Trillium Papago or Meridian? (Phoenix: apartment, house, to buy)

[brandnewday]

My husband and I are really excited about relocating to Phoenix in March. We will be living in temporary lodging for about two months while we look for a house to buy.
We have the choice of staying at either the Meridian or Trillium Papago (through Marriott Execustay); I've read mixed reviews of both places on apartment rating sites.
Even though we'll only be there for a couple of months, I want our first experience of Phoenix to be a positive one, as we plan on staying in the area for a long time!
My main questions are:
1) Which area is safer? This will be my first time living in the States, so I am a bit nervous.
2) Which area is more convenient in terms of walkability to shops/museums/parks (I like to run) etc? My husband will be commuting to downtown Phoenix by car, but I will walking or taking public transport. I want to be somewhere close to things to do, as I will have time on my hands on weekdays.
I'm amazed by the wealth of information on this forum. No doubt we'll be back with more questions when it comes to house hunting

[mbdesa]

I think with Trillium Papago you are going to tend to find more students from ASU nearby. I do not know much about Meridian but it maybe something to consider if students would bother you. Good luck in your search.