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

It's always a great experience at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island! I've stayed at this location a few times, and most of the times, I've opted for the Club Level. I've also helped arrange a private event with cars in the "Ocean Front Lawn" area. A very, very special thank you to Kathy Jeffers, Assistant Club Manager for making me feel at home for this weekends visit! Everyone at the Club Level I interacted with, including Jenny, Marvin, Gregory, and Latoya, were wonderful to interact with! A very special thank you to Krystle, Guest Services Manager, and Tasso from the valet team, for enjoying some time in the Mercedes-AMG SL 55 as part of the Mercedes-Benz Driving Experience Partner Program. Kystle was recently named Five Star Leader of the Quarter a couple of days ago. Congratulations, Krystle! I also want to thank Susie at the Concierge for providing excellent guidance and assistance! Letecia “Letty” is always a delight to interact with upon check-in! It’s always a pleasure to order a glass of custom, house-infused bourbon blends served daily during “First Call” at the Lobby Bar, served by Cody! Thanks Letty & Cody! There are so many options to do and experience, it's hard to get to them all in a day or two. I recommend staying at least a few days. Relax, enjoy yourself. Create memories. This is one of those resorts where it pays to plan your trip as well as you can, perhaps around business meetings or visiting friends in town. A couple of my favorite things is available at no additional fee, the 8 a.m. Nature Walk Embark on a one-hour guided walk led by the resort Naturalist to explore the natural environment and identify plant and animal species surrounding the resort, and the Family Beach Bonfire, Fridays and Saturdays 7 p.m.–9 p.m. Before you arrive, be sure to look up some other restaurants and sight-seeing opportunities in Fernandina Beach, a small town on Amelia Island. If you enjoy an adult beverage, it's always a pleasure to order a glass of custom, house-infused bourbon blends served daily during “First Call” at the Lobby Bar; and they also offer fantastic food, such as their famous sushi offerings!

The highlight of our day was at Coast Restaurant. The food was wonderful and prepared with excellence. What really made our visit was our waiter, Sebastian. He was knowledgeable, wonderful in service and made our experience memorable. We will be back!