The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach

Our experience at the Ritz South Beach was disappointing and did not meet the standard of luxury we’ve come to expect from the brand. We stayed in a room in the older wing, which felt more like a basic motel or Holiday Inn. While the room itself was nicely appointed and had a balcony, the view overlooked a loud and chaotic pool area. The pool was far from relaxing, with blaring music from a DJ and an overall unkempt atmosphere. Unfortunately, the beach area wasn’t much better, as it was overcrowded and lacked the exclusivity we anticipated. The bathroom in our room felt dated, and even the restroom off the main lobby restaurant was in disarray, with towels scattered all over the floor and sink. The entire experience lacked the refinement and tranquility we were hoping for. Ultimately, we decided to leave after just a few hours and rebooked at the Four Seasons in Surfside. While it was more expensive, the elevated service and true luxury experience made it worth every penny.

This was my fifth visit to the Ritz-Carlton South Beach in a year. Why do I return so often? It is my favorite getaway from Washington, a short flight and a quick trip from the airports to paradise, where I am always greeted by one of the most courteous assembly of hoteliers available anywhere. Sure, I could go pretty much anywhere, but there’s just something special about this resort – you simply must visit it to understand. The staff on the Club Level, especially Ollivia and Luis, treat you like royalty. Their pampering is almost embarrassing. No detail is overlooked. They remember your favorite room, favorite beverage, and favorite seat in the lounge. The housekeeping is impeccable. I have always had the practice of leaving a daily gratuity for the housekeepers, because they tend to change or have days off and I don’t think it’s fair to just leave something on departure. This is the only hotel I have ever visited that the housekeepers leave me a note of thanks with sentiments of “God bless you” and “enjoy the rest of your stay.” Andrew Collier, Caleb, Adrian, and Christopher are so attentive at the beach, as are Kelly, Cesar, Roy and Yandi at the pool. And no visit to the Ritz-Carlton South Beach is possible without a visit to Jasmine and Brenda in the Spa. And God took care of the weather, sunny skies and 80◦ each day. I was pleased to meet Tony and Luis, two of the front of the house executives, to tell them all this, and now I tell the world. You simply won’t find a better getaway than the Ritz-Carlton South Beach.

We spent a day at the beach at the Ritz Carlton. Caleb, Carlos, Christopher and Manny made our day very special the day after our wedding. We rented three cabanas and the food and service and support were terrific. We would highly recommend it if you’re looking for a terrific day at the beach.

The beach is beautiful, and the service provided by Ricardo, Carlos and Andrew was outstanding. From setting up the chairs and umbrella, to friendly conversation, they took care of our every need!! Restaurant servers were attentive and pleasant as well. This was an all-around great experience.

Over the top great trip. All of the employees were so friendly and helpful. We loved Andrew Ricardo at the beach and the hotel manager went out of his way to help us at check in. Our room was a partial ocean view suite where it was mostly great other than a squeaky bed and an AC vent on our balcony porch. For this particular week the other drawback was the super intrusive food and wine festival setup on our beach that we weren’t informed of when booking an expensive trip. If we had know we would’ve postponed our trip for sure!