Elizabeth Ann

Review of The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota

We've been to three holiday brunches (Thanksgiving...

We've been to three holiday brunches (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter) at the Ritz and there are some very special elements to each experience that I would love to share!

The magic starts as we pull up to the Ritz and we're greeted by the valets as if we're family.

I don't think I've ever opened the front doors to the Ritz for myself because a Ritz employee or one of their clientele opens it for me every single time like a fairy tale.

Upon entering the Ritz, whether for a holiday or dinner at Jack Dusty, you're hit with a fresh, clean smell that is most inviting.

At Christmas, the gingerbread display in the lobby as we entered was one of the best, if not the best, we've ever seen! And, we've seen some fantastic ones!

We make our way to the ballroom where we're greeted by the hostesses who always make us feel incredibly welcome. I'm sorry that I don't know their names, especially the hostess in charge because she's always so good to us. They are perfectly professional (in appearance and demeanor) and they are so friendly, welcoming us with holiday wishes and chatting with us and explaining what's on the buffet as they guide us to our table.

We were incredibly blessed to get server, Fanny, for Thanksgiving and Christmas and she is really special! She goes above and beyond to make our experience magical! For example, she gets us Fiji water, as our preference is bottled water, and she accommodates other preferences when she can. Fanny wasn't even our server today, yet she still stopped by to help us! She is such an asset to the Ritz!! I hope you will reward her for her stellar customer service!

Additionally, we met Mirna for the first time today and she is wonderful!! Someone told us she usually works in housekeeping and we never would have known that she was out of her normal job! She is stupendous and so kind! Like Fanny, she went above and beyond to make our experience great!

Another really special person we were blessed to meet at Christmas and see again today is Jeremy! He not only remembered us from Christmas, but he remembered the type of dessert my mom likes. How sweet! He's always so kind to us, taking time to explain desserts and just being really friendly! I so appreciate him and hope to see him again soon!

Please thank and reward those mentioned above because they really make our experiences so memorable!

Every single time we've been to the Ritz to holiday brunches and Jack Dusty (with the exception of Easter), the valets give us little Ritz-branded bottles of water as we leave - such a nice touch!

As far as food, we LOVE that there is an omelet and breakfast station making this a true brunch buffet! The Beef Wellington at Christmas was AMAZING!! The theming of the food placards and desserts is always adorable and I just love it!

The only big constructive criticism/suggestion I have is that it would have been nice to have ham at the carving station for any holiday, but especially for Easter. The food selections were better (for us anyway) for Thanksgiving and Christmas than today on Easter. While the Ritz's selection is varied and most impressive, we would love some of the basics (meat, potatoes, and vegetables) to be a bit more basic.

Although the price for the brunch is high, it is most appreciated that it is all-inclusive and there are no surprises on the bill.

Overall, the level of service and food provided makes the Ritz's holiday brunches a win for us! We have reservations for Mother's Day and, if the menu looks good, we'll be back!

It is not lost on us that the people mentioned above have to work the holidays to make our experiences so extraordinary and we thank them so very much for that and wish the entire Ritz Family a Happy Easter!