The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey

This was my first visit to the Marina del Ray Ritz, I have to say I was pleasantly pleased with the experience considering the less than stellar reviews for the property. I visited with my colleagues to decide if the property would work for our future events and for client lodging, generally I have been loyal to Accor properties, but recently have had a myriad of issues. Booking and setting up in-room amenities was simple, and upgrading to Club Level was a breeze, easily completed by a quick phone call to guest services. The staff was able to get me checked in early, the rooms were decent if a bit basic, the Club Level is certainly worth it especially with complimentary cocktails! The main highlight was some impeccable service from a few members of staff, Estefany Quintero, Alondra Zuniga, Ashish, and Christine, one of the managers, all provided top notch hospitality which made the stay memorable. The Marina del Ray Ritz-Carlton gave Accor a run for its money and will certainly be up for consideration for future events and stays.

Despite raging wildfires only a handful of mikes away, this Ritz Carlton absolutely lives up to its formerly excellent reputation. From arrival to moving into our room took only minutes — at noon, well before official check-in time. The place is wonderfully located, well-kept and standard room are spacious and well appointed. From doormen to reception desk personnel and from restaurant staff to cleaning crews, this is the best Ritz stay we’ve had in years.

After reading the reviews, I was somewhat apprehensive about our trip, but we had a great experience. The staff is friendly and always wants to go the extra mile. A special shout out to Bianca who welcomed us with champagne, wine, assorted pop corn and a lovely picture frame with our family photo. And best of all had balloons for my father to celebrate his 89th birthday. Rosa at the front desk, who always had a smile and was always receptive to any of our questions. We lived the extra touches, like the nightly hot chocolate. And while I didn’t get an upgrade (hotel was packed) and we had to deal with an obnoxious neighbor (non stop pot smoking and visitors coming to the room), the stay was amazing. The rooms were nice and clean (special shout out to the cleaning staff, they’re meticulous) with a nice view of the marina. The hotel is well located and we enjoyed long morning walks to Venice beach (try GJusta for a great breakfast or just some pastries). The hotel restaurant is good, but overpriced. We also followed the advice of other reviewers and parked our car across the street ($6 a day). All in all, this was a great stay, the room was well priced and the staff was amazing.

At first I got a bit concerned reading a few reviews, especially since I'm a big review believer. But I always like to make my own judgement and this time, they were wrong! Overall, if you're looking for Ritz Carlton, this was Ritz Carlton! I actually couldn't find anything wrong with my stay. The welcome is ALL I needed with a bright smile from the receptionist (I forget her name, Katrina or Anestasia? Sorry!). She was very sweet and welcoming. The dinner at the lobby was great too. My only feedback is that it was a bit sleepy; like nothing was really happening, no vibe really. A little bit of background music, maybe even someone playing some piano, SOMETHING could have made it a bit lively. Just an opinion. The rooms were good too, except the heater wasn't working for me but I'm always cold!

My wife and I celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary at this beautiful property last weekend. We entered our marina bay view room greeted by heart made from yellow rose petals on our bed. Upon returning to our room after a nice walk on the marina, we were surprised to see 2 large bottles of sparkling water, a 3 level tray with cheese cake, assortment of cookies, chocolate covered strawberries and candies. However the biggest treat for me was the 2 chilled cans of my favorite beverage-A&W root beer! When on property we spent the majority of our time in the Club Lounge. Adam, Alondra and Maria were (as were the other staff members in the Lounge) exceptional. They were professional, warm and eager to delight their guests-something they all said was fully supported by their leadership. The breakfast is outstanding with plenty of offerings, including an omelette bar. I would encourage anyone visiting to splurge for the Club as it truly is an oasis within an oasis! Lastly, while this is not a newer property it is well maintained and thus has aged well. Wayne