Papago Inn — Hotel in Scottsdale

I waited a week to write this review to ensure I could provide an objective account of my experience. My stay at the Papago Hotel in Phoenix was disappointing and concerning on many levels.

Booking Experience I booked this hotel through Hotels.com, as I often do, and was shocked to learn after the free cancellation period had passed that I was required to provide the following:

A copy of my driver’s license (front and back) A selfie My car license plate information A $200 hold on my credit card (twice) A $30 cleaning fee These requirements were not disclosed prior to booking. Had they been, I would NEVER have chosen this property. As a woman traveling alone, I was particularly uneasy about providing such sensitive information, especially without a clear privacy policy outlining how it would be stored or protected. This is so distrubing and raised serious concerns about data security and potential identity theft and potential human trafficking.

When I contacted Hotels.com to cancel, I was informed that the cancellation policy was 100% of the booking cost, as the free cancellation window had closed six days prior to my stay. This left me with no viable option but to comply, even though I was uncomfortable with their demands.

Arrival and Parking Upon arrival, I was informed of an additional $10 per day parking fee for an unsecured, open lot adjacent to the street. A quick online search revealed free parking was available just steps away in an alley. This lack of transparency felt deceptive. Additionally, the parking lot offered no security, further amplifying my concerns about safety.

Room Conditions The first room assigned to me was in poor condition. The bed had no sheets, and the bathroom smelled strongly of mildew. The noise from the street was excessive, making it difficult to rest. The hotel itself is an old motel that has been minimally upgraded with inexpensive furniture and flooring, which further detracted from the experience.

After contacting customer service via text, I was moved to a cleaner, quieter room on the other side of the property. While I appreciated the effort, the new room came with its own issues, such as being located next to a dumpster.

Safety Concerns During my second morning, I was startled awake at 5:30 a.m. by someone running across the balcony. This incident, combined with the lack of on-site staff, left me feeling unsafe throughout my stay.

Pricing Issues Due to an unexpected schedule change, I had to extend my stay by one night. The additional night was charged at a rate 50% higher than my original booking. While they waived a $25 cleaning fee for the extra night, it felt like a small concession given the overall experience. Plus they charge $30 for parking which was not disclosed in advance.

Missing Personal Belongings On my final day, I noticed that my wedding ring, a gold band with two heart shaped opals and small diamonds, was missing from the room. With no visible staff on-site, I had no way to file a complaint or investigate further. This was a deeply upsetting end to an already troubling experience. I am grateful to get out of there alive with no bed bugs.

Data Privacy and Transparency Concerns This hotel’s data collection practices are alarming, particularly the lack of a posted privacy policy. The storage and handling of sensitive personal information, including copies of IDs and selfies, may violate Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.) § 18-552 regarding data protection and transparency. Additionally, the deceptive booking and cancellation policies could potentially violate the Federal Trade Commission Act (prohibiting unfair or deceptive practices).

If you are considering staying here, I urge you to read reviews carefully, verify all policies in advance, and weigh the potential risks. I am filing complaints with the State of Arizona, the City of Phoenix, the Consumer Protection Agency, and the Federal Trade Commission regarding...

Updated Review Aug 2020

Before the new owners took over in July, I absolutely loved this hotel. I felt comfortable and secure that my stay would be the best it could be and loved the retro style. After the new owners took over in July - they changed everything, the value of the property went down.

The type of people staying were sketchy (literally the cops have been there more often in the past month then I’ve seen in my almost 3 month stay). I moved to the one suite on property with a patio so that I can have a place to send my children safely out for fresh air. The grass even died - the courtyard used to be a great area to relax and enjoy a book or outside yoga. Now it smells and is covered in cow manure from them trying to replenish the soil. They have been tearing down walls and I saw mice on my suite patio. (I reported it to the front desk staff.) They tacked on a $150 deposit towards the end of my 3 month reservations and told me to leave if I did not pay. I paid every day for almost 3 months. My reservations were until Aug 25 and originally booked in June. I set things in place with Chloe, the previous general manager, before I left a year long contract with another (upscale) Choice property. Management went through and cancelled ALL of them, changing them - not realizing they were made through my ambassador link where I get commissions. I asked them to let me know of any changes in advance so that I can make the appropriate adjustments within my abilities. They never did.

Shania, the new GM, is NEVER there and always sends the front desk to discuss things with guest that should be addressed with her since she is the delegating party. When she is there, she’s too busy to discuss the changes to implemented with the guests that they are affecting. Michelle, a front desk rep from one of the owner’s other 3 choice hotels, is always late, very rude, and not professional.....at all. The previous staff wore a uniform or business casual wear, she comes in looking like she just rolled out of bed. One day, her son (as cute as he is) was behind the desk. The remaining staff of the previous owners are getting kickback from negative and unethical changes the new owners are making. All of my prior arrangements were all within hotel policy at the time and within reason.The housekeeping lunch room air was turned off and complementary water removed. (It’s 120 degrees in AZ.) Breakfast was canceled and not even replaced with an alternative option.

I ended up leaving the Choice brand completely. After 150 rate days, thousands of dollars, earning Diamond status, and rave reviews within my network of the brand - I am very disappointed to have to place my loyalty in another brand. I literally travel 9-10 months out of the year.

**This property does not represent the Ascend and Choice brands well....at all. I will be updating all of my reviews on social media, Google, and partnered travel advisory sites to reflect my updated experiences.

Original Review April, 2020 (5-stars)

Definitely worth the stay. Check In was quick with the rep giving me all the information I needed for my stay. It was so peaceful and I will definitely be staying here again.

They have a life size chess, swimming pool, bird watching swing, and a very clean laundry facility. Breakfast was amazing and they offered a coffee/juice bar that is now closed until further notice. Lily was amazing and made sure that my stay was more than comfortable. I’m not very fond of Bill, but he grows on you after a few night shifts.

I loved the fact that the vending machine were packed with cost-friendly snacks and utensils were available when needed. I elected for house keeping every other day and they ensured to double check if I needed anything on the days requested. Overall, this property is top-rated if you want a peaceful staycation or destination getaway. Don’t forget to sign up for Choice Rewards and...

If possible, I would have given this 0 stars. Worst experience we've had with a motel in a very long time, possibly ever. We checked into our room and were surprised that it was just as hot inside the room as it was outside...in the Phoenix area... in July. HOT! The air conditioner was not working. I tried to call the front desk but the phone was also not working. So I looked up the number and called using my cell phone. I told the front desk clerk about the A/C and mentioned that I have Multiple Sclerosis and that I am severely affected by the heat. The front desk clerk said they would be right up to check it out. 15 minutes later, she came up and hit all the buttons on the A/C that we had already tried, then said that she guessed it wasn't working. She would go check the breaker. 5-10 minutes later she returned to see if it was working yet and of course it wasn't. She said that she would call the maintenance man to check it out. I reminded her that because of my MS, I cannot stay long in the heat, so we would either need a different room or we'd have to leave. She ignored me and said she would call maintenance right away and she left. 10-15 minutes later, my husband and I walked back down to the lobby since no one had come to check the A/C. We figured it would be cooler and if we were right in front of them, they couldn't forget about us. We waited while other people were checked in and then the front desk clerk called maintenance and said, Oh, I guess he can't fix it. They didn't have any other King rooms which is what we had reserved, in fact, when she answered a phone call while we were waiting, she told the person that it was fully booked, so apparently there weren't ANY available rooms. We said we would have to find something with a working air conditioner if we could please get a refund. The woman said she didn't know how to process a refund but when the Manager returned, he would take care of it. We left and got a room elsewhere but were not reimbursed. I called Choice Hotels to complain and they said they could not process a refund on their end, but they reached out to the motel and the manager still wasn't in so they assured me it would be taken care of when the manager returned. A week later and no refund. Choice Hotels has been helpful when I've called back, but the motel itself has not reached out to Choice or to me in order to refund the money. Very, VERY disappointed and will never stay at...