We stayed at the Ritz-Carlton in a Club Suite (Room 915) from 8/26/2005 to 8/30/2005 to attend a wedding. From the moment we arrived at SFO (1:16AM) to the time we left, we were treated like royalty. I was actually contacted before my arrival via e-mail to see if I needed anything for our stay!

Concierge arranged for a limo to pick us up at the airport. Quick aside - we got the limo because when I was asked when we were arriving, I said that our plane was landing at 1:16AM. Upon confirmation, concierge made a mistake and reserved the car for 1:16PM. After I alerted them to the error, they were very apologetic and upgraded the car to a limo! I told them it wasn't necessary but they insisted. Who am I to argue?!

When we arrived at the hotel, we walked in the doors and were overwhelmed. Whether it was because it was almost 2am or because there were so many different ways to walk, we weren't quite sure where the registration desk was. After a minute of walking around, we found that the registration desk is to the right about 30 feet. During the day, there is a greeter at the door who can direct you where to go. At 2am, you're on your own.

At this point, I should note that the hotel sits atop a hill. Because of the hill, the lobby is technically on the 4th floor. You wouldn't know it because you walk in at street level. But that should give you an indication of how high the hill is. If you will be walking around, make sure that you can walk up an equivalent of 3 flights of stairs.

After a quick check-in, we went to our suite where a dish of chocolate covered strawberries, bottles of fruit juices on ice and a handwritten welcome note from the Chief Concierge were waiting. (The Chief Concierge is also a member of the Les Clefs d'Or!!)

Our suite was beautiful: 1100 square feet with living room and 1.5 bathrooms. Pictures of the entry way and living room can be found at: http://photos.yahoo.com/theblackcat64. The "bar" in the living room also contained a TV and stereo system.

The work area had broadband internet access. It was provided by STSN and cost $44.95/week. A network cable was provided - it was hanging in the closet in a plastic bag. But if you wanted quick access to the internet, they had 2 PC's off of the lobby along with a laser printer that was available for use free of charge. That came in handy when I needed to print off boarding passes, a reservation slip and some directions. The only problem that I saw was that some people tended to surf for hours rather than leaving it for "business" purposes.

Unfortunately, I did not take pictures of the bedroom or the rest of the suite. But through the french doors, was a king sized bed, an armoire with a TV, an honor bar, a table and two night stands with crystal lamps and one Bose Wave Radio with CD player. There was also a Victorian bench in front of the bed with a black wooden tray that held a breakfast menu to hang on the door as well as two pieces of milk chocolate. At the side of each bed was a small bathmat and terry cloth slippers.

The honor bar had everything you could imagine in it - from top shelf liquor and microbrews to playing cards, feminine products and an "intimacy kit"! Of course, all of these things were at Ritz Carlton honor bar prices. (Example: Feminine products were $6 and the intimacy kit was $15).

Off of the bedroom was the closet and a dressing area. There was a vanity with a magnifying mirror and a clothing valet. The one thing that I didn't like about the dressing area was the lack of bright light. It was all 60 watt bulbs. The wallpaper in the bedroom and dressing area was the same as the living room.

Off of the dressing area were the double sinks and the bathtub. The sink area (black marble) was large with enough room for both of us to spread out our things - and then some! On the shelf over the sinks were Bulgari soaps, shampoos, conditioners and lotion. In addition, there was a shave kit, 2 toothbrush kits, a sewing kit, Q-tips, cotton balls, shoe shine mitt and a shower cap. I believe there were other things but I can't remember what they were.

The bathtub was decent sized and came with a menu of baths. If I remember correctly, the bath menu ranged from $75 to $150. You could choose a floral bath served with wine and cheese, an herbal bath served with Japanese green tea and fruit or some kind of champagne bath. I don't remember the details because I was experiencing sensory overload at that point. But I do remember the bath menu required a minimum of one hour notice.

Moving on from the sink and bath area was the shower and toilet. (I must note that each area from the dressing area to the shower/toilet area were separated by doors). The shower was on the left side and the toilet was on the right. The shower was all glass, walk-in and large enough for 3 people! (The shower pressure was great!!) Next to the toilet was a hamper for towels. There were only two of us in the room but there were enough towels for us to take 3 showers a day. And how can I forget those Ritz Carlton robes?! One robe was hanging on the door in the sink/bathtub area while the other was in the closet. They were available for purchase in the gift shop for $120.

Moving back to the closet, there were plenty of hangers for both of us and a good variety that allowed us to hang pants, skirts, dresses and delicates (yes, those padded silk covered hangers!). Also in the closet was a safe on the wall. It was small and narrow but big enough to put our passports and other jewelry in. If I had to guess, I'd say it was about 4 inches deep and 8 inches wide. There was also an ironing board and iron.

Bottled water was placed on each night stand every evening along with a glass. In addition, a card with the next days weather forecast was also there. I thought that was a nice touch since it helped us figure out what to wear!

The price for all this was $729/night. But we got what we paid for! Since we were there for a wedding, we were asked if we needed anything pressed and they were taken downstairs immediately (this was about 2:30am). We were told that the garments would be brought back to the room at 10:30am. The funniest part about it was that even though I was expecting the clothing, the phone rang at precisely 10:30am and I was told that housekeeping was outside my door. I was asked if it was alright if they rang the doorbell to the suite! Once I said, "Sure!", the bell rang. I wondered how they did that when I noticed that the person was wearing an earpiece - like the secret service!!

We hosted a small pre-wedding party in our suite and the service was incredible! Nothing was overlooked - the correct number of champagne, water and port glasses, bottles of spring water and sodas/snacks for the kids. Room service did an excellent job in thinking of everything!

Concierge also set up a car to take us to and from the wedding (Legion of Honor/Art Museum) so we didn't have to worry about a taxi. It was a good thing as many guests were stranded because taxis would not go to the area after 11pm! Our driver didn't hesitate when I asked if it was alright to offer other guests a ride back with us. And upon our return, the room was spotless as all the dishes and glassware were cleaned up from the pre-wedding party. Any bottled drinks that were left over were neatly placed on the bar with a few clean glasses and napkins.

I have to admit that I cringed when I read a continental breakfast was served in the Club Lounge and avoided it the first two days. (I like to have some variety of egg for breakfast while on vacation). But one day we decided to take a peek. I was surprised when I found quiche! And not only did they offer quiche, but they offered two different kinds - mushroom or ham with cheese! We did enjoy the Jazz Sunday Brunch though - just make sure you make reservations ahead of time!

The Jazz Sunday Brunch was great! It was served in the Terrace Room with optional outside seating. We opted to eat indoors since a wedding reception was being held adjacent to the outdoor dining area and took up most of the courtyard. The foods available for the brunch are too numerous to remember but I'll give it a shot: omelette station, eggs benedict, scrambled eggs, apple sausage, bacon, home fried potatoes, blintzes, Belgian waffles with whipped cream, fresh fruits, assortment of danishes and croissants, caviar station, carving stations, assortments of pasta salads and green salads. I'm missing another table of food but I don't think I ever made it over there. The dessert display was awesome! Creme brulee, chocolate cakes, pastries, tarts, puddings, mousse and other desserts that I didn't know the names of. The cost of the brunch was $65/person. If you want to try everything offered during brunch, I suggest not eating the night before!

The Club Lounge was a nice place to sip a glass of wine or cocktail in the afternoon or grab some milk and cookies at 1am. Sodas and bottled water were available 24 hours a day. In the afternoon, there were always 3 bottles of wines offered - one white and two reds - in addition to other premium liquors. They have 5 food presentations per day but we only made it to 2 of them - breakfast and the afternoon. The afternoon "presentation" was phenomenal - sushi, oysters on the half shell, cheeses, caviar, small sandwiches and a multitude of other hors d'oeuvres. With the variety of food, you really don't have to leave the hotel to eat!

The Club Concierge is located within the Club Lounge. It's a concierge that is dedicated to the 2 Club Floors - floors 8 and 9. When I had mentioned to the Club Concierge that I was going to host a pre-wedding party in my suite, they offered to reserve an area of the Club Lounge for me! I politely declined as I didn't want to impose on the other guests. But I was floored by such an offer. Any time I called the Club Concierge, they were always able to help.

The other thing that surprised me was that I was always addressed by name. I had heard that about the Ritz-Carlton but never believed it.

I never stepped foot in the fitness center, the Lobby Lounge or the Ritz Carlton Bar. I've heard that the Ritz Carlton bar houses one of the largest collections of single malt scotches in the country but our schedule never allowed us to get there. It was only open from 5:30pm - 11pm and closed on Sundays.

This was the first time I had ever stayed at a Ritz-Carlton. I thought that the type of service I received was reserved only for those who have stayed there before. But this service is the reason why I would definitely go back!!


Recommended: Yes