The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage

Lupita from banquets really made my stay feel personal. She was serving wellness drinks when I mentioned I was having trouble with my voice and needed a particular tea. Later, she arranged to have that exact tea and some baked goods brought to my room. I appreciated that so much. The spa was another highlight: Maria, Leonora, and the rest of the staff were kind and gave me the wellness day I needed. I was there for just one night as a self-care treat after Coachella, but it became one of my favorite hotel stays from all my travels. From arrival on, everyone treated me like a valued guest. The team, from valet to housekeeping, was warm, polite, and helpful. The grounds were immaculate, and the views were breathtaking. I’ll definitely come back and recommend staying here, especially in a guest room with a fire pit. The peaceful views stay with you.

We’ve been here twice and would absolutely come back. The location and property are beautiful, and the staff throughout the hotel were outstanding. Joe at reservations and the front desk was especially professional and went above and beyond. JR, Vanessa, and the pool teams were great at their jobs, and housekeeping was excellent too. Highly recommend.

The pool area looked beautiful, and both the food and service by the pool were exceptional. Chevelle, our server, deserves a special mention for going above and beyond. We also had an early problem with our room, but the staff fixed it quickly by moving us into an amazing suite. They were incredibly accommodating, and we had a fantastic stay at the Ritz in Rancho Mirage. Highly recommend!

The room was unclean, with stains on the curtains, bed linens, and pillowcases, grime in the bathroom crevices, and other people’s hair on the sheets, in closets, and in drawers. The renovation also disappointed us. The Courtyard Marriott fixtures, bath sinks, and furniture replaced the traditional colonial decor associated with Ritz Carlton. Modern updates can be done elegantly, as at the Ritz Carlton in DC Georgetown and NYC Battery Park, but Rancho Mirage missed the mark on its decor and infrastructure. It looks, feels, and operates like an old Courtyard Marriott. Noise was another major problem. At the hotel restaurant lounge, a group of ten people were yelling and drunk, with a couple of them shouting the F words every five minutes. It was hard to hear, concentrate, or hold a conversation. We asked our lounge server to address it, and he professionally explained that he couldn’t because they were customers who had bought out several rooms. That made us feel our experience mattered less because of the economics. We used to stay at your Ritz Carlton often, but won’t anymore. The server kindly offered to move us one foot away, but the group could still be heard throughout the lounge and dining room on that floor. We stayed Friday to Tuesday, hoping things would improve after the busy weekend, but each day got worse. A female auto valet ignored us and waved us toward the wrong rental car. She seemed sheepish afterward and knew she’d been flippant because she was socializing with a coworker instead of paying attention to her job. We also lost our Valentine rose bouquet. It felt like a Hampton Inn experience: noise, inconvenience, and low price. At the Ritz Catlton at Rancho Mirage, it was noise, inconvenience, a lost bouquet, and a high price, over $1100 per night. This is the kind of experience I’d expect at a $240-a-night hotel, not one costing $1200 or $3000 a night. We will not return.