My first experience staying at a Ritz Carlton was during a business trip in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m  not sure if it was the best choice to scope out The Ritz Carlton, known for being a five-star hotel and lavish amenities, in the city of Phoenix.  I have to admit, I didn’t care for it much.  Not looking at photos beforehand, I had a HIGH expectation of Ritz Carlton and when I arrived to this hotel, it was located next to business buildings.  As I walked in, I noticed marble stone tiles, gold trimmed doors and employees greeting you everywhere. 

I arrived early in the morning, picked up my key from the front desk and entered the room.  I didn’t care much for the decor, the fancy in this hotel is an older style of fancy and to a younger crowd, it didn’t have much of an appeal. The bed was definitely comfortable and speaking from a “Heavenly Bed” whore, this bed was just as good.  I wasn’t much of a fan of their dark wood furniture and the marble decorated bathroom.  However, I was delighted to see the complimentary reading materials and kept the BAZAAR magazine for my plane ride home. 

Restaurants: Since I arrived early in the morning, I decided to eat breakfast at Bistro 24.  I didn’t care much for their breakfast and the prices were of course the obvious, $$$.  I’m not sure if the Lunch and Dinner options are better, but my dining experience was definitely not a WOW factor in my eyes.

Poolside:  The pool area was nicely kept. However, I’m not sure how to feel with office buildings surrounding the hotel and ability to catch a glimpse of anyone in their bathing suit.

• Hotel Ambience: Classic.
• Hotel Staff: Friendly.
• Hotel Amenities: Average.
• Cleanliness of Hotel: Average.
• Overall Experience:  Tailored to upper class and older crowds.  Perhaps one day I’ll stay at another Ritz location and compare my first experience to a better experience in the near future.