The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale

Checked in for one night (2 days) on July 7 for our anniversary and also my daughters birthday. I am a RC platinum elite lifetime member and let me just say that I judge all RC properties by the RC in Grand Cayman and also the RC Naples Beach and this property has service issues. You are not going to find the RC level of service here. Lots of service failures at this property. CHECK IN: Check in was fairly smooth and Ronica checked us in. She upgraded our room from partial ocean view to ocean front which was nice and it was room 1419. She offered us another upgrade for $300 to be on the club level and since I never saw the club lounge at this property she had the bellman take us to the club lounge for a tour. After we saw the club lounge I decided it was not worth it since we would only be here a short time. When we returned to the front desk after the club lounge tour our luggage was still on the luggage rack (since we were considering the club level room upgrade) but when it came time to go up to our room the valet parking stand had other guests checking in so they called the bellman to the valet stand. After waiting 10 minutes for the bellman I took the baggage cart myself and took our own luggage to the room. Every RC I ever stayed at in my life always had some sort complimentary fruit tray, cheese tray, or champagne in our room to celebrate our anniversary and or my daughters birthday but not here! I will say that our room was beautiful, clean neat, and tidy and it was quite a large room. Note my status was not recognized at check in. POOL SERVICE: After we got in our room we put on our swim trunks and headed straight to the pool for lunch. We decided to sit at the pool bar but after 10 minutes of waiting we left due to non existent bar service. Turns out Constantine the bar tender was also doubling as the pool boy and he was helping other guests with lounge chairs and towels at the pool instead of tending to his bar. DURING THE STAY: In the course of our stay we used the chat system for requesting extra towels and such and for the most part that was okay but on the second day chat response times were very long and mostly unresponsive. The next morning we went for along walk and when we got back to the hotel we missed the breakfast serving hours by 20 minutes at Burlock Coast. After speaking with hostess Kashel she went out of her way to talk to the chef and ask him if he can make an exception and cook up a few more breakfast orders and he did. Big shout out to Kashel. INCIDENTALS: It should be noted that valet parking at this property is $59 per day and if you want to use the spa facility it is also $59 per day unless you book a service like a massage. In the mornings there is complimentary coffee in the lobby near the elevators and that is very nice. CHECKOUT: We took advantage of the 4PM late check out as a perk for my status and the hotel did honor the request which was nice. I told the front desk person at check out that we were not offered our points or welcome gift at check in and the clerk took took our $35 breakfast off the bill which was also very nice and duly noted. CONCLUSION: You will not find RC level service at this hotel and this property has more of a Marriott feel to it more than a RC experience. In fact I have stayed at some Marriott and JW properties that had better service and amenities than this property offers. It should be noted the pool and pool deck are very small here. My wife being the in the travel industry for decades we tend to notice the very little details which are the most important details at any hotel. Most people don't notice the major details at a property because those are expected right, but they sure do notice the little details that make any stay most enjoyable. I don't believe I would stay at this property again and if I were in Fort Lauderdale again I would opt for the Four Season.

If you are in ft Lauderdale looking for a great restaurant, coffee shop with amazing service. Make your way to the Burlick Coast at the Ritz Carlton. Jake, one of the servers, goes out of his way to make you feel like family..He is friendly, knowledgeable a true "10" a keeper.

O’scar was incredibly kind and friendly, especially with our little one. He went out of his way to make us feel welcome and comfortable throughout our visit. His warm personality and excellent service made the experience even more enjoyable. Thank you, O’scar! :)

Rating: 3/10 My family and I stayed here in room 1413 (a "One Bedroom Oceanfront Balcony Suite") for one night in May 2026. Positives: • The location is undeniably strong. Sitting directly across from the ocean, the hotel delivers the one thing that cannot be renovated or rebranded. Our room’s balcony offered a sweeping view of the beach, and it was easily the best part of the stay. • The air conditioning worked flawlessly. In South Florida, that is not a trivial detail. The room stayed consistently cool, which ended up being more memorable than many of the hotel’s supposed luxury touches. • The Ritz-Carlton name still carries weight. Walking into the property, the branding creates an expectation of quality and professionalism. Unfortunately, much of the experience that followed struggled to live up to the logo on the building. Negatives: • The room felt tired and overdue for a refresh. Beige marble, worn carpeting, and stained surfaces gave the impression of a hotel that had been coasting on its address and brand for far too long. • When I filled the bathtub for my daughter, the water came out with a noticeable yellow-green tint. That is not something you expect at any hotel, let alone one charging Ritz-Carlton rates. It immediately raised questions I would rather not have had to ask. • We arrived around 11 p.m. and were greeted by… nobody. As we wrestled luggage through the entrance and held doors open ourselves, there was no doorman, no welcome, and no sense that anyone was paying attention. It was an inauspicious start. • Late-night dining consisted of a grab-and-go market rather than room service. We picked up two wraps that managed to be both soggy and forgettable. After a long travel day, it felt less like a luxury hotel and more like an airport convenience store. • When we requested bedding for the sofa bed, we were handed a stack of sheets and blankets and left to assemble it ourselves. The employee may have been trying to expedite things, but making your own pullout bed is not an experience I associate with the Ritz-Carlton brand. • At roughly $1,400 per night during Fort Lauderdale’s slower season, the value proposition simply was not there. Luxury hotels do not need to be perfect, but they should at least feel luxurious. • The biggest issue is that nearly every disappointment could have been forgiven if this were an ordinary beachfront hotel. It is not. It carries the Ritz-Carlton flag. By the end of the stay, I was left wondering whether Ritz-Carlton leadership has visited this property recently, or whether I need to fundamentally recalibrate what the brand is supposed to represent in 2026.

My husband and I just celebrated our 40th anniversary at this lovely hotel. Everything about the stay was perfect. The hero of the trip was Mr. Reuben Trane, a key manager at this beautiful property. He made sure we had a nice corner room for our stay, sent some treats to our room and as a surprise framed a photo of us to enjoy during our stay. We enjoyed meeting Reuben and thanking him personally. Valuable managers like Reuben move a good trip to a fantastic trip category. I wish there were a ten rating TripAdvisor! Other employees that stood out were Tamisha and Travis at the front desk and Johnathon and Juan who were the pool attendants. Andrea, in the front office, was also very helpful. The rooms are beautiful and clean. Everything was in working order. The food was very good and we enjoyed the morning coffee and oranges in the lobby along with fruit infused water. The pool area was crowded over the Memorial Day holiday yet the pool staff made sure everyone could find a seat. The beach attendants were very helpful as well yet we loved the beach view from the pool deck. The location of the hotel is nice as there is a natural flat walking area right outside the door. Don’t miss this property. We didn’t visit the spa or fitness center; however, I know the Ritz also sets the standard in this area. We will be make for sure. Thank you Reuben and staff for making our time special. We even added another night!