shopped one day on the Rodeo Drive of Coachella Valley — El Paseo where Saks Fith Avenue, Apple, Lululemon, Williams Sonama, Louie Vuitton, Tevanna, Anthropology and many additional retail stores are located. A newly added Whole Foods and Nordstrom Rack is minutes south of El Paseo along with the Westfield Mall for additional shopping. The Coachella Valley has other options like hiking, museums and a Tram that goes 8500 feet elevation into the San Jacinto mountains. This resort has plenty to do if your party has kids with daily activities, pools, fitness center and a Nick Faldo golf course onsite.
I’ll definitely will be returning for a business trip, personal getaway or trade my week again for this location in the future.