The Ritz-Carlton, Washington DC

The Ritz-Carlton DC (West End) is more like a Marriott than it is a Ritz-Carlton. I was surprised to learn how poorly appointed the rooms are. It was missing the basics -- a coffee/nespresso machine, a kettle, body lotion, a shaving kit, and a dental kit. I had to call down and ask for the the latter two items every morning. For a 5-star hotel, I'd expect the room to come with these very basic amenities. As for the room itself. The heat/AC unit is extremely loud, to the point of being a distraction. I had to turn the unit off to be able to sleep properly. The room also doesn't have a proper desk. They expect you to use part of the TV stand if you want to sit down and do some work / have a meal. Overall the room is very dated. Equinox was also old and lackluster but that's not really RC's fault. The toiletries are from Diptyque, which I am a big fan of and has a large catalogue of great smelling body washes/shampoos etc. I was floored by RC's choice of which Diptyque products to include in the room -- they smelled borderline bad. Service wise, the front desk was very friendly/helpful. However, I ordered UberEats one of the nights during my stay and had to call down 3 times to get the order delivered to my room, which the hotel actually charges $5 for. Will be going back to the FS DC next time I am in town. The Conrad is also a better alternative here.

I visited the restrooms downstairs in the ballroom area today. Upon using the restroom, I assume was the housekeeping lady, came in and loudly said out loud "I announced myself, I didn't hear you say anything. and this bathroom should have been locked anyways" and then continued to say out loud "I will then wait outside until you come out because I need to clean". Once I was finished with the restroom and exited, I intended to address the matter to the lady but couldn't find her. I left the hotel to catch my Lyft ride and head to the airport. This woman was incredibly disrespectful and completely invaded my privacy. I felt very uncomfortable and felt I had to rush out of the bathroom. and I do not appreciate her poor attitude and obvious level of unprofessionalism. The front desk team was very friendly and helpful, but housekeepers' team severely needs to speak to this woman to address how she should properly speak to people. You can tell she just wanted to rush me so she can finish cleaning the bathroom, and THAT is not Ok. VERY RUDE!!!

For any hotel, it is not good to have onion smell around. For a Ritz-Carlton it is totally unacceptable. It wasn’t all the time during the day but it was for several hours every day. Management must be aware of it but the problem is there. Too bad because location and service were goof but we are not coming back. Additional issues: the gym (Equinox) is dated and not what I was expecting based on experience in other cities. Finally, they app is not effective for checking out (eg only processed 1 of the 3 rooms we had) or for the much advertised mobile key. Hint: don’t advertise it if the technology isn’t ready.

We stayed at this hotel in late Jan. 2024 for a staycation and had a great experience overall. Customer service: As a parent, how a hotel treats little guests says a lot about their overall approach to customer service. And, my daughter really loved the hotel. Special shout-out to some of the staff, such as Zellie (sp?) at check-in, who was very sweet with our five-year old. She brought out the cart of purple bears to choose from, as well as crayons and coloring books for her. She was also given a Ritz kids backpack and lion plush toy. There was a scavenger hunt for kids and prize to redeem ice cream at the restaurant. We were given popcorn while we waited to claim our ice cream! Rooms: rooms were spacious, clean, and well-appointed. bathrooms were of a good size, with separate shower, tub, and wash closet. Rooms had ample sitting area. Daily housekeeping and turndown service, including nice touches like daily chocolates during turndown service. Location: Located in the West End area, about a 10-15 minute walk from Georgetown and 5 minute walk from GWU. Sort of a quiet, residential neighborhood. There are some good restaurants within a block or two (Rasika, etc.) Overall, was a great experience. 5/5!

There is no better hotel in Washington DC. Pure perfection. They do everything well. From the moment of arrival to departure. This property knows service and delivers. Pristine— from lobby to guest rooms. And the service, unparalleled. Guest rooms, everything in place. Beds, linens, bathrooms, toiletries, superb!