The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey

A luxurious and beautiful hotel. Excellent service that was both professional and personal. The entire staff was cordial, attentive and helpful, but I want to particularly thank Daija at the front desk for her help and her warm interest in our family celebrations.

Was so shocked when my bill came for two martinis that the server took upon herself to be made with Grey Goose vodka. Usually servers ask me what kind of vodka I would prefer. She went off shift so I was stuck with the bill. Buyer beware and be sure to review your receipts. I am a regular but am questioning going back this week for sure.

I’m honestly not sure where to begin, so I’ll start from the beginning. We’ve stayed at this hotel before and really enjoyed it, but this time the experience was completely different. It started with poor communication in advance. We had several questions that either went unanswered or were answered too late for us to make any changes to our booking. Upon arrival, there was no one to greet us. We had to find someone ourselves to help with our luggage and car. Once inside, I asked my questions again at the front desk, but the staff member didn’t have any answers. I requested to speak with a supervisor or manager. We waited in the lobby for 30 minutes, but no one came. When I followed up again, we were told the manager was in a meeting. We were allowed to wait in the Club Lounge, which was fine, but it took over an hour before someone finally came to speak with us. After a pleasant conversation, things seemed resolved and we received our room keys. Unfortunately, the room was a huge disappointment. It was located next to the Club Lounge, with constant noise from slamming doors, and near an elevator that made loud banging sounds. The furniture was old and worn. One of the closet doors even came off in my hand when I tried to open it. Because of a wall (only present on the eleventh floor), we had a very limited bay view—in fact, practically no view at all. After two hours, we needed our car. While passing the front desk, I noticed the staff talking and laughing about us, which felt very uncomfortable. The highlight of our stay was Estefany in the Club Lounge. She was incredibly kind, professional, and clearly knows how to treat guests well. However, the next morning her attitude had completely changed, as if she had been informed about us. The lounge itself was okay, but limited in offerings. We did enjoy the soup. It was also surprising to see guests bringing in dogs that were not service animals. The next morning, we decided to leave because we simply did not feel welcome. We travel a lot and frequently stay at Ritz-Carlton hotels around the world, but we have never experienced anything like this. As Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite members, we were especially disappointed. We even felt sorry for our daughter, who traveled all the way from Amsterdam to spend just three days with us—two of which were already spoiled. This hotel truly needs rebranding, refurbishment, and possibly new management. I’m giving 2 stars, mainly because of Estefany and the soup.

My boyfriend and I rented a day bed by the pool for my b-day at the Marina Del Rey Ritz Carlton last week. They usually had one staff member by the pool taking orders for food from their kitchen. Which I felt bad for him because he was getting pulled all over by customers wanting to order. We ordered our food and when it finally came, they made us pay first. Once we started eating, the food was not the best but our issue was there was a hair in my burger partially melted with/ into the cheese. I let the waiter know. he apologized and took the food back. We didn’t see him come back after. We couldn’t eat the rest of our food because we were disgusted and more than half was left. My boyfriend started not feeling well not too long after that and then we just decided to leave. We had to cancel my b-day dinner reservations somewhere else that night because he ended up getting sick from the food at Ritz Carlton. We spent over $150 on food we barely even got to eat. I have reached out to Ritz Carlton multiple times to try to rectify the situation with no response back (it’s been a week). I’m usually not the type to make a complaint but I have never experienced this poor service anywhere. Especially when you think of the Ritz Carlton ( a 4 star hotel/ resort).

Our first impression fell short of what I expect from a Ritz-Carlton experience. Upon arrival, the doorman did not open the doors—something that is typically a defining standard of Ritz hospitality and sets the tone above other brands. We had proactively communicated our arrival time, yet our room was not ready for several hours. While luggage storage is understandable, it becomes inconvenient when you’re unable to change or prepare for amenities like the spa or pool. The front desk team was pleasant, but there seemed to be a lack of depth in knowledge around both Ritz-Carlton standards and Marriott Bonvoy recognition. We were not asked about Bonvoy status, which was surprising and disappointing. This stay was particularly meaningful as it was our anniversary and our first time at this property. I had coordinated in advance to make it special, but the in-room touches—balloons and artificial petals—felt underwhelming and lacked the elevated, thoughtful execution I’ve experienced at other Ritz locations. In contrast, another Ritz property we visited immediately after delivered an exceptional experience, going above and beyond in every aspect. That comparison made it clear that this location is missing strong leadership direction. The rooms feel dated, and the overall team presence across the property appeared unstructured and lacking clear standards. There is a strong opportunity here for leadership to step in, take ownership, and elevate the guest experience back to the level synonymous with the Ritz-Carlton brand.