Four Seasons at The Manor

Pros

• The resort offers epic food, service, pools, and drinks.
• The spa services, including the Black Diamond facial, are highly enjoyable.
• The suite with a private pool is quiet, beautiful, and luxurious.
• The casitas are clean and spacious.
• The pools are large and enjoyable.
• The staff is friendly and professional, delivering impeccable service.
• The location is stunning with incredible desert views.
• The Four Seasons Resort is first class in every way.
• Margarita epitomizes outstanding customer service and enhances guests' stays.
• The resort is a relaxing oasis and a beautiful place to stay.

Cons

• They were disappointed with the stay, given the price point and missing basics.
• The room had no air conditioning on the first day in 100? Scottsdale heat.
• There was a lack of coordination between engineering and the front desk, leading to an unnecessary hour-long wait and no follow-up.
• The property failed to deliver welcome amenities or turndown service.
• The resort layout was confusing and unappealing, with plain, identical, unnumbered guest buildings.
• The dining experiences were uneven, with meals described as merely adequate.
• At Onyx lounge, they did not receive amuse-bouches or other expected small touches.
• The dogs' water bowl never arrived, forcing guests to supply water themselves.
• A live frog in the pool's filtration system raised concerns about cleanliness and maintenance.
• Overall, they would be hard-pressed to return to this Four Seasons.

Review

The collection of recent experiences at this Four Seasons property paints a picture of a resort that can be breathtaking in scope and effect, yet occasionally falls short in the steadier, day-to-day details that shape a truly flawless luxury stay. Several reviews sing the praises of a desert oasis that feels secluded, serene, and intensely pampered - the kind of place where the landscape itself becomes a major part of the experience. Guests repeatedly describe spectacular spa offerings, immaculately kept suites, expansive and inviting pools, and service that, when at its best, feels personal and thoughtfully attentive. In particular, the spa program stands out as a highlight: a husband enjoyed a 120-minute massage, and the wife herself raved about the Black Diamond facial and the broader spa menu, lamenting only that her session lasted too long and she had to leave.

The resort's natural setting and architectural layout contribute heavily to its appeal. Reviews repeatedly reference the striking desert scenery, mountains in the distance, and a sense of peaceful isolation that makes the property feel like a retreat from the outside world. Casitas with private patios, large pool areas, and well-appointed suites create a sense of luxury and privacy that many guests value highly. For some, the landscape is a daily invitation to unwind, with wildlife and cactus gardens providing a vivid, almost cinematic atmosphere. The on-site dining and lounging options - when operating at their peak - are described as polished and elegant, with particular praise for the resort's ability to deliver a high level of hospitality in a setting that feels both exclusive and intimate.

Yet for every glowing account, there are complementary notes of disappointment that temper the overall impression. A central thread among several guests is that the resort's basics - often expected at a four- or five-star price point - can feel inconsistent. In one case, the first day's air conditioning failed during a triple-digit Scottsdale heat spell, triggering a cascade of miscommunications that marred the initial experience: delayed repairs, no follow-up after expected text notifications about a completed repair, and an unwelcome sense that the front desk and engineering teams weren't aligned. Even after a solution was eventually found, the lack of timely communication and a subpar resolution - such as offering a late checkout that felt insufficient after a night of poor sleep - left a lingering impression of fragility in the guest experience.

Other reviews highlight a pattern of service gaps that undermine the sense of flawless luxury. Basic touches that many travelers take for granted - welcome drinks, cookies or treats in-room, luggage assistance, help finding rooms, functioning room keys, and timely turndown service - were missing or inconsistent. The resort's layout - described by some as confusing and not particularly aesthetically engaging, with identical-looking guest buildings and no clear numbering - adds to the sense that navigation and orientation within the property can be challenging, especially for first-time visitors. The dining experience, too, is described as uneven: some meals are memorable, while others feel merely adequate, and lounge service at places like the Onyx can be frustrating when guests observe other patrons receiving small touches like amuse-bouches while they receive nothing.

Staff interactions reveal a divided narrative as well. While a number of guests found the team to be pleasant, professional, and genuinely hospitable, there are standout examples of exceptional service - such as Margarita at the front desk, who helped relocate guests to a room with a more favorable view, arranged thoughtful gestures like strawberries, hats, and anniversary cards, and generally embodied the peak Four Seasons standard. However, other experiences point to lapses in consistency: mixed attentiveness at dining venues, inaccessible amenities for dogs (such as the promised water bowl that never arrived), and lapses in housekeeping and maintenance that leave guests questioning how well the hotel manages the many moving parts of a luxury property.

A recurring and particularly vivid concern involves the care of the physical environment and the maintenance of amenities. Several guests recount troubling maintenance issues - an opening-night scouting of a pool with a live frog in the filtration system, or even bugs in the room that awaken guests and create a sense of unease about cleanliness and preparedness. In one case, a 4,000-dollar-per-night suite was marred by a live frog in the private pool, raising legitimate concerns about filtration checks and pre-arrival sanitation. While staff responses were generally prompt and earnest, these incidents understandably dampen the confidence of guests who have paid a premium for a pristine, worry-free experience. The frog case is paired with other mentions of the pool environment and wildlife management as areas where the resort could bolster its operational rigor.

In sum, the resort sits at a compelling crossroads of extraordinary potential and practical fragility. For travelers seeking a desert sanctuary with stunning vistas, world-class spa offerings, and a level of individualized service that can verge on the magical - especially when a sensational staff member like Margarita is involved - the property can feel transformative. For those with high expectations for flawless execution, especially in essential hotel operations, there is a clear message about consistency: the Four Seasons experience is possible here, but it is not guaranteed, and when the basics falter, it colorizes the entire stay in a way that can leave guests ambivalent about returning.

What emerges from these reviews is a nuanced guide for future visitors. If you prize seclusion, spa-centric pampering, and the allure of a dramatic desert landscape, this Four Seasons can deliver a superb experience - so long as parts of the operation function smoothly and staff maintains a consistently high level of attention to the small, but crucial, details. In practice, recommendations would include ensuring clear communication between engineering and front desk teams, verifying room comfort and climate control upon arrival, and maintaining a reliably polished level of greeting, luggage assistance, and in-room amenities. Landscaping and wayfinding improvements would also help make the property feel as coherent and walkable as the vistas suggest. When these elements align, guests can expect a stay that is as serene and spectacular as the desert itself, with the kind of hospitality and refinement that makes a Four Seasons stay memorable rather than merely luxurious.

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1.4 miles)
• Albertsons Pharmacy (2.6 miles)
• Walgreens (2.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.9 miles)
• Walgreens (2.9 miles)
• Walgreens (2.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.5 miles)

Restaurants

• Line Thai Resteraunt (1.5 miles)
• Lou's Tivoli Gardens (2.2 miles)
• Ventana Lakes Yacht Club (2.6 miles)
• Whataburger (2.6 miles)
• Haymaker Thunderbird (3 miles)
• Cracker Barrel (3.2 miles)
• Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant (3.3 miles)

Physicians

• The CORE Institute - Sun City (1.6 miles)
• Arizona Arthritis & Rheumatology Associates, PC (1.7 miles)
• Multi-Specialty Physicians (1.8 miles)
• Academic Urology & Urogynecology Of Arizona (1.9 miles)
• Associated Retina Consultants (2.4 miles)
• Aspire Pedi. Therapy (2.8 miles)
• Sonoran Vein and Endovascular (2.8 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1.8 miles)
• Dutch Bros Coffee (3.4 miles)
• Starbucks (3.7 miles)
• Starbucks (3.7 miles)
• Starbucks (3.8 miles)
• Starbucks (4.9 miles)

Parks

• Rio Vista Community Park (2.9 miles)
• Indoor Playgrounds International (3 miles)
• Veramonte Park (4.3 miles)
• Surprise Community Park (4.7 miles)
• Fletcher Heights Park (5 miles)
• Kingswood Parke HOA Park (5.1 miles)

Theaters

• Arrowhead Fountains 18 (3.3 miles)
• AMC Surprise Pointe 14 (3.7 miles)
• AMC Arrowhead 14 (4.1 miles)
• Park West 14 (5.2 miles)

Places of Worship

• The Church At Arrowhead (4.1 miles)
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (5.1 miles)

Hospitals

• Apricus Medical Group (5 miles)