The Ritz-Carlton Mystique

“We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen.”

The Ritz-Carlton motto

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The Ritz-Carlton is a high-end luxury brand hotel that has 71 properties located all over the U.S, and has 23 resorts worldwide. The best part about this luxury brands' business philosophy is it's impeccable service. Little did I know, the Ritz-Carlton has a Learning Institute and Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center that trains future employees and execs in the Ritz-Carlton principles of service. 
According to it's gold standards principles:

“The Ritz-Carlton Hotel is a place where the genuine care and comfort of our guests is our highest mission. We pledge to provide the finest personal service and facilities for our guests who will always enjoy a warm, relaxed, yet refined ambience. The Ritz-Carlton experience enlivens the senses, instills well-being, and fulfills even the unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests.”

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This past weekend I had the pleasure of staying at the Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, Florida and experiencing the gold standard of hospitality. I have always been a fan of luxury hotels, but never have I experienced service that is "The Ritz way."

Lobby:

The name Ritz-Carlton dates back to the Hôtel Ritz Paris and the Carlton Hotel in London, both operated by the legendary hotelier César Ritz. Loosely related hotels bearing the Ritz name began to appear in North America, including the Ritz-Carlton Montreal in 1912 and the Ritz-Carlton Boston in 1927. The Ritz-Carlton Boston was an immediate success, and became an enduring paragon of high society. In 1983, after two ownership transitions, the expansion of the Boston operation into a worldwide chain of Ritz-Carlton hotels began, headed by hotelier Horst Schulze and developer William B. Johnson.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company LLC is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company currently has 32,000 employees! Source

The photo above is me standing at the entrance fountain at 9:30 in the morning, waiting for the shuttle to take me to the beach. Little did I know, the shuttle wasn't coming for another half hour. Where is that gold standard when I need it? If I want to go to the beach at 9:30, dammit, I want to go now!

Ok, all is good, this is me at 10:30. Now that I have my feet up in a cozy lounger, and a Ritz blue umbrella over my head, I am queen for a day. Ahhhhh.

The main hotel is located in downtown Sarasota,(on you guessed it,) Ritz-Carlton Blvd, perfectly perched on the bay. This is the view from the 9th floor:

But having one location just wouldn't do. So the Ritz purchased a parcel of land located directly on the gulf, on Lido beach that houses their private residences, restaurant, second pool, and beach front property.

Seriously, does it get any better than this? This (photo above) is the private beach/pool club for Ritz guests and residences. It is approximately 3 miles from the main hotel located downtown. Thus the reason for me having to WAIT for the shuttle. And note to self, you can drive your own car to the beach club if you are impatient like me. If you prefer to take the shuttle it arrives every hour on the hour at the downtown location, and every half hour on the half hour at the beach club. 

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I have always loved Florida and all it has to offer. The weather, the beaches on the gulf, and shopping are bar none. But now that I have experienced Florida and the Ritz Mystique, I will definitely be going back. If you have never stayed at a Ritz I highly recommend that you do. The hotel and grounds were incredible, the food and ambience amazing, but the service and staff were remarkable, and made the trip memorable and extraordinary! For more info on this luxurious hotel, click here!

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