Agave – The Arizona Spa

I had such high hopes for this spa. Unfortunately I was disappointed. Imagine your untrained friend gently rubbing ur skin in a variety of areas briefly. That’s what you can expect from this spa. I have had better massages at massage envy. I was so disappointed. The spa atmosphere is great but the quality was poor. Which is so disappointing. After contacting management about my poor experience. They offered to give me 50% off of my next service to try them again. So low class. They want you to spend additional money for them to rectify their situation. No thank you. There are so many other spa options in the valley no need to go here. Save your money!

Went there for a roller massage, and Natasa was my massage therapist. It is a combination of hot stones and massage. Since I had had a hot stone massage in the past, albeit it was a good massage, the therapist spent a lot of time walking back and forth to the hot stone container, and I thought it was a waste of time since it was taking away from my session and I was paying her to do that. This time, Natasa had the hot stone pot within reach, and no walking back and forth to get stones. She applied the right amount of pressure and the use of the stones combined with the massage was oh, so relaxing. It was so relaxing, I caught myself falling asleep a few times. Too relaxed or too tired? Don’t know. All I know is I was sorry to have my session end. Patrons are able to use the rest of the spa facilities while there, which consists of a gym, hot tub, steam room, both wet and dry, showers, etc. I relaxed a bit after my massage with a cup of tea and a magazine. I could not linger too long since it was a work day. I would LOVE to return. Perhaps Natasa will still be there.

Yes, it was a terrific massage at the spa and do plan to enjoy all of the spa facilities. I arrived early and stayed late for my 10 am massage. Jessica was superb applying the right amount of pressure to work out the stress knots in my upper back. The staff were hospitable and the use of the adult pool with the sauna and steam room added positively to the experience.
Go if you have the chance and enjoy!

Would not go back! I am someone who gets frequent massages for health reasons and visits luxury spas a few times a year for an occassion. After my experience on Friday — i give the Agave a thumbs down. It seemed to be pretty busy day at the spa but from my experience walking in– I was not impressed. The front desk staff seemed disorganized and scattered — it took minutes to receive service from the locker room attendant. The robe looked like a cat had clawed it and towels are worn down. The massage was mediocre. Lunch service at the pool seemed to be an inconvenience to the staff and payment credit card needed immediately upon ordering. Food came out relatively quickly — I am sure a pre-​made salad –then it was impossible to find the server to get my credit card back. Very disappointed in my experience — go at own risk — there are plenty of other resorts and places to get a massage other than here.

I really really wanted to like this place but it was just ok. The spa area is fairly small and just ok. I do enjoy looking at magazines while Im lounging around and they had nothing great. The person who gave me the message was just ok. Now some positive notes. The place was clean and their steam room was set on a perfect temperature which is pretty hard to do. The thing that just made me almost contact the manager to complain was when I was about to leave they automatically added a 20% tip to my bill. I thought that is my decision on tipping what I feel the service I was worth. I guess this place is mandatory 20%. Scottsdale is full of spas. I will be checking out other places.

I had the Signature Agave massage, 50 minutes of bliss. Michelle was my therapist, she is amazing. It was probably the best massage I’ve ever had. The spa was very nice, cucumber water, tea and lemonade available all day. I took advantage of the sauna, steam room and jetted tub too. A lovely morning at the Kierland Westin.

I will start off this review by stating that I do not frequent spas. I have been to two spas for a total of two times, so I am no connoisseur. Both times have been couples massages with my girlfriend, wherein we have undergone treatments and regular use of facilities. What I do consider myself very seasoned in, however, is customer service and analyzing operations, as I would hope my reviews would reverberate.
This day was a very special day, as is any day that begins with me at a spa. We were celebrating my girlfriend’s birthday, and a daylong spa adventure was just what we needed.
We arrived promptly at 9:30am for our 10am massages, and were greeted by a few very cheerful spa staff, who, with my quick mention while making the reservations a week ago, wished my girlfriend a happy birthday, and we were on our way to our respective locker rooms. I received the quick rundown of the facilities by a very professional gentleman who appeared to be one of the managers. It was 9:35am and it was time for pleasure.
I quickly slipped into something more relaxing and explored the facilities. The inviting hot tub with a very picturesque desert mural adorning the wall set my spa adventure in motion. I exited the healing waters before I got too wrinkly, and walked a few short steps to the large vacant steam room. With each breath I became more relaxed. Inhaling the hot steam, exhaling the accumulation of toxins from my lungs, and best of all, not having a glimmer of thought about work – the ultimate relaxation. After the beading turned into profuse perspiration, I rinsed off in one of the multiple waterfall showers, and relaxed in the room, where I turned on Pioneer Woman and waited for my massage therapist, drinking organic limeade, and wishing I had time to cook brisket like Ree Drummond.
My massage went just as expected, and I emerged a much more tenderized version of myself, primed for some grill marks in the late afternoon Arizona sun. We retired to our respective locker rooms, and again I went through the hot tub and steam room routine as I chugged the cucumber-​infused water. I was disappointed there wasn’t a private pool specifically for spa patrons. The Hyatt Regency Gainey Ranch has a FABULOUS private mineral pool, which holds a competitive advantage over the Agave Spa. Nevertheless, we walked across the sidewalk to the ‘adult pool’, adjacent to the Kierland pool complex, and were immediately greeted by some highly attentive staff members. I believe Chris was our attendant, and he did a wonderful job in ensuring we were both properly hydrated, with our Long Islands and Mojitos never running out. He was very professional in his speech, and overhearing him converse with his colleagues, he seemed to be a team player. Kudos to him.
The ‘adult pool’ left a lot to be desired. It was really just a hole in the ground. No waterfalls, no swim-​up bar, no cool grotto areas. Just plain. Again, a far reach from the facilities at the Hyatt Regency Gainey Ranch, but the service in this area was its saving grace.
After a few drinks and some nap time, we eventually made our way to the pool complex complete with a lazy river and slide. Again, service here was great and Leslie was very quick to assist us with whatever we needed. Consider adding french fries as an automatic side for the cheeseburger. I can imagine 90% of your customers wonder where the fries are when their cheeseburger arrives. The facilities were fun, and the lazy river was a nice touch as well!
In conclusion, the spa facilities are very good, but the service helps to carry the Agave Spa as a contender for top spas in the Valley. Please send my regards to the aforementioned associates who helped make our day highly enjoyable.

I’ve been to this spa several times and it’s usually a good experience. Today’s was not my best. I decided the night before to schedule a massage for Sunday. Knowing that the reservation desk was probably closed, I made my reservation online for an 80-​minute signature massage. The process took a little while to set up an account, select my service, then enter my cc number. But I got it all done and the box said «service confirmed» with a confirmation number, though it did say that the email confirmation had failed.
Today I arrived 25 minutes early only to find they don’t have any reservation for me! I told the attendant that I had made the reservation online and had a confirmation number. Still nothing– though she did say, «oh, we have a new computer system and they don’t talk to each other.» What?! Why in the world would you keep a reservation page up knowing that it doesn’t work? She did apologize and said she would speak to her manager right away. In the end, they could get me in for a 50 min massage at the same time but no 80-​min til several hours later. I grudgingly accepted the 50-​min.
My therapist ran about 10 min late and apologized profusely assuring me that she’d take the appt the entire 50 minutes. I enjoyed the massage by Melissa, who was very good and accommodated my preferences. Afterwards, I had the sauna and Jacuzzi to myself.
When I went to check out, the original attendant wasn’t there. I would have hoped for a discount on a future treatment (that would bring me back) or at the very least, an acknowledgment of their error and an update on the conversation with the manager. Nothing. All in all, it was a subpar performance by a facility that is usually much better. But at the price resorts charge for services, I want an exceptional experience. There are lots of choices in Scottsdale!

I visit this spa often and have always enjoyed it. The amenities and therapists are great. However on my last visit I ran into a few problems which will cause me to reconsider returning.
First, I usually go to the adult pool in between treatments to get some lunch. On this visit, the service was terrible. I couldn’t get the server to even bring me a menu. After waiting 20 minutes and still not being acknowledged, I realized I was running out of time and had to go to the coffee shop in the lobby to get a quick bite.
Next, I had the moor mud wrap treatment, which was amazing. My therapist was top notch and extremely thorough and professional. However, the shower water was cold. Cold. He let it run for at least 5 minutes but it would not warm up. He apologized profusely even though it was clearly not his fault, but I was still stuck with a cold shower — unacceptable.
Finally, during my massage after the mud wrap, some of the other employees were in the room next to my treatment room, and it sounded like they were having a party… laughing, hollering, having a great time, all of which I could hear plainly through the wall while I was trying to relax and enjoy my $ 200+ treatment.
Sadly, while the therapists were amazing, my experience at Agave on my last visit was sub-​par. I expect better when I’m paying several hundred dollars for a spa day. Next time I will try a different resort.

A got a Groupon gift for this spa. Either a massage or glycolic acid facial with a mimosa. I called the day before, got a noon appointment for the next day, but they asked that I arrive at 11:30AM. I wondered about that because after all this was not a doctor’s appointment where you need time to fill out the paper work. I arrived at 11:25AM and there were several people (some guests of the hotel) in a line either paying or ordering their services. A young gentleman came around from behind the desk and asked me to write my name on a roster. I was called in almost immediately and shown around by a nice young lady who indicated that I could partake of the steam room, sauna, hot tub, etc. I was not going to be doing that today only my facial. So basically I sat in a lounge area and waited 30 minutes for my facial. Could that have been the reason they told me to come in 30 minutes earlier than my appointment? I certainly could have partaken of the services AFTER the facial so I don’t get the wasted 30 minutes. BTW, there were refreshments such as ice tea, lemonade, etc. Very nice. Never got my mimosa though.
I opted for the glycolic acid peel (5%) which involved much more than that. There was a wonderful treatment of the décolleté as well as an intensive hand treatment which warm creams and heated gloves. Totally enjoyed that. The glycolic acid treatment tingled just a tad and it was great. My facialist was nothing short of amazing and there is no question that I will be back for a more intense glycolic facial. I really liked her.
When I got home, washed my hair and put on makeup, my skin looked great or at least I thought it did. Isn’t that what counts?
(Taking away one star for the unnecessary 30 minutes and for skimping out on the mimosa. Come to think of it, it could probably would have made the wait seem shorter)

The service was amazing! The level of effort to make customers happy was impeccable!

Salon hair services have become mediocre at this great resort. I will start by saying that I have been going to Agave Spa for at least the last 4 years for haircut and highlights. I have always received nothing but awesome service. However, for the last year, it appears their good employees are not there anymore. Not sure if management has changed, but how the place is managed is reminiscent of a strip mall joint, from the incompetency of booking an appointment, the ineptitude of the technicians, and the inability to provide good customer service.
My last experience about 4 months ago was just OK. Not great color (she kind of messed it up), but somewhat fixed it and gave me a good hair cut. Came back second week of Dec 2014 at a futile attempt to get my highlights back on track and a haircut. First of all, they booked my appointment at the not agreed time (who books a haircut before highlights?). I was taking time off from work and until now have never had an issue. Well, no apologies for that. Came in at my appointment time, which was 30 minutes after they had booked it, with a different person from last time. Technician right away told me she was not going to have time to complete my appointment and should plan to come back at another time. After a discussion of what I wanted and what she wanted to do, we proceeded with her way, which I pointed out several times that I was hesitant because no one in the past had ever done hightlights in that manner — basically, a tint in the roots — and that was it. All this time she kept looking at her watch, rushing, hands trembling, not a pleasant spa experience.
I have long light brown hair with natural highlights, which I like to accentuate with additional highlights, leaving as much of my natural hair color as possible. Once the processing was complete, my roots came out blonde red !!! I just wanted to cry. She insisted that when they dried out they will be fine. Really? I don’t think so. Red is red. After going back and forth, she conceded it was somewhat red-​toned. After leaving me in the chair for another 15 min to consult with someone else, they came back to attempt to fix the red with a toner.
Well, while my hair was being toned down, the next appointment showed up. My technician started to rush and did a mediocre job at rinsing (with water only) the chemicals out. Granted that at least the hair toned down in bright red, but I will bet that when my brown color will start coming out I will see this noticeable dark root contrasting with this blonde red color. Exactly what I wanted to avoid and hence why I only wanted some hightlights to blend in with my brown hair, as I have done for years. Well, came back to her chair and she said that this was all she could do for me today, and would not have time to dry me out or anything as her next appointment was already waiting.
She escorted me to the front desk, hair dripping, with a gel-​like substance in my ears, back of my ears, back of my head, and my head still stinging. I was dripping all over the place (have long hair) and my shirt was completely soaked. Front desk said that because she could not dry me out they will give me a 10% discount. They still collected the 20% gratuity off the original price.
After leaving, I had to come straight home and take a shower as that gel thing was all over my head and I was reaking of chemical smell that was burning me. I just started crying after looking at my hair. And of course, no haircut. I have Holiday parties to attend, leaving town for Christmas, and now looking at the prospect of bad hair during the Holiday season. Unacceptable. Literally, my look is that of having done a supermarket color kit on myself. At work the next day, my co-​workers asked incredulously that they thought I was getting highlights the day before. No one even mentioned my hair looked OK. Complete silence. Now I felt even worse.
In conclusion, I made an appointment for highlights and hair cut, and got neither. I just cannot recommend the hair services at this salon anymore after this awful expereince. I really do hope they get their act together as I think this is a great resort.

Let me start off by saying I wanted to LOVE this spa experience. My Husband and I stayed at the Westin after our wedding and it holds centimental value for us, so when we were in need of a spa day recently the Westin was our first choice. We booked the Travelzoo massage in advance and were greeted promptly upon our arrival. Everything seemed to go well with check-​in and we were shown to our respective locker rooms. I didn’t find the actual facilities to be anything special. It had all the basic things and seemed a-​ok. Honestly, I don’t even remember it well and that was less than a month ago.
Now, the massage. I have to say this in one of, if not the worst, massages I have ever had. I asked for «medium» pressure and got the massage of my nightmares. She was so aggressive I thought I was going to be pushed right through the table. It was awful, painful, and the complete opposite of relaxing. I spent most of the time wondering when it will be over. I thought to myself this must be an annomoly, but NO, my Husband had the exact same experience. He even asked his massuse to let up, but she didn’t. We both walked away more than disappointed. Afterwards we hung out by the spa pool, which was nice and quiet compared to the main pool area. Service was OK… honestly the best part of the whole day was the boneless buffalo wings and bannana smoothie. Those were to die for.
Upon reflection, I realized we never got our mimosa or foot massage as part of the Travelzoo package. Just another disappointment, but I didn’t even care to bring it to anyone’s attention. I really enjoy hitting up local spas during the summer and thanks to Travelzoo I usually get them at a good price for the quality. This time, anything over $ 1 was too much for this spa experience. To say we were disappointed is the understatement of the year. We won’t be back.

I’ve been lucky enough to stay at the Kierland a couple of times on business trips, so I knew which spa I wanted to take advantage of. My companion and I both scheduled massages and pedicures.
Check-​in was a breeze and it was nice to get the spa tour. The relaxation room was comfortable, and we could enjoy water and tea and magazines while we hung out before, between and after our services.
Both massages were very good and extremely relaxing. The pedicure stations were in the hair salon and so a little public, but we weren’t bothered. The pedicure has held up very well.
The shower area is nice and has all of the amenities you would need if you wanted to clean up and get ready there. I enjoyed all aspects of the day.

It’s really more of a 3.5 star rating but given the overall experience, based on visiting other local spas such as the Willow Stream at the Princess and Joya at Montelucia, I settled on 3.
My fiancé and I came here on Monday with the TravelZoo deal that included a 50 minute massage of our choice, an additional foot add-​on that included a foot scrub and lotion, and a glass of mimosa. I called the day before to ensure they had an opening for a TravelZoo voucher since others on that website noted they had limited availability. I spoke to Hannah, she was really friendly and didn’t seem put off that I would be using the voucher. The whole day was pretty wide open so we booked our treatments for 10am. I opted for the Agave Master massage and he booked a deep tissue.
Ever since moving to the area, I’ve driven by the Westin Keirland and imagined the hotel would be really nice and grand. Walking up to the area there were some really pretty flowers but the overall resort feel felt more like a 3 – 4 star when you compare it to some of the other amazing resorts in Phoenix. We were pleasantly greeted by someone at the front desk and were given two red tickets that could be used for our mimosa’s later. She gave me a tour of the facility and based off the other reviews, it was exactly what I expected. Nice but not a 5 star spa. Everything was clean and nicely presented as there were fresh bunches of flowers with towels nicely rolled everywhere you looked. It wasn’t busy, which was nice, and they have the standard spa lockers where you pick your own four digit code. I relaxed in the Jacuzzi for a bit and hit the dry and steam saunas. Both were empty and clean. I took a shower before my treatment and the white tea products were nice and the double showerhead was nice. I also had some of the limeade drink they offered and it was a nice twist on the usual spa water but didn’t feel the need to drink more than half a glass.
My massage therapist was Natsha. She led me back and was friendly. The room was a standard room, nothing special with the usually spa music in the background. I explained to her that I had a lot of tension in between my shoulder blades and would prefer 80% of the time to be spent on my back and the remaining time just skimming over the rest of my body. When she came back in the room she began with the foot scrub for about 2 minutes and then left my feet in hot towels while she started on my back. This was a first for me but she immediately started in with her forearms and elbows. I had stated medium pressure would be good since I was so tense but I hadn’t expected that meant forearms. Literally, I think I felt her fingers for maybe all of 60 seconds during my whole massage. It did feel okay but I would have appreciated more of a mixture of techniques, obviously personal preference. After spending time on my back, she went back to my feet and proceeded to rub them with her knuckles which I also found odd. I probably would have preferred her just skipping the whole foot rub and spent more time on my back since she never really applied any pressure to my feet. The rest of my limbs went by really fast and she never went to back to rub my back more and my neck never got touched once. There were also several times where I had no idea what she was doing because she wasn’t massaging or getting more oil, there was no noise. It was long enough several times that I almost lifted my head to see what was going on but then she started getting more oil so I never looked up. I probably lost a solid 3 – 4 min just from that. In addition, after each side of my back was massaged, she left my arms dangle on each side of the bed for the remainder of the massage. I thought maybe this was to stretch them out so I left them but I sort of think it wasn’t since she ran into them as she went around the table. The massage oil did feel really good on my skin and was probably the highlight of the massage.
After my massage I met up with my fiancé and he didn’t say too much about his massage and said it was pretty average and glad we hadn’t paid full price. We turned in our tickets for the mimosa and headed over to the adult pool just beyond the front doors of the spa. We grabbed a couple of chairs on the West side of the pool and had good service when we ordered drinks and food. I got their chopped salad and he got the chicken wrap. Both were good but the salad was pretty small for $ 12. The pool didn’t have a whole lot of character… a big rectangle with two swim laps. The music next door at the main pool seemed much more lively than the adult area so maybe it was intentional. We stayed for about an hour and half and decided that we had enough and checked out.
Check out went fine, they added on the standard 20% tip which almost all spa’s do these days. I don’t necessarily agree with that practice considering a tip is for measuring service quality and shouldn’t be autom

I had a deep tissue massage appointment at the Spa this past weekend with Meredith. I have had several massages a year over my lifetime and was very surprised at the poor quality massage I received at the Westin Kierland. I saw many patrons walking out of their service with that «ahhh» look on their faces. I did not have that. I specifically asked her during the massage if my muscles felt tight and she said actually no. Which surprised me greatly as my neck and back are usually a ball of stress. I did tell her as we walked in that I would prefer that she spend more time on my back and neck and not my arms and legs but this did not happen. I was very surprised when she has me turn over onto my back so quickly especially after I asked for the concentration on my back. She did lift up my arms a few times and do some digging into my shoulders, but it was no where near what I would consider a deep tissue by any means. The time that was spent on my neck was minimal and felt more like a quick back run than anything. My time spent in the sauna, steam room, and pool was actually more enjoyable and relaxing than my massage. I actually asked my friend how she felt about her massage and she had very similar comments to mine, although my massage did seem to be more in depth then hers. We questioned whether the reason of our sub-​par massage was due to the fact that we used travelzoo vouchers — although we did tip on the full amount. Also during the massage I was told there would be an add on foot session. I’m not sure what it was supposed to include, but I received no more than a 2 min scrub and 30 seconds of rubbing in lotion. Over all, this was not an experience that I would expect at a location such as at the Westin, but more of a lesser quality massage parlor.
I left a voicemail and 2 emails for Carol Ford who is the spa manager and she has not returned the call or emails. This just adds onto the poor customer service that I received while visiting the spa. As a local patron, this is a place that I would have given a second chance — but now after horrible Manager customer service on top of it — I will not return. And I will let all of my friends know as well.
FOLLOW UP: I was contacted by someone they asked me to come back and try it again. I will post another review following that service

A solid spa — small hot tub, steam room, sauna, showers, restrooms, and treatment rooms. I had a rollerssage treatment, which was nice, but by no means for working out knots or tension — just nice in the moment.
My only teeny tiny little quibble just has to do with us being human — my masseuse must’ve been cutting garlic earlier in the day, so any upper neck/​facial massaging that was done came with unexpected aromatherapy. My skin is all nice and soft and silky smooth today though from generous amount of oil she used.

I came here with some girlfriends to use a Travelzoo voucher. Having been at the Joya spa a month earlier, the facilities and layout of the Agave spa were disappointing. There hot tub area was tiny, and there isn’t a spa-​only pool. We had lunch out by the pool with prompt and pleasant service, but the food was really bad. I’ve eaten lots of veggie wraps in my day, and this was one of the worst I’ve had in a long time.
I got a massage and manicure with my voucher. I was happy with the massage, but the woman who did my nails barely spoke to me. It’s pretty awkward to be sitting so close to someone and not chat at all.
All the spas in this area run summer specials, and there are much better spas to be had. I wouldn’t come back here.

The saying «You get what you pay for» keeps going through my mind. Well, I paid quite a bit yesterday for a mani/​pedi and was disappointed.
My nail tech was friendly and chatty. I let her know I wanted my cuticles pushed back and trimmed, she did not do what I asked for. She left gaps at the base of each nail bed unpolished. She left hangnails on several nails.
I did not think I needed to micro manage my nail tech at The Westin Kierland. I assumed every service at a Starwood property would be amazing. I was wrong. A different lady did my pedicure and it looks fantastic.
When I my husband got home last night he said, «I’m disappointed for you.»

My dream in life is to schedule weekly spa days at the five star locations around the Valley and spend every Saturday like the one I recently had at the Westin’s Agave Spa at Kierland. Sadly, I don’t think this dream will come true anytime soon, but because of that I cherish anytime I get a spa day and I’m pleased that my visit to Agave Spa was everything I hoped it would be!
The Westin Kierland itself is gorgeous and flawless, but it has more of a concrete décor feel to it. It doesn’t have the Old Phoenix feel to it like some, but it’s clean, gorgeous and flawless just the same. The Agave Spa has just the same feel.
Walking in, I immediately caught wind of the delicious signature scent of the spa. It smelled so good, I wanted to put the scent in my bag and keep it with me at all times. The staff was extremely friendly right off the bat and quickly showed us to the ladies locker room to get us settled. I like to arrive to the spa as early as possible in order to enjoy as much time there as possible.
Once I was settled in, I first used the gym to feel better about the pampering I would be doing later. As hard as it is to actually work out on a spa day, it makes me feel so much better and I’ve added it to my spa routine. But, I make sure I do it when I first arrive. The gym is refreshing because it overlooks the pool. The treadmill is state of the art, offered me way more options than I needed and even had a tv built inside. After my workout, it was time for the massage. The 50 minutes massage was just what the doctor ordered! The masseuse was friendly but not overly chatty which I really appreciate in a masseuse. The room felt refreshing and the music was soothing. The only problem I had with the room was that it was a little too bright for my liking, but then they put a scented mask on my eyes which helped.
After my heavenly massage, we continued our girls day out and winded down in the jacuzzi, ordered lunch and drinks while we laid out at the tranquil adult’s-only pool and used every amenity the spa had to offer. I decided to shower at the spa because the showers are gorgeous with the popular Westin shower heads and delicious Kai products. They even offer limeade in addition to water and tea to quench your thirst. The entire day was tranquil, relaxing and an excellent way to cool off during the extreme heat. If I could, I would have purchased every Kai Fragrance product they were selling, but the pocketbook wouldn’t allow. It’s officially on my wish list though!
I will end with a special tip to all my fellow locals out there. Every Wednesday, they offer discounts for local residents including 30% off spa services and 20% off spa products! Now you know where I’ll be after work on Wednesdays!