I stayed at the Clarendon for 6 nights. I had first considered the Hyatt downtown downtown (that's not a mistake, that's what it's called). Why the Hyatt? Because the conference I had to attend took place there. I'm glad I stayed at the Clarendon!
It all depends on what you want I guess. If you want to know in advance what to expect, go for Hyatt, Hilton, etc. If you want to foster local American economy and help a guy who started from scratch - Go Clarendon! This is not 4 star standard I must (unfortunately) agree. But if you are not ready to hop in your grave yet (i.e. you don't feel old), can dig a certain level of noise from the aircon and c) dig that sometimes things break (like the elevator and the On Demand Movies when I was there) this is a cool place to stay. Were these breakdowns bad? I don't think so. Using the stairs is healthier anyway and you can buy movies on DVD. What disturbed me a bit at first was that the Wi-Fi didn't work in my room - or was it my laptop? Well, it worked with my laptop in the bar and outside and I really enjoyed sitting there typing mails and sipping on a beer or a cocktail (both were excellent).

What really distinguishes the Clarendon is its staff. That's if you like cool people and don't expect stiffness and butler like behavior. Stacy, who took care of my breakfast, is a class of her own. Her life loving attidude makes it easy to start your day.
On three evenings I enjoyed their South-Western kitchen (no it is not Japanese anymore, but the cook can probably do anything for you). I liked the food, and I'm from Europe,i.e. I don't eat fat stuff like burgers. I also liked the comfortable bed and the cleanliness of my room. The pool is as good (and better) as the other reviews suggest. Having seen the pool of the Clarendon and then that of the hotel I named above I'm glad (again) that I went Clarendon. I don't do work out too much, but the facilities seemed alright to me.

Some people were concerned about safety (the Clarendon is downtown). Well, the area where the Clarendon lies seems safe to me. You can always be unlucky, especially in the US. Get rid of them guns and your social wellfare sorted out right and don't blame it on the hotel you are staying at if someone breaks in your car.

The Clarendon is an ideal alternative to downtown downtown big chain hotel prices and deserves that you treat it fairly: If you pay below 160 bucks you should not expect the level of exclusiveness of the Ritz. What you can expect at the Clarendon is that people care and try (within their limits and resources) to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.

I would come again (and hope that they modernise the aircon)

We were in Phoenix again in March and needed somewhere to stay. We got a great deal on Expedia for the Clarendon and decided that as the pool was ready we'd give it another go. Pool is undoubtedly fantastic, although bits of the glass from the chippings around the pool had worked loose and were really painful on your feet- a small thing which could easily be resolved. The rooftop bar was great and the staff very friendly, but there are some small details which have just been overlooked- eg the toilets near the restaurant are old, the shower and baths in the bathrooms are old, breakfast is ok, but we weren't told we had to pay extra for the orange juice we ordered etc. All in all, the place is definitley improving , but still needs some work. Would we stay again? Definitley if the price was right, but no way would I pay anywhere near the full price

That they took a nondescript, boxy '50s motel and turned it into a desirable place deserves credit at the get-go. It's kind of like W meets Hard Rock -- in the desert. (The hallways are painted purple!) But it's quirky, and the service levels are spotty. I'm guessing that the owners are young. Apparently a number of the rooms have both the air conditioning and, only coincidentally, the hot water reversed. That means you turn your thermostat to "hot" to get cool air; and you turn the shower control to "cold" to get hot water. They've had cable problems (for quite some time, apparently) so there's no movie channels, and there's no pay-per-view. Mostly, take note that there's a gay-hipster-young "scene" at the pool most every night, whether it's happy hour or a private party. It's interesting - for about 15 minutes. The staff seem to be oblivious to the noise in the parking lot, the noise from the restaurant, and the noise at the pool. I'm here on a special rate, so it's hard to complain, but if I'd paid $160+ for this room, I'd be annoyed. This is not a good hotel for families. It is a GREAT hotel for young scenesters who want to stay up late and drink and carry-on. I'd stay here again, I'd just make sure I asked for a quiet corner of the hotel. This place is obviously very desireable to a certain demographic, and I continue to be thankful they've fixed up what was probably only an eyesore -- they get big points for urban renewal!

We booked this hotel based on trip advisor reviews and the hotel website. The owner is a marketing genius! We would admit that the pool and hot tub were very nice, but that is the only thing that makes these outdated motel style rooms bearable. The hotel has tried to put in cool artwork, flat screens and modern furniture, but it really does not make up for the outdated exterior, cinderblock walls, open air rooms which must be very hot in the summer and the need for some serious new carpets. We had a suite and our bathroom was literally too small to turn around in, the cooling system was very loud. We visited the roof top bar which was advertised as the new hip place in Phoenix, there was literally no one there at 10:00 on a Friday night. The hotel is not near anything of interest, and it is about a 20 minute drive to the airport. I have to say that the staff was very nice and helpful, but the most impressive thing about this hotel is how the owner has found a way to market such an outdated property! We live in a city and are used to city life, but my son thought the best way to describe this "boutique" hotel was "sketchy."