The 4-5 Star is largely based on the previously ma...

The 4-5 Star is largely based on the previously managed hotel and another one in Southern Cali. Also some of the reviews are done by staff members commenting on features that guests receives. The currently and fairly new management by Marriott, though the name is Ritz, has quite a ways to go in obtaining the old Bacara standard. Here's our experience in short. Wanting to stay local to celebrate our anniversary, we planned a full day of Spa and dinning at the hotel. Spa was wonderful from start to finish. When we got to our room, we discovered it was a completely different room than we reserved. We reserved a King with Full Ocean view. We got King with Tiled Rooftop view and a livingroom patio with very small Partial Ocean that you can only enjoy from the patio. We were ADAMANTLY told this was an upgrade (which we never asked for) and we had no option to get the original reservation we booked. So, you just GAVE our room away?? After talking to 3 different clerks, we asked for the Manager and got the Supervisor. She insisted that, in her words, "Same View Type" room, implying that it should be fine. Fine for whom??The whole ordeal was aggravating, and spoiled the remaining evening to the following day we had planned at that hotel. We were not going to pay for a room we didn't want, didn't reserve and also put up with staff attitude as if they were doing us a favor by having a room they kept referring to as an upgrade. Never mind that we didn't asked for it. Never mind that they didn't have the room we booked. There were other issues as well. Definitely not worth the booking price of almost $700 plus parking/resort fee/etc per night. So, we left. In it all, we were very decent about it. The Manager finally contacted us. We agreed on date/time to speak. She ended up being an hour and half late. No emergency. Just that she was in a meeting and was talking to a guest. How unprofessional can you be?? It was another head shaking moment with this management team. In the end, we got an apology and a dinner certificate at their hotel, that is, should we request for one. So, now we're suppose to ask or say that we want the certificate?? How ill mannered. We declined to make the request, of course. We just don't see any more reason to make our way there again. Sad to see Bacara down grading.