The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota

A five star four day stay! We couldn’t have been more pleased by the service, views, food and ambiance of The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota. A particular thanks to the fabulously hospitable Benjamin Bonkowski, Club Concierge, and Beatrix and Breanna for making the Club Lounge our very warm home base.

I liked this place a lot. First, it's a beautiful property, well-maintained. The staff is all so professional. We had a suite that was laid out very well, with ample space. The furnishings were both elegant and comfortable. Adequate dresser space. There were one-and-a half bathrooms, very nice, and the master had two sinks, which is a big plus. Nice set up at the nearby beach, and the pool set up also nice and relaxed. Very attentive staff. Many hotels - I mean many - that purport to be in this top-tier luxury are pretenders who just charge alot. This place delivers and I look forward to returning.

Wonderful experience at the Ritz Tiki Bar during the New Year’s weekend. From the minute we arrived we were greeted by the bartender, Ryan. I had the pleasure of meeting him at a previous Marriott property and to my surprise he had relocated to this property. The Ritz Carlton has a true star on their staff in Ryan. He is amazing at his craft and a true professional. I will definitely be back to the property because of Ryan. The experience he provides patrons and families is unmatched. Absolutely amazing experience!!! Thank you Ryan!!!

This Ritz location is FANTASTIC!! The Beach Club is a blast, food was good but what really stood out was the service. We did Club level and it was totally worth the additional cost- so kid friendly and the food was awesome (as were the drinks- the Espresso Martinis were fab!). Ben in the Club went above and beyond in every way. He was always ready to help and always with the most authentic smile and kind word. Our kids were 5 and 7 and we had such special breakfasts each morning where we played chess, UNO and a bunch of other games that were available at the Club. They helped us get reservations (Ben even physically walked downstairs to a restaurant to see if he could make more progress to get us a spot!), held our luggage for us, got us new keys when we lost them and on and on. Thank you to the entire team for such a truly wonderful week where we made memories to last a lifetime!!

Our Christmas stay at the Ritz-Carlton was absolutely outstanding from start to finish. From the moment we arrived, we were warmly greeted by so many staff members, making us feel genuinely welcomed and cared for. The holiday touches were exceptional. We were greeted with welcome champagne, enjoyed free bellinis and mimosas for two hours one day, and were constantly surprised with thoughtful details — free Christmas cookies, beautiful Christmas chocolates delivered to our door on Christmas morning, and even personalized letters from Santa hand-delivered under the door with treats hanging on the handle. Santa and Mrs. Claus were incredibly sweet, and the Christmas events throughout the hotel were adorable and so well done. The decorations were stunning and truly created a magical Christmas atmosphere. The food across the resort was amazing, and restaurant service was excellent everywhere we went. Live music on Saturday night was fantastic — we honestly wished there had been even more of it. The beach club was a highlight — relaxing, beautiful, and fun. Drinks served in coconuts were such a great touch. Raul at the beach club was especially kind and memorable, and Joe, one of the bellmen, was incredibly sweet and helpful. The people truly make this hotel special. We also loved the thoughtful extras like free fishing poles and the incredible welcome snack served on beautiful sand — everything was edible, creative, and delicious. The Candy Cane Café is such a cute idea and very festive visually. The only small suggestion would be to lean even more into the holiday theme with specialty drinks like candy cane lattes or eggnog lattes, as it currently serves regular coffee only. A couple of very minor notes: the pool temperature could be just one degree warmer, and the beach club store could be expanded a bit — but these are small details in an otherwise perfect experience.i also wish the shuttle ran every 30 minutes. Overall, this was one of the most magical Christmas experiences we’ve ever had. The Ritz-Carlton exceeded every expectation. Everyone at the hotel was kind, attentive, and genuinely warm. We can’t wait to return.