The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C.

I just had a lovely first visit to the Ritz Carlton Washington DC. This property is everything I love about the Ritz Carlton brand — understated elegance with top notch service.

I used Marriott Suite Night Upgrades and was awarded a very nice roomy executive king suite. The room was quintessential Ritz Carlton (however updated and modern in all the right ways). Very nice layout with a half bath and large living room with a well-designed banquette dining room, large sofa and seating area with TV in the living room. A full mini bar with complimentary Nespresso coffee were available. I loved that they provided plenty of complimentary bottled water.

The bedroom was separated by a set of French doors with a comfy king bed, TV, and large closet before entering into a huge bathroom with stand-up shower, full large tub, double vanity and water closet. All the things I love about RC with tons of thoughtful bath amenities and a really nice touch with even more bottled water at each sink with a full sized drinking glass. It really is the understated touches that make a difference.

I also want to call out their exceptional housekeeping, who always arrived as soon as I requested after messaging the ladies and gentlemen at the front desk. Housekeeping used Chilewich placemats to organize my toiletries on the bath vanity. Did I mention the little touches :-).

One other note — I always stay in this neighborhood when I come to DC. Access to everything you need. Quick walk to DuPont Circle, and Georgetown is literally right down the street with all the high end shopping and brasseries you’d ever want.

Thanks to the entire team here for making my two-day getaway so memorable. I’ll be back!

Stayed for a group, corporate event where we probably booked half the hotel. The ballroom downstairs and meeting areas were convenient and well-organized (easy access back to room if needed during breaks). The rooms themselves were spacious and well-appointed. I arrived early so only two-doubles were available but it was fine as the front desk got me a 10th floor (out of 11) room due to my Bonvoy status. Front desk was very helpful - Hazel assisted at check-in and was the person who handled my check-out. She was informative and processed check-out promptly.

As one would expect, they provided daily cleaning service including nightly turndown (housekeeper whose name I didn't get was cheerful each night bringing by chocolates and a happy attitude). There was Sage for fine-dining and Quadrant lounge for more casual dining (I had both - I did takeout for lunch at Sage and when I asked for the same for dinner, they kindly informed me that dinner was eat-in only).

Fitness was in partnership with Equinox which is either $15/day or included in your room rate. It's accessible via the 2nd floor and you have to bring your ID (& know your room number) to gain access. The club has a full basketball court, weights, and a 4-lane lap swimming pool and is also used by local members.

It's close to GWU, restaurants, and a host of other hotels in case you have an event where guests prefer different brands.

I have stayed at The Ritz Carlton, Washington, D.C. several times over the past five years, but after this most recent stay, I will probably expand my search for very nice accommodations near the Capital.
This visit had a long list of small but constant problems that, taken together, were pretty annoying—especially given the price point and the expectations attached to this brand.
To start with the basics: there was never a step stool available, which meant my children could not reach the sink on their own. That may sound trivial, but when you are traveling with kids, it immediately turns every routine—brushing teeth, washing hands—into a repeated logistical problem that a family-friendly luxury hotel should already have solved.
The bathroom itself had clear maintenance issues. There was black, slimy mildew in the shower caulk, which is not something I expect to see in any hotel, much less one charging luxury rates. The toilet paper holder was broken, and every time you tried to tear off a piece, the metal holder would swing and hit the floor with a loud clank.
Both the shower and the bathtub lacked any kind of handheld sprayer. This makes bathing children quite difficult—especially when they can’t quite take showers by themselves and still need help washing their hair. Even trying to step into the shower with a child would not have been realistic, because the shower stall was very small. A larger adult would struggle to fit comfortably on their own, let alone two people, regardless of how small one of them is.
The room was also extremely dry. Static electricity that shocks and makes you afraid to touch anything dry. When I asked, housekeeping offered a tiny humidifier that wouldn’t have put a dent in the problem, but then did not even refill it during service.
There was no ice machine available on the floor or that guests could access themselves. You have to call and wait for ice to be delivered. When I asked the staff to please leave it outside the door and not ring or knock—because my children were sleeping—they did anyway. I also don’t appreciate that the Ritz deems me incapable of getting my own ice if I so desire. I’m a perfectly capable adult who would like not to have to wait 15 minutes for ice to arrive to drink my Diet Coke.
I asked staff to empty the minibar—specifically to remove all drinks and snacks—so that we would have room for our own drinks and snacks, but they never got around to doing it.
The electrical setup in the room was woefully inadequate. There was only one electrical outlet in the entire bathroom and only one outlet near the table in a two-bedroom suite. Other outlets were too far away from the bed to charge a phone at night and there weren’t nearly enough overall for a family staying multiple nights.
Individually, these might sound like minor inconveniences, but they added up quickly and became constant friction points throughout the stay. This matters when a four-night stay was nearly $4,000—and that was for the room alone, with no room service, no spa, and no additional services.
One additional note about the service culture itself: there is a meaningful difference between genuinely good service and a highly scripted, hyper-deferential style of hospitality that treats guests as if they are fragile, incapable of managing basic needs, or deserving of constant ceremonial attention. At a certain point, that kind of performative politeness stops feeling attentive and starts feeling intrusive.
In practice, that culture shows up as a constant stream of over-talking and rehearsed check-ins. The staff wastes a surprising amount of your time with repeated lines like, “If there is anything we can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask,” “How are you today, ma’am?” and “Is there anything we can do to improve or enhance your stay?” It is exhausting. Obviously, I know how to ask for something if I need it—this is not the DMV. All of this unnecessary, scripted babble interrupts you repeatedly and wastes precious time I would much rather spend literally any other way. Of course, I want the ladies and gentlemen of the hotel to be polite and helpful. But I do not want staff speaking to me—or to my children—as if we deserve constant praise for doing absolutely nothing. For all anyone knows, I could be a terrible person. It would be far better if the staff simply behaved like normal, friendly, competent people and treated guests the same way.
Overall, this stay felt like a mismatch between price, branding, and lived reality. The physical issues—mildew, broken fixtures, poor bathroom design for families, extreme dryness, inadequate outlets, and basic usability failures like the minibar and ice access—combined with a service culture that is overly scripted and inefficient, created constant, unnecessary friction. Given the high price tag, one expects quiet competence, well-maintained rooms, and practical, thoughtful design. Instead, I left feeling that the hotel is far more focused on performing luxury than delivering it.

I stayed for one night, arrived at 9pm and checked out by 9am, on ny drive from MA to FL. I am a titanium elite bonvoy member, I have a ritz carlton credit card, I live on property at a ritz in another state and Im a ritz member. I was married at a Ritz Carlton and love the brand otherwise. I choose areas to vacation or do business based on if there is a ritz carlton for my stay. I have frequented many ritz carltons and sadly they are not all the same. At this particular property, I was not upgraded to a suite although they had one available it was not an option because they wanted to leave the room available for a guest that would pay. When I offered to pay for an upgrade, they said they still couldnt offer the suite because I had used points to book my room. Again, not the experience I typically have at a Ritz. The room I did end up with had terrible air quality and my children and I did not have a restful nights sleep. I travel with an air cleaner by air oasis and it tells me what is in the air its cleaning. Everytime the heat/ac kicked on in the room, the air cleaner turned red which means high levels of VOCs and other toxins were being released not just dust and particles usually produced by an HVAC system. For this reason alone, I would not stay at this property again. It is in need of a renovation.

I stayed at The Ritz‑Carlton on December 31, 2025, and unfortunately had one of the most disappointing experiences I’ve ever had at a hotel, especially one at this price point.

The valet misplaced my vehicle key for several hours and could not provide updates or access to my car. I eventually found my own 2023 BMW 430i left unlocked. When the key fob was finally returned, it was damaged, and the valet team had no record of my room number or proper documentation for my vehicle. I have video evidence of the condition of the car and key fob upon retrieval.

Inside the hotel, the TV in my room could not connect to Netflix for the entire stay. Despite multiple requests, the issue was never resolved. A front desk employee even made a dismissive comment, although the engineer also could not fix the problem. I have video documenting this interaction as well.

I requested a refund and reimbursement for the damaged key fob. The hotel offered only 5,000 Marriott points, which does not come close to addressing the negligence or the property damage.

Central Location and Impeccable Service. Great service and facility is what you’d expect from the brand. Staff was super helpful and friendly. an overall enjoyable stay.

If there were a rating higher than five stars, this Ritz-Carlton would earn it effortlessly. The service is truly exceptional—from the front desk (especially Eskedar), to guest services, to the daily housekeeper—everyone made me feel at home every single day. That meant a great deal during my extended stay, especially while missing home.

If other hotels delivered even half this level of hospitality, travel would be a much better experience. This is luxury in the truest sense of the word. Add in the convenient access to an Equinox gym, and it’s hard to imagine a better stay. Hands down, one of the best hotels in DC.

I had an extraordinary experience at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C. Every visit has been top-notch, beginning with Manager Eskedar’s warm welcome and genuine interaction, followed by the staff’s exceptional courtesy. It’s rare these days to encounter someone with Eskedar’s level of talent and personality—she is truly the jewel of this place, always greeting guests with an endless smile.

An Unforgettable Experience at The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, it was clear that we were in for an exceptional experience. The hotel exudes elegance and sophistication, but it’s the level of service that truly sets it apart.
Zak from front desk went above and beyond to make our stay memorable. He was genuinely friendly, attentive, and professional and very catering. Escada front desk manger was very warm and attentive. They anticipated our needs before we even had to ask and always greeted us with a warm smile, making us feel valued and at home.
The accommodations were equally impressive. Our room was spacious, beautifully decorated, and equipped with all the amenities we could have possibly needed for a comfortable stay. The bed was heavenly, and the bathroom was luxurious—truly a sanctuary after a long day of exploring the city.
The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C. isn’t just a hotel; it’s an experience. Whether you’re in town for business or leisure, the quality of service and the warm hospitality will make your stay unforgettable. We left feeling pampered, relaxed, and already planning our next visit.
Highly recommend!

The hotel is stunning and beautiful with some great amenities. We were greeted at the front desk by Eskedar and felt so welcomed. She took care of us and engaged with us in a way that is rare. I travel quite a bit and she is one of the best hotel staff I have ever encountered the readon why i followed her from the Salamander !! My Wife booked the Ritz Carlton for my birthday celebration and it was such a great choice. I felt so special! We will definitely go back! Hello Ritz Carlton bye bye Salamander.

We stayed a single night here on a Saturday to visit and hang out with family at DC bars. Checking in was fabulous! They young lady who checked us in hit all the key points about the hotel, told us about their amazing daily “Presidential Cookies” and even recognized my status. The property is beautiful and very central/walkable to many places to eat, drink, and party. Valet was perfect! He was very helpful and even told me they would provide free transportation via their private car within 2 miles, including pickup. Which we used! And our driver, Foster was perfect!

The room was comfy and quite large too. Bed offered the perfect sleep! TV channels was lackluster, but that was fine for this stay. The tub had some very odd, black nastiness all along the bottom of it, but we took showers, so this didn’t affect us.

Everyone we encountered while at this property was helpful and pleasant. Overall, we really enjoyed this visit and we’ll definitely return!

Lovely stay, great location at the Ritz in west end. A big shout out to wonderful Kenneth Hastings and the concierge team who helped w dinner suggestions (Ris and Rasika) and even mailing a package . In room dining menu wasn’t so appealing and super pricey so we enjoyed sweetgreen around the corner for lunches and ate out. Thanks to all.

My family stayed at the DC Ritz last weekend and the stay and service couldn't have been better. Everyone from front desk, dining, housekeeping, and even valet were friendly and helpful. They were eager to help at every turn and did so with great cheer. Eskadar was especially sweet and went the extra mile to make our little boy feel welcome and special.

This was our second stay at this Ritz location and we look forward to going back again. As a family who has stayed at many Ritz locations throughout the U S. and the world, I can safely say the DC Ritz sets the bar high and is one to be emulated!

Lovely big rooms on the club level, although a little dark. The bed is very comfy and the room quiet, offering excellent sleep quality. The aircon works very well and the wifi is ok.
The carpets probably need a thorough deep clean or replacement. The bathroom is spacious with a separate bath and shower. The shower bizarrely does not have a hand shower option.
The club lounge is excellent, with superb food and drink options. Caitlin, the club hostess/ manager, was brilliant, looking after our needs and making sure that we were comfortable. Her brilliant, polite and caring attitude was a real plus for the stay in Washington.

We had a wonderful stay, from start to finish. The hotel was immaculate and the staff very friendly and helpful. Big shout out to Balsa and the rest of the team in the Club lounge who went well out their way to make sure we had a fantastic time. Hopefully we will be back in DC soon, and if we are, we wouldn't consider staying anywhere else.

If you are considering a club room, with lounge benefits, go for it! It's well worth it.
Andy & Faye

Exceptional stay at the Ritz,DC. Staff were friendly and accommodating and the room and amenities were exactly what you expect from the Ritz.
Great location for exploring Georgetown and the museums/galleries in DC. It was my frittatas here and I will make it my new go to in town!

The staff was absolutely fantastic

Espaço, limpeza