The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay

I have to give a huge shout-out to Nathan at the front desk, because he truly saved what started out as an extremely disappointing arrival at The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay.

Prior to our stay, I had coordinated with a concierge and made it clear that I was traveling with my wife for a special birthday weekend. So when we arrived and were told that the room available to us had two queen beds instead of a king, I was furious. For a luxury property at this price point, and after taking the time to coordinate our stay in advance, this was certainly not how I expected our weekend to begin.

Thankfully, Nathan stepped in and saved the day.

He listened, understood why I was disappointed, and immediately worked to find a solution. Nathan was able to get us into a very nice room that, while not exactly what I originally envisioned, was a very good consolation and allowed us to put the frustration behind us and enjoy the birthday weekend.

That is what exceptional hospitality looks like. Problems happen, but what distinguishes great service is how someone responds when they do. Nathan turned what could have been an expensive and very disappointing birthday stay into a memorable one. He deserves to be recognized by Ritz-Carlton management.

As a longtime Marriott Bonvoy traveler, I typically hold Titanium Elite or Ambassador Elite status, depending on how much business travel I do in a given year, so I spend a considerable amount of time in Marriott properties and have experienced all levels of service.

Nathan’s service stood out. Five stars for Nathan.

Thank you, Nathan. You genuinely saved our birthday weekend!

P.S. Compliments to the chef at Conservatory for the best Chilaquiles. And honorable mention to Marian and Rodolfo for extra room amenities.

Take me back! We loved our stay with you and the staff handled every detail to make my husband’s birthday so incredibly special. My forever favorite Ritz!

Our stay at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay was one of the most disappointing luxury hotel experiences we've ever had. The ocean views are spectacular, but beyond that, this property simply does not live up to the Ritz-Carlton name. The service is poor. The food (other than Navio) is average or bad. This is a golf resort. It’s not a relaxing, high-quality coastal getaway.

The service was terrible. We stayed in one of the cottages, and they are noisy. On our second night, our neighboring room blasted bass-heavy dance music throughout the night. Around 9:30 p.m., I called the front desk and was told, "We think we know who it is. We'll take care of it." We called and complained a few more times, asking them to make it stop. They didn't. The music continued until nearly 5:00 a.m. This is a Ritz. I'd expect the front desk to tell the person to turn their music off.

This is just one example of the poor service. I won't belabor the point. Just know going in that you should not expect exemplary customer service. For example, you walk up to the front desk, and instead of greeting you, they keep looking down at their work while muttering, "Can I help you?"

This is a golf resort with the Ritz name on it. They don't really care about individual guests. It's all about the golf outings and, presumably, the weddings. That's where their bread is buttered.

One night, at about 8:30 p.m., with the Conservatory restaurant nearly empty, we asked, "Can we just sit and have dessert?" We were told we couldn't be seated and should go to the bar instead. The bar was pretty crowded. (Long day of golf. It was booze time.) We said we'd just leave. The response? Essentially, it was, "Okay, bye."

Golf dominates everything. You're constantly walking around golfers and dodging golf balls near the 18th hole. On one occasion, we were trying to relax outside when a landscaper began edging within a couple of feet of us, sending dirt and debris flying in our direction. It was just trashy.

They don't clean up from the golfers' "after-parties" until maybe 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. Because when you walk to breakfast in the morning, the patio is full of empty booze glasses, dirty dishes, food trays, leftover food, and trash. Again, just trashy. Not ritzy.

They have an indoor lap pool with a tiny hot tub. It closes at 8:00 p.m. If you're looking for a relaxing resort experience, this isn't it.

We recently stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, and while there were some highlights, the experience ultimately fell short of what you’d expect from a Ritz-Carlton.

The property itself is beautiful, especially if you’re a golfer. The ocean views and golf course are stunning, and the beds were among the most comfortable we’ve slept on. Most of the staff we encountered were friendly and genuinely helpful.

Unfortunately, management and several operational issues significantly impacted our stay.

We stayed in one of the cottages rather than the main building. The walls were surprisingly thin, and noise was a recurring problem. On our first night, loud techno music with heavy bass continued past midnight. Staff had the volume reduced, but the bass never stopped, and it started up again around 5:00 a.m. We were assured multiple times that a manager would contact us, but no one ever did. The following night, our neighbors weren’t even playing music very loudly, yet the bass still carried through the walls. This appears to be a design issue with either the speaker placement or the cottage construction. We’ve stayed at many hotels and have never experienced bass carrying through walls like this.

Another frustrating issue was the automatic bathroom light. It’s designed to turn off automatically but malfunctioned one night and stayed on continuously. Because the bathroom wall is glass, the light illuminated the entire room, making it difficult to sleep. We ultimately had to crawl under the sink to disconnect it ourselves.

Service was also inconsistent. One evening around 8:30 p.m., we wanted to order dessert in the dining room, which was at least half empty. We were told we couldn’t be seated because we were only ordering dessert and were directed instead to the bar or lounge. Both were completely full with no available seating. Rather than accommodate paying guests in an otherwise available dining room, the hotel simply lost the sale—we would have happily spent well over $100 on dessert.

We also wanted to make s’mores one evening. The front desk directed us to the restaurant. The restaurant sent us to room service. Room service then charged us a $20 delivery fee, even though we were standing there in person and could have carried the items back to our room ourselves. It was an unnecessary and frustrating process that reflected poor coordination between departments.

One final disappointment: the pool closes at 8:00 p.m., which felt unusually early for a luxury resort where guests often want to relax after dinner.

Overall, the property itself is gorgeous, the beds are excellent, and many employees were wonderful. However, the noise issues, lack of management follow-through, inconsistent service, and several operational frustrations made this feel far below the standard we’ve come to expect from a Ritz-Carlton. It’s a beautiful location, but the guest experience needs significant improvement to match the luxury price tag.

tolle lage; der Terrasse mit Feuerstelle und Meerblick fehlt es zwar etwas an Privatsphäre, aber das wird durch das eindrucksvolle Gesamterlebnis dieser Terrasse mehr als wettgemacht

I am giving The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay one star. This was not a minor service lapse or a case of expectations being slightly too high. The hotel failed at the most basic purpose of a hotel—providing a room in which a guest can sleep—and then compounded that failure with inconsistent breakfast service and marketing that bears little resemblance to the conditions a summer guest should realistically expect.

We were placed in Room 460, directly beneath the executive lounge. The lounge has hardwood floors and is in use for most of the day. Noise began at approximately 5:00 a.m., apparently while staff prepared the lounge, and continued until after midnight while it was being cleaned. We could hear every footstep overhead.

This raises an extraordinary design and management question: How does a luxury hotel knowingly operate a guest room directly underneath a high-traffic common room with hardwood flooring and inadequate sound isolation? The problem was not an occasional dropped object or one inconsiderate guest. It was the ordinary operation of the room above us. From before sunrise until after midnight, normal footsteps were transmitted into our bedroom. Room 460 should not be sold as a normal guest room unless the acoustic problem has been corrected.

Breakfast produced another unacceptable experience. We specifically asked for one of the available window tables because the coastal view is a central part of the property’s appeal. We were told the window tables were being reserved for larger groups, presumably parties of four. We accepted that explanation—until both available tables were subsequently given to other groups of two.

When we asked whether we could reserve a window table for the following morning, staff then told us that reservations were not permitted because seating was “first come, first served.” That directly contradicted the explanation we had already received. Either the tables were being held for larger parties or they were first come, first served; both statements could not honestly explain what occurred. I cannot know why other couples received the tables after we were refused, but the treatment felt arbitrary, embarrassing and distinctly unequal. No one offered a coherent explanation.

The hotel’s marketing photographs are also extremely selective. They repeatedly emphasize vivid blue skies, bright coastal visibility and attractive sandy-beach conditions. After experiencing the actual summer weather, I commissioned an analysis using thirty years of modeled cloud-cover data. It estimated approximately 12 clear days during June, July and August combined under a strict less-than-20-percent-cloud-cover definition. In other words, the brochure-like blue-sky conditions may occur, but they are not remotely an everyday summer baseline.

Travelers should understand what they are booking: this is a cold Northern California coastline where marine-layer cloud, fog, gray skies and coastal wind are common. Do not arrive expecting the consistently sunny beach-resort atmosphere conveyed by the property’s most prominent imagery. The coastline is dramatic, but the photographs present unusually favorable weather windows rather than a balanced picture of typical summer conditions.

At this price point, guests should be able to expect three fundamentals: a room suitable for sleep, service standards applied consistently, and marketing that provides a fair overall impression of the experience. Our stay delivered none of them.

Management should stop assigning guests to Room 460 until the overhead-noise problem is properly investigated, explain why its breakfast seating rules were applied inconsistently, and present the property’s coastal climate more candidly.

One star. I would not return and cannot recommend this hotel.

Location and cleanliness and room sizes

The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay was an amazing stay on the coast. The setting is absolutely beautiful, with sweeping ocean views that feel about as close to the Scottish coast as you can get in Northern California.

The property itself is gorgeous, with excellent facilities and a dramatic coastal location that makes the whole experience feel special. The check-in staff were busy, but always very pleasant and welcoming.

One helpful tip: if you want to avoid paying for overnight valet parking, consider reserving a room in the guest houses, which offer complimentary self-parking.

We also loved the hawk watching over the outdoor lunch area, which was absolutely adorable and added a unique touch to the stay. The hotel is also home to two world-class golf courses, making it an especially great choice for golfers.

Everything

The Good
Real scenic property
Well maintained and clean rooms
Surprisingly quiet room (at least our ocean view was) to nuisance noises
Excellent service interaction at all stations such as valet, check in and house keeping.

The Bad
Lounge access may not be available - even with status - due to the number of guests
Service for dining was generally professional and food quality was also good but portions were not substantial, and I also got the sense that customers waited unnecessarily to be seated or served.
There could be more activity options or programs. Sure there is a spa, walks, a nearby lap pool, some exercise classes, golf, a gym, but more programming options would be nice for a one stop experience.
Lastly let’s talk price. I know if you are coming here you can afford it. I know from a management perspective it costs a lot to run the place, attract staff and be profitable, but my observation is that lots of people who can afford more got there because they also have a strong sense of value. Prices are really high for what you get. We ate on property 3 times, but stayed multiple days. People might stay for more if prices were more balanced and not put pressure on valet to leave every time for a meal.
Overall. Good stay for a treat. Could be a more rounded experience with some tweaks

We had a wonderful stay at the The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the magnificent view of the bay. Our room faced the ocean, and we could hear the soothing sound of the waves at night.

We loved watching the sunset while listening to the bagpiper. It felt as though we were in Scotland. The hotel provided blankets for guests to use while enjoying the outdoor fireplaces, which made the experience even more special.

We also appreciated the complimentary use of bicycles and access to the resort’s recreational activities.

The food was delicious—our in-room dining dinner was mouthwatering, and there were plenty of healthy options available for breakfast.

Everything was excellent, from check-in to check-out. While we were waiting for our room, the staff offered us champagne and wine, which was a lovely touch.

They also surprised us with a beautiful in-room amenities setup, making our stay even more memorable.

Overall, it was an exceptional experience, and we look forward to returning in the future.

Such a special property, we immediately feel at ease when we arrive. The calming sounds of the pacific and the spectacular views are always mesmerizing as I take endless photos to capture the beauty! But even the photos don’t do it complete justice! The staff are all so warm and friendly and we always feel right “at home” considering it’s our 4th stay within a year!
And we will return again soon!

Mandatory parking fee of $35 whether you are dining or golfing there. No transparency on their website about this. Ritz is definitely taking advantage of their customers. This fee is new. Have been there several times. This is a great example of pure greed of a company. The location and the course are amazing but you will probably remember most that they are not interested in your overall experience. They literally just want every dollar you got. If they washed your car then it probably would be worth $35. But to pay that to have a teenager move my car 100-200ft is outrageous. Rooms are $1000/night. Golf is $200/person. Food is $100/person. Ritz you need to do better and not try a gouge your customers. Poor form.

We recently stayed at The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay for a family celebration and had a mixed experience.
The positives first: the property itself is stunning, with breathtaking ocean views and one of the most beautiful settings on the California coast. We received excellent service at both the Ocean Terrace and the Conservatory for breakfast, where the staff was attentive, friendly, and professional. Housekeeping was also outstanding throughout our stay and consistently delivered the level of service one would expect from a luxury property.
Unfortunately, several aspects of our experience fell well short of the Ritz-Carlton standard, particularly given that our two-room stay exceeded $10,000.
Prior to arrival, we communicated with the hotel regarding room assignments and were assured that our rooms would be located next to one another. Upon arriving around noon, we were told by the front desk that our rooms would be ready "momentarily." More than two hours later, we received a message indicating that the rooms were still not ready. The issue was not the wait itself but rather the inaccurate communication. Had we been given realistic expectations, we could have planned our afternoon accordingly.
We were also assigned an ADA room without any prior discussion or acknowledgment. While I fully appreciate the importance of accessible accommodations, the room configuration was not ideal for our family and came as a surprise. My son is 6'1" and had to duck significantly to use the shower, and the bathroom setup differed substantially from a standard room.
Another frustrating aspect of the arrival experience involved the discussion around room upgrades. During check-in, the front desk agent offered us a paid upgrade to a suite located immediately next to our assigned room. When I asked about the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts upgrade benefit, I was told that the suite was several categories above our reservation and therefore not eligible. However, after checking the hotel's booking site, it appeared that the next room category above our Ocean House Oceanfront Fire Pit Terrace room was in fact a suite, and that suite remained available for booking. I fully understand that upgrades are subject to availability and are never guaranteed, but the explanation provided at check-in did not appear consistent with what was being offered for sale.
In addition, one of our rooms had a noticeable musty odor throughout the stay. We also felt that a special birthday celebration that had been communicated well in advance was not recognized with the level of thoughtfulness and attention to detail that we have come to expect from luxury properties. While a birthday cake was delivered, the overall experience lacked the personalized touches that Ritz-Carlton is known for.
Most disappointing has been the lack of meaningful follow-up after these concerns were raised directly with hotel management. We are still currently staying at the property and will be checking out tomorrow. Despite communicating these concerns while still in-house and providing hotel leadership with an opportunity to address them during our stay, nobody has reached out to us personally to discuss the issues or offer any meaningful resolution. For a property that prides itself on service recovery and guest care, that has been particularly disappointing.
While we received responses explaining hotel policies, many of the specific concerns raised were either not addressed or were dismissed without a meaningful solution.
The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay has an incredible location, beautiful grounds, excellent dining venues, and a hardworking housekeeping team. However, luxury hospitality is about more than scenery. It is about communication, attention to detail, guest recognition, and proactive service. Unfortunately, those were the areas where this stay fell short.
Based on this experience, I would have difficulty justifying a return stay at the current price point.

It’s a beautiful property with a very clean beach

For years I have been remiss in thinking that the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay was too close to home to be worth a stay. BOY WAS I WRONG! Just one week before my birthday I decided to check the website to see how much a one night stay would cost. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they also allow dogs and a basic room was much less than I thought. When we checked into our upgraded fire pit room it was decked out with birthday balloons & a birthday cake as well as balloons for our golden retriever Ellie, a dog bed, bowls & even a menu for the dog. 🤭 They will even deliver a smores kit to your room. They thought of everything!
The room was gorgeous with a comfy bed and extremely quiet ac unit (which I SO appreciated after our last trip to DC & Philly- where we had to yell to hear each other over the ac).
We ordered room service for breakfast since we couldn’t (& wouldn’t) bring our dog to the restaurant & they were knocking at the door in exactly 30 minutes. They arrived with a beautiful silver tray holding both plates of food, bread & croissant, coffee, etc. Everything tasted great & was the perfect temp.
Each night just before sunset, a bag piper plays on the cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
We will definitely be heading back to this resort & I will forever sing its praises.