I'm writing this review both out of a sense of sadness, and as a warning to those who may be contemplating a visit to Canyon Ranch Tucson.
Canyon Ranch is a legendary name when it comes to destination spas and wellness resorts - for years, it's been a hot spot for everyone from celebrities to first-time wellness-seekers to health aficionados, alike. On a personal note, over the years, my mom and I enjoyed several mother-daughter weekend getaways to CR in Lenox, MA. Each experience was nothing short of amazing - and so, CR quickly became my "paradise." With such fond memories of Canyon Ranch Lenox, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to travel to Canyon Ranch Tucson for the first time with my husband. It seemed only natural that the experience would be just as wonderful - if not better - in the place where it all began.
Sadly, I couldn't have been more wrong. From the moment we arrived, we were escorted to our bug-infested room with furniture so dusty we could write our names on it, and an AC unit which worked mildly, at best. We'd been promised a room upgrade by "Reservations Consultant" Doug C, but alas, no such upgrade was honored at check in. We were never really shown the property, or given any insider "tips" - and had it not been for my prior experiences at CR Lenox, we likely would've missed out on just about everything (e.g. pre-booking services and dinner, activities, etc.)
While our petite and dusty hotel room was uncomfortably reminiscent of that of a run-down Motel 6 - it was the poor service and food that really left us not only dissatisfied, but thoroughly disillusioned with the whole experience. With few exceptions, the staff was unprofessional, unpleasant, and wholly inattentive. Restaurant servers and kitchen staff frequently made mistakes in taking and executing orders - often presenting "flawed" food (e.g. a partially frozen peach tart, etc.) - but attempts to remedy the situation were virtually nil. Rather, servers would just apologize for the error...and then scurry away, with no real solution or fix. In fact, I think I heard the phrase "I'm sorry" more often than "What would you like to order?"
And what a disappointment those meals were! CR is known for serving healthful, delicious meals - but this time, the food was unlike any CR cuisine I'd experienced before. First, the menu was far more limited than I'd experienced at Lenox - there, pre-COVID and pre-ownership switch, the dinner menu changed nightly, over the course of a week. During our stay in Tucson, by contrast, the dinner menu was the same each night, with limited options. The food, itself, was tolerable, at best - but delicious, consistent, or notably healthful, it was not. In the main dining room (which was far too reminiscent of a Denny's for the price of a Michelin-starred restaurant), they set up a "pasta bar" for dinner where guests could order their own "customized" pasta dish. During our visit, orders got switched, stolen, and otherwise unexplainably delayed - some waiting up to an hour - for a simple plate of precooked pasta to be warmed together. All in all, a disastrous execution, indeed.
The rooms were cleaned with a lick and a promise - the same insects, dust spots, floor stains, and cobwebs that were present on our first night remained untouched throughout our stay. Even the spa services were far from relaxing - my poor husband was groaning from pain throughout the couples massage we were hoping to enjoy together. With the exception of Brad in the Outdoor Sports Department, not a single employee cared to check-in on us during our stay - it was as though they didn't want to hear it, because they knew how flawed the place was. Frankly, for the hefty five-star fee of ~$2000/night, it's far from unreasonable to expect better, more attentive service - not to mention better lodging, and better meals.
Since our time at CR Tucson, my husband and I have thought long and hard about why Canyon Ranch would, in fact, make some of the choices they've made - from their "chase us down if you want anything or need help" approach, to the "serve yourself" pasta bar at dinner every night, to the low-functioning AC units in the rooms, the desultory housekeeping, to the cheap plastic water bottles they're still giving to guests after health experts long ago agreed that plastic isn't the most healthful material to drink out of, to the meager, largely overwhelmed and unhelpful staff - and it all comes back to this: it's cheap. Save a dime, and charge a dollar - it seems to be Canyon Ranch's motto.
I'm not sure if this disappointing experience is due to COVID, the pre-COVID ownership switch, or if there are other behind-the-scenes reasons for excusing such an unacceptable series of incidences. Here's what I do know, however - CR will only live off it's former legacy for so long, and if guests experience what we "endured" during our recent stay, the day will not be long until the gates for CR are closed for good. read more