The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota Reviews

Nice rooms, nice pool. Customer service among the best I've ever had

I stayed here with my family in January after leaving the neighboring Betsy Hotel. This was an excellent property just steps from the beach. Very clean room and lobby area. Staff was exceptional, especially Domingo. A++++ hospitality. Will be coming here on our next trip.

Very good hotel, but lags behind other hotels in the chain.

I drove from Ft. Myers to the Ritz where my friend was staying away from hurricane Dorian in the East coast of Florida. After a long drive and with my friend being a guest of the hotel, we were told icily by the Concierge lady that we couldn't even get on the hotel bus to go to the beach and she even made sure to tell the driver that me and my partner could not get on. We even used the valet service previously and were planning to stay for dinner at the hotel. Terrible xenophobic attitude by the front desk/concierge lady. This happened 9/2/19 at 3:30 PM.

Visited the Spa to make a reservation for a couples massage later this month. Guest clerk was not very friendly nor knowledgeable. She said she was new and did not have much information.

My wife and I stayed at here for 4 nights last week and it was seriously perfect. What guests need to understand is that during this pandemic everything isn t what it used to be in the current situation and that s anywhere you go - so there were a couple restaurants not open but other than that we were very happy with the amenities during this odd time. Staff and service were absolutely amazing in this hotel. The bar and the beach was were our favorite places. The food was amazing in all the places the hotel provided. We are very much looking forward to going back, especially when things are back to normal.

We came for drinks with a friend and valeted the car and omg.... George the valet. We didnt even ASK for the car and he already knew to pull it up because the bar was closing. We just THOUGHT about our car and suddenly it was the door ready to go. I work at a full serve hotel in IL and i know luxury service and wow, THAT'S customer service. Wonderful job. Thanks George. May 7th, 11:30 p.m.

It's beautiful. The service is exceptional and the resort is very clean. Lots to do for everyone.

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!

The spa is fantastic !!! Come get a massage ,you'll love it !!

Beautiful newly renovated rooms. Excellent and superior customer service. Friendly and welcoming staff very informative and knowledgeable about the Sarasota area.

Amazing luxury and excellent service
Always a pleasure staying here

This review isn't for a recent visit, but I have no reason to suspect things have changed too much since I was last there. Service reflects longstanding Ritz excellence (I love that they always remember your name) and the design is appropriately lighter than sister properties in cooler climes while still maintaining enough of a whiff of old school to retain the brand. Indulging in a room service burger and beer while enjoying a decadent bubble bath was the perfect way to begin my visit. If you're young, you may find it a bit boring (see bar clientele for details), but the staff cannot do enough to make sure that you're happy. It was too chilly/windy to motivate me to spend much time at the beach club, but seamless stay overall.

First time staying at this resort. We are enjoying drinks at Jack Dusty

Drop dead gorgeous place.
I was there for work.
This place is so elegantly designed.friendly staff

The best resort hotel in Sarasota. Impeccable service and luxurious accommodations. The beach club on lido key is a gem.

Impeccable service, comfortable room, and great Florida weather made our stay perfect. Loved the beach club!

Gr8 people, accommodating, friendly, and professional, it's worth the price, facilities are 5 star, and we'll cared for, always!

Very beautiful hotel with the best service and the best location, and THE VIEW!!!! All staff very very friendly and professional! I wanted to go for a late dinner yesterday and didn't want to go by myself along because it was too late More

My boyfriend and I experienced our first stay at the Ritz Carlton just last week for two nights. I've always heard of their reputation for outstanding service but was still hesitant upon arrival due to a few negative reviews I read about - others feeling dissatisfied with service since they are not wealthy and that the hotel treated them differently for it. However, I can honestly say I have never experienced quality service like this before (and I do not fall under the definition of wealthy)! We never felt like we were treated less than any other guest during our stay; if anything it was the opposite - We felt that we were treated truly special (even though I'm sure this is simply their service level for all).

The most outstanding person we came in contact with was a Matthew Vessella. Not only did he let us in on resort services that we were not thoroughly told about when we first arrived (mostly the services at the beach club), but he alone made our stay truly memorable. Some of the things he did, besides give us a detailed description of the beach club and all it had to offer (we went and he was spot on with his details including just how lovely it was there), he opened the retail shop for me due to a beauty emergency, clued us in on the $20 daily credit we are allotted as guests, and surprised us with a farewell card and complimentary bottle of champagne on the last night of our stay. We were in awe with how kind Matt was to us; he made us feel truly special as guests at the hotel.

We also experienced wonderful service from the bartender (I believe his name was Jeff), valet, and all of the staff at the beach club.

I look forward to returning to this location again in the future!

The halls were loud with dogs and children. Not at all what we expected. Similar to a regular beach hotel with no beach. Not up to Ritz Standards. Old and dated. Smells like mildew. When we asked they said "that's just how it smells." They did not even offer us anything when they realized our place smelled. We were there for our 10 year wedding anniversary. Atrocious. Go to a better Ritz. The one in Key Biscayne is a real Ritz. This one is no better than an old Holiday Inn. We stayed in August 2018.

First of all, the service at the Ritz is second to none! This was my first time staying at a Ritz Carlton, and I definitely felt well taken care of. However the room at this particular Ritz left a bit to be desired. It's nice, but I expected more from a "5 star" hotel. In particular the air conditioning really needs to be updated. I woke up sweating every morning despite the thermostat being set at 68 degrees and the fan on high. It seemed like there was just poor air circulation since it was blowing cold air but it always felt humid in the room. The beach club and amenities makes the price tag worth it, and the staff bends over backwards getting anything you desire. Overall the service at the Sarasota Ritz Carlton lives up the the standards of a 5 star resort, but they really need to put some work into the rooms themselves.

We enjoyed our stay but a few complaints:
- as Platinum members we did not get a suite upgrade. Reason was no availability.
- hotel was very busy during Memorial weekend, hotel's restaurant was unable to take our reservation, we should have been made aware at check in.
- understaffed weekend due to a wedding which seemed to be top priority.

Incredible spa experience thanks to Samantha and Gabriela! Highly recommend this establishment!

Ritz Carlton Sarasota s atmosphere is best described as relaxed luxury: refinement without pretension, with extremely warm, welcoming, and accommodating staff. While the hotel itself is located in downtown Sarasota, Ritz Carlton s elegant and pampering Beach Club, which includes convenient lockered dressing rooms, is a short complimentary shuttle ride away and provides perfect access to the soothing white sands and aqua waters of Lido Beach.

Attention to detail, polite staff, impeccable facility... can't say enough.

love it! I always have a great experience, whereas the very reason I visit is because the Ritz has remained the upscale and refined establishment it has been. Until recently. While the mermaid concept is ideal, the bar staffs concept maybe a bit risky for the reputation of Ritz. I only post this because Im aware I am not the only one who believes you should " get rid of the mermaid". For better suggestions speak to me...wink

Can t Believe that a places like Ritz Carlton was Hire a Little Thief like Lana Z,that Girl Stolen from me Thirty Dollars.

What a view! Such a nice place to gather with loved ones out of town. Wonderful and clean!

We had a very pleasant stay. From the moment we were greeted by the valet till the end we left everything was absolutely phenomenal. We love ritz and not planning on going to any other brand. Cheers

This is where the company I work for hosts our Christmas parties. We have an amazing time every year and the staff at the Ritz always go above and beyond!

Very nice experience , the staff are very pleasant and attentive.

Incredible staff and service. Beautiful hotel with great food in both the restaurant and room service. Relaxation area in the spa was fantastic. Close to shopping, dining, and beach access.

I first want to say that I hate that I have to write something like this. I like to write nice reviews only, but our experience there today was just absolutely horrendous. I went to the Ritz Carlton today with my mother for their Christmas Brunch, and we were both highly disappointed. We had the last seating for the day (3pm) and alot of the food had been sitting out all day before we got there. The cheeses were not fresh and had hard spots on them, so many of the dishes were empty and never refilled, and so many of the desserts were gone by the time we got there. It was like going to your family's house at noon for dinner, leaving all the food out, then coming back several hours later and charging people to eat what was leftover. And you would think that for $130 per person, and the fact that it's the Ritz Carlton, that everything would have been amazing but it was far from it. And on top of everything else, our service was absolutely horrific. The waitress, whose name was listed as Erin on the check but I dont think that was her name, was horrible. She took over 20 minutes to bring us our cranberry juice and soda water, she asked me if I wanted my coffee refreshed and when I said yes, she took my coffee away and didnt come back for 10 minutes and by that time, my dessert had been eaten. When she did come back, she didnt remember the cream I asked for, and when I reminded her she said "I'll be right back", yet she never came back. She was walking around clearing tables and doing side work. I reminded her again and still she left me sitting there for another 3-5 minutes. I finally got up and walked back to the server station, and I was stopped by a guy who asked me what I needed and he brought me the cream in less than a minute. Following that, she brought us the check and on top of the $130 per person, they charged us over $20 for tax and over $62 for gratuity!!! Are you freaking kidding me??? $62 for what??? She finally brought us our drinks over 20 minutes after we sat down and never remembered the coffee or the cream. It was never her that cleared our plates, and twice I had to clear our own plates and put them on the table next to us that was empty. Our bill was just over $347 for nothing but old and dried up food that had been sitting out all day, a table that was literally 2 feet away from the dessert station where people were standing within reaching distance staring over our shoulders at us as we ate, absolutely horrible service, and a room that was so cold you could have hung meat in it. There was no Christmas spirit in that room, no decorations, nothing. And because we were seated last, they were ignoring us and kept asking us if we were ready for the check even before we got our dessert and coffee. We were even asked if we wanted coffee right in the middle of dinner!!! All in all this was a very very VERY horrible experience, and I am absolutely floored that they think it's ok to charge a $62 gratuity for 2 people when the server did absolutely NOTHING. This was a major letdown, as we both love going to the Jack Dusty restaurant at the Ritz, and we will never be returning for another event like this again. I have been to Ritz Carlton's all over the world, and this was by far the worst experience I have ever had.

The ritz Sarasota is a beautful property. However, the sheets on the bed were the worst feeling sheets that I have ever slept on. I recommend bringing your own.

Wierd noises in room, but staff made sure we were accommodated properly and relocated us to a quieter room. Club amenities nice, but wine is locked at 10pm. Clean and personable staff as expected at Ritz. We do not stay anywhere else when traveling.

Beautiful place and everyone went out of their way to help you.

Almost perfect, just one disappointing moment which I ll get to. We stayed here over the new year period and paid $1000 per night for a bay view room. So we had high expectations. The general hotel and service lived up to these and the beach club (to which they provide a free shuttle) was a perfect bonus. The service we received here was equally as good as in the hotel. Our room was average size, nothing special but the balcony over the pool/bay made up for this. My Gold status got us free breakfast & $50 per day free spend which was also an unexpected bonus so make sure you check what you re eligible for. Unfortunately the ritz loses a star due to our experience at breakfast. On New Year s Day we asked if we could be seated outside to which we were told wasn t possible because of reservations & lack of tables. Whilst I m listening to this I m looking over the ladies shoulder at 10+ empty breakfast set tables. Fast forward 45 minutes and as we leave there are now 10-15 empty tables outside, all were set for breakfast. I honestly find it mind boggling why these things happen when it s so unnecessary and is so easy to accommodate. Poor service.

The beach bar has delicious but overpriced drinks. The blackened fish taco was awesome, but my friend's quesadilla was average. Good service from the beach waiters and waitresses !

Nice hotel and amazing beach club but rather pricey

Beautiful well decorated room. Comfortable bed and awesome pillows.. Entire Staff is super friendly and helpful there were some tiny little ants in the room when we arrived. Valet were great and very friendly as well.

Had a nice breakfast, staff was friendly, but the kitchen was a bit slow.

Fantastic stay here. The staff went above and beyond. We were treated well by everyone! It was my husbands Birthday and they did several special things for him. Can not wait to go back. Thanks for EVERYTHING.

Kelly Davis

The place is beautiful and loved seeing the cars outside as well

Excellent service and very comfortable accommodations. A trip to the beach club is a must.

Only complaints were that the AC went out in the beach house during my friends wedding on a very hot Florida summer day. They got it up and running maybe an hour later. Also received unexpected and inaccurate items on my bill. Haven't checked out yet so we will see if they are willing to remove them.

Wonderful views, superb service and incredible dining experiences. The best afternoon desserts anywhere

Nice place in town. A great place for dinner as well.

Attended this hotel for a wedding and had a great experience. Staff was helpful and friendly. Service at the wedding bar and during meal service was 5 star. Food came out hot and they were happy to accommodate special requests without hesitation. Were very attentive to my dads dairy allergy and brought him dairy free versions of every single item they served with dairy. Including the food at the after party! Beautiful venue as well

Great service, cordial hospitality, beautiful venue, delicious breakfast, highly recommend

Wonderful service, beach club staff was perfect, as were hotel staff. Little welcome gift for our toddler was adorable, a very sweet touch. Drive to beach club was a few minutes, but well worth in in our opinion! Travelled with a 2yo and the beach was calm enough for him to play in the water too! Will return!