Amara Resort and Spa - Sedona, Arizona

Alfredo Cano

just changed my review to 4 ☆ after receiving good feedback from
the hotel. They have outstanding customer service.
I will give an overall 3 stars. Service 5 stars. very nice and professional staff. As for a resort that is over $500 a night I think it's overpriced. Hallways are old and it's called a SPA and resort. But unless you do a massage the gym and spa is very small. Basically not enough amenities. Had a yoga class. very nice. the instructor it's only available once a week. I recommend having him every day at charge if hotel can't afford it

Crystal Klees

Location was spot on, we didn't realize it was right downtown. Very convenient to everything including groceries and hikes. The rooms are nice, nothing spectacular but clean and comfy. Food was very good for both breakfast and dinner we ordered a little of everything. Valet was a breeze always had our vehicle ready. We also received spa treatments. Shout out to Sam she was great, spa amenities are very minimal it was nice to get away and just relax. Even though you are downtown the pool and patio area feel very remote. We hiked cathedral rock and subway cave. Both were within 20mins to park. Again great location, all staff was friendly and helpful. We felt it was worth the cost!

C D

Had a great stay at the resort. The staff went out of their way to make it a great experience. The grounds are beautiful. Loved the golf cart aero to get you around the resort. Great food options as well! Special thanks to Karly for making us feel welcomed! Would highly recommend.

James H

Amara has a unique location, very near all of the Uptown activity but also right on Oak Creek with those red rocks visible from most places in the resort. It’s got a unique U- shaped room and lobby layout with restaurant, relaxing green area and pool/jacuzzi in the middle of the U, leading down to the far infinity pool edge directly overlooking Oak Creek. We found the services to be very attentive and the restaurant was very beautifully appointed with those red rock views and a very innovative Southwester/Mexican menu. Our room was nice size with a very comfy bed and nicely appointed bath. It’s a midsize boutique hotel and not cheap but given its location and quality, worth it!!

Snow Mazina

Our stay at Amara was nothing short of exceptional! From the moment we checked in, the staff’s dedication to detail was evident. The valet, front desk, and housekeeping teams were all incredibly professional and went the extra mile to make sure our stay was perfect. They truly embody what 5-star customer service should be.
The food and drinks were absolutely delicious, adding to the overall enjoyment of our stay. The amenities, especially the pool, were top-notch and contributed to the luxurious ambiance. The view from the hotel was simply breathtaking. After such a memorable experience, I can't see myself staying anywhere else when I'm in the area. Highly recommended!

John Durham

The Spa itself is honestly a joke. When you first enter the locker rooms, it's incredibly outdated, things discolored, broken. The stream room is truly unacceptable -- in order to add eucalyptus to the steam room, they give you a spray bottle that you yourself have to spray to create the fragrance, which is ridiculous for a spa that touts itself at its level of caliber. The steam room also wasn't sufficiently hot to produce an adequate effect. Then when I went to take a shower, there are two showers in the spa men's room -- one was entirely broken and the knob fell on the floor; the other shower was essentially what you'd expect in a hospital shower -- really lousy, depressing experience.

Then, when we were waiting for our massages, the snack area was deplete, the spa water was being depleted by employees coming out in between, speaking loudly, laughing, giggling, all around customers who are trying to enjoy the experience and paying way too much money for it. The staff's behavior was quite rude during this time and ruining the experience. Also, the snacks themselves are essentially little bags that look like they're from a grocery story with nuts in them. There's nothing elegant, tasteful, or spa-related about them. There is also no hydromassage at the Spa and no other types of treatment -- it's essentially a locker room with a half working steam room plus the massage rooms, so not really much of a luxurious "Spa."

The massage itself was OK but I was charged a supplemental charge to make it "deep tissue," and the masseuse barely went deep at all. The environment of the massage room as well was inadequate. The tables aren't heated, the blankets are cold, the ambiance is just all off. It was uncomfortable from the get go.

At the end of the massage, I was told I was going to be charged a 22% tip on a $300 massage. Honestly, I am all for tipping staff and love to tip generously, but 22% on $300 is unreasonable and substantial. I would probably have still given $30-40, but being charged almost $70 (!!!!) JUST for the tip - come on, that is really crazy. To add insult to injury, the experience was poor, the service was poor, and I had asked if I could select my own quantity for tip but they demanded that this is policy and this is something I HAVE TO pay. It was uncomfortable in the moment in the lobby, so I tried to work it out by disputing the charge with my credit card later, and even then they wouldn't budge. I don't understand - I did not authorize or agree to them tipping that much. They said I agreed to it before the massage when it was being booked, but I never booked it - someone else did and they consented to that charge. If they want to get every client's consent for a 22% charge, they should either reach out to each client on each reservation ahead of time to get their consent to their terms and service charge, or they can get their client's consent on the day of the massage before starting. It just seems dishonest and the entire experience left a very bitter taste in my mouth.

Of note, I travel the world and get massages everywhere I go, and this was both one of the most expensive massages that also turned out to be the worst experience I've had in a spa. Would never go back.

Parneet K

Lydia was the kindest waitress. She was very thoughtful and always tended to our needs. Excellent service! She took our photos and always brought us coffee. Made excellent suggestions and the food was very tasty. Waffles were the best we have had ever!

Fonzie Diaz

We came here for one night and really enjoyed our stay. The rooms are very comfortable and I can say the bed was amazing because I slept really great. The service was what excellent and what you would expect at a luxury resort like this. I would definitely stay here again and highly recommend it. The restaurant attached is also amazing as well so everything is right outside your room.