Kirk Wagner

Review of The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gul...

For a Ritz, I felt like this one relied on locatio...

For a Ritz, I felt like this one relied on location more than accommodations. Bachelor Gulch is amazing and I think this hotel would be awesome to visit in the winter but my experience had some major drawbacks that lead me to want to book in the village when I visit next. For starters, I of course have to recognize that COVID probably had a negative effect on the trip in general but that does not excuse the fact that our room was in "the dungeon" or what our friends nicknamed the second floor for its wall/road views, lack of light in rooms, and heated to "what would only be comfortable in winter" temperatures.

We didn't plan to spend much time in the room anyway so this wasn't a huge deal. However, the leftover dog kibbles on the floor, moldy blueberries in the fridge, and lack of ability to lock the sliding door were big deals to us. It was also a surprise that king beds were mostly in "the dungeon" when double queen rooms were on better floors (and we know they were better because we had friends staying on 6 with an actual coffee maker and bearable hall temperature.)

Overall, my wife and I expected more from a Ritz. Especially after visiting the Dana Point location (maybe our expectations were set too high.) The feeling that the lack of cleanliness and service was excusable by the hotel due to the great location was not an enjoyable experience. I hope future guests have better.