Westin Kierland

Westin Kierland in Scottsdale, AZ was wonderful! The kids had so much fun with the kids camp and kid friendly activities. The hit of the week was 'Kids in the Kitchen". My children donned aprons and chefs hats and used the hotel's commercial kitchen to make cookies as "big as their face". There was a nominal fee for this activity. This program gave my husband and I some adult time to explore the beautiful hotel.Kids Camp was fun for this kids. Located in a converted hotel room, the Kids Camp had a lot of toys and activities to keep my kids entertained for the day. Animals to pet, arts and crafts, bins of legos and train tracks, my children seem happy and exhausted by pick up. Price was $80 per child for full day, including lunch and snacks.

While Kids Camp and Kids in the Kitchen cost money, there are plenty of Family Fun activites that do not cost money. Two big hits were the Kierland Scavenger Hunt and petting zoo. At check in kids receive Kierland Passports and a map of the hotel. The kids are encouraged to follow the map and collect stamps and pins on their passport. This was a great way to see the entire hotel and get acquainted with the hotel layout.

The Petting Zoo was so fun for us as a family. Well, except the python. I hate snakes. . . A fun one hour show and tell from the Phoenix Zoo, several animals including a hedgehog, hawk, hissing cockroach and python made an appearance. Also in the evening, a Scottish Bagpiper plays during sunset and complimentary s'mores are roasted in the firepits.

Let's not forget the big highlight of the Westin- the pool! The pool has a water slide, lazy river and shallow kids area. During our spring break, there were many free activities around the pool including volleyball and limbo. There is a kids menu (quesadillas, chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, etc.) with enough variety for a 5 night stay. Food can add up quickly though, especially with eating out every meal. Another nice touch was the store located at the front of the pool. Upon showing your key to get in to the pool, there is a store with pool necessities for parents. Water wings, intertubes, and sunscreen, and other emergency item are for sale at a mark up. You can always drive across the street to the grocery store and save a few dollars.

Rooms were nice and basic- your typical hotel room with two double beds, double vanity and separate shower, toilet and bathtub. It was a sweet surprise to see our kids names in the bathtub as a warm welcome. Overall, this was a wonderful family friendly vacation. I loved having family time and adult time. The Westin Kierland has so many family focused activities for all ages, a wide variety of restaurants, a fun pool, and a lively bar for the adults. We will definitely visit again!