The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island

Rated a 3 out of 5 since we stayed 6 nights during the week of July 4th, 2024. This was our second time at the hotel, and we returned because we loved the relaxed ambiance and welcoming atmosphere. We purposely booked during this week at this hotel to decompress. We had rented a car to drive into Fernandina Beach as well, since we enjoyed the casual vibes, shops and the Salty Pelican restaurant. The first few days were exactly what we had hoped for. Friendly staff in the halls, pool attendants with welcoming conversation, excellent meals at the restaurants and lovely spa employees. Calling down to the valet to have our car brought around worked well. Love the open spaces for kids to play just off the outdoor dining area, Our son is older now, but what a great layout for parents to be able to sit and relax while watching the kids play ping pong and mini golf. We talked about whether we should stay at the hotel for the 4th Barbecue or go into town. Sounded like a lot of fun activities, especially for kids. The later afternoon of July 3, we started to notice a change. People in lines in the lobby to check in and more people sitting and waiting. The desk and valets were overwhelmed. The day of the 4th, I got breakfast sandwiches and coffee from the coffee shop (truly excellent selection!) and headed out to the pool to read the paper on my tablet. My husband had gone out ahead of me to get chairs set up and when I brought our things out, he let me know that he had gotten on the wait list for pool chairs. ??? Walking out to the pool, I passed LONG lines of kids and hot parents waiting for the one face painter and one person to twist balloons. The pool attendants suggested that there might be chairs out at the beach. We walked out to the beach, got set up with chairs and an umbrella, excellent morning. In the early afternoon, we packed up at the beach; husband went back to the room for a nap, I was hoping for some pool time. The pool attendant let me know that there was a chair available in the "overflow" area. ??? This was a raised concrete area with few umbrellas for any shade and older mesh lounge chairs that did not meet Ritz Carleton standards. Totally understand having an extra area for larger hotel capacity, but would expect that any chairs and umbrellas pulled out of storage would match the comfort of the existing pool area. Also, towels were hard to come by at this point. It really appeared that the hotel pool area, cabanas, pool bar, etc were tremendously over crowded. I also saw families going in and out through a side gate, in back of the hot tub area and restrooms, so it appeared that more than just hotel guests were invited for the big 4th of July celebration. Condos next to hotel? July 5th morning was much more typical. I was talking with a couple at the pool, hot tub area. They had planned to host friends at the Ritz for the long weekend, but were checking out due to the chaos of the 4th. It was their first time staying at the loc

I recently visited this spa two days, back to back , and I wanted to share my experience regarding the service I received. I was so disappointed. I have been auditing businesses for years and I enjoy it. So, when I go somewhere I can't help but critique it and notate the entire experience inside my head. Something similar to what I would do had I been hired to be there. When you work hard to save your money for a high quality experience, that's exactly what you should be getting. It’s what I expected from this name. When it isn't, silent alarms begin to sound. You can only take so much before it’s ruined and you have to say something. I appreciate Diamond standards and that is why I chose this spa. I have visited many Ritz Carlton Properties, including this one, on numerous occasions. Yet, this was the only time where I noticed a significant amount of flaws in both, the customer service and the facility maintenance. There are many areas where improvements have to be made, to meet the high standards associated with a 5-diamond rated spa. 1. Customer Service: It’s essential for a luxury spa to provide impeccable customer service. The lack of warmth and attentiveness during these two days were concerning. Attendants should be readily available to assist guests. The negative attitude from some employees were disappointing. Guests deserve a pleasant and welcoming environment. Quality amenities like beverages should be consistently available/delivered. They should always have an attendant to walk you back, assign you a locker, and make sure you have everything you need…. Especially if you’re pre-ordered something. 2.Attention to detail The facility should regularly be checked and maintained, (at least every 15 minutes) but they were not. Trash bins and laundry bins were overflowing. There was trash piled on the tea table in one room and discarded yogurt containers caused an odor, like rotten fruit or dirty feet, in the other room. It was very unpleasant. The showers were all dirty (other than one handicap stall) for over an hour before I finally said something to Ms. Bernadette. The wet lounge smelled musky/moldy. There was not an adequate amount of bottled water throughout the entire facility. It was very sad that they had no fruit infused water. A couple of places you could find the distilled water, but it is nasty and a known fact that it is not healthy or to be trusted. Each day I had to ask for eucalyptus spray even though they’re supposed to spray the steam room, but since they don’t properly maintain the facility, it doesn’t get done. 3. Treatment Quality: While the treatments themselves were satisfactory, they fell short of the exceptional experiences I’ve had at other 5-diamond spas. I expected a more personalized approach and a deeper understanding of my specific needs. I wanted to enjoy every bit of the time I paid for. Sadly, I did not. The therapist came to ask an hour before our appointment if we wanted to be seen earl

My husband and I stayed at the Ritz the weekend of July 5th to celebrate our anniversary. We had the most amazing weekend! The hotel room and resort were gorgeous and immaculate. We enjoyed the beach and pool every day. The staff was so helpful and friendly. We had dinner one night at Salt which was delicious and loved the BBQ event put on by the Ritz over the weekend as well. We can’t wait to go back!

Our stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island for our anniversary was absolutely perfect. The staff went above and beyond at every turn, and their incredible customer service truly stood out. When I lost my diamond bracelet, the entire staff and security team immediately sprang into action and found it, turning what could have been a stressful situation into a moment of relief and gratitude. They truly cared and helped us kindly. The dining experiences were phenomenal. Our New Year’s Eve dinner at Salt was exquisite—every dish was a masterpiece. We also loved the sushi in the lobby so much that we had it multiple times during our stay. The live music throughout the hotel added a special touch, creating a really nice vibe. The thoughtful details made the trip unforgettable. We were welcomed with a fruit plate and champagne in our room, and the staff consistently acknowledged our anniversary in such a kind and genuine way. From the luxurious accommodations to the exceptional service, everything about this resort exceeded our expectations. The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, made our celebration unforgettable, and we can’t wait to return. Five stars all the way!

Ritz in name only and not remotely as kid friendly as advertised. The room and facilities are in need of an update. Cracks in the room ceilings, walls, wear are very noticeable. Cleanliness of room is average at best, particularly the bathroom. The biggest disappointment though was the service (or lack thereof). The primary reason we chose this resort was the many advertised kids activities, kids club, and kids facilities. These highly touted activities include nature walks, shark tooth hunts, scavenger hunts, camping in the room, etc. None of the activities took place. During a holiday week almost every kid's activity was cancelled without explanation. The one activity that took place was drawing with crayons in a windowless conference room while the TV blared in the background. The service was inconsistent. The front desk, concierge, telephone operator frequently contradicted each other in providing information, and were less than helpful in making reservations. One got the sense that the staff did not have much awareness on what was happening on the property nor the engagement level to find out or solve issues. Two of the five restaurants were closed. Housekeeping was woefully inconsistent and occurred very late. Service at the open restaurants was quite good. They offer the use of a house car. The staff was friendly if not competent. If this were a 3 star resort with 3 star pricing, the rating in this review would be different. However, it is (allegedly) a 5 star resort and certainly has 5 star pricing. There are better places to spend ones money and stay.

We stayed at this hotel for a week to attend a conference, and our experience was quite disappointing for what is claimed to be a 5-star establishment. First, the valet-only parking option is a major inconvenience. If you have a 7:00 pm dinner reservation, you should start waiting for your car by 6:00 pm. The valet system is completely inefficient and fails to meet guests' needs. The hotel shows many signs of deterioration and is not as clean as it should be for a 5-star hotel. The bathroom linens had stains, and the pool towels were very dirty with numerous stains. Housekeeping did not meet the standards of a 5-star service. On two out of the five nights we stayed, our bathroom amenities were not refilled. As previous reviews mentioned, the staff were not very friendly. One incident involved a housekeeper potentially throwing away my son's souvenir cup. We reported this through the hotel app, but no one responded until we sent multiple reminders. When we finally received a response, the gentleman handling it said they would look it up in the lost and found section. Are you kidding me? Additionally, as a 5-star hotel, we had a great amount of expectation. The hotel listed an indoor swimming pool as one of its amenities, but there was no indoor swimming pool available. Only a small outdoor pool and one hot tub were offered, which was quite disappointing. On a positive note, the gym room was nicely designed and the equipment was very new. Despite the issues with dirty pool towels, the beach staff were very friendly, willing to help, and had a great attitude. Overall, our experience did not live up to the 5-star rating, and I would not recommend this hotel based on our stay.