Vacations Close To The Spa at the Ritz-Carlton

Wonderful safe campus. Beautiful and historic. Parking fee very expensive unless you can get a package that includes. Almost $50 per night. Breakfast buffet very good but the same every morning. No variety. Toaster doesn’t work. Bistro staff very nice. Gated entrance with security. Our second stay here.

The staff was excellent: bellman, receptionists, waiters. They account for the rating of excellent. The room was attractive and well furnished but oddly, no tea maker, just the kind of coffee that uses wasteful plastic cups in a little machine. They will, however, provide a kettle but the plug will go in an outlet near the floor and the wire is short so anticipate bending way over. The restaurant was also attractive, and the food was remarkably good; we don't always expect that in a hotel. What was NOT GOOD was a high "amenity fee" for things that we didn't use, unless internet access (free in every other hotel we've stayed in in the USA and Europe) was part of it. It is shockingly expensive. Once the hotel has bought exercise machines which I suppose are in the fitness room, and raised hotel rates to amortize the purchase, there's no need to have an amenity fee for that, either. And so on. Shame on the greedy owners! And I don't think the fee was on the Expedia website, either. If it wasn't, shame on Expedia for concealing the outrageous charge.

Great staff. Always friendly and accommodating. Very nice lobby and public areas. Was able to check-in early. We had minor issues and they were attended to promptly. Never had a hotel react so quickly before. Breakfast was excellent. We used the breakfast area for carry-in dinner several evenings. Pull out bed was not comfortable though; we used an air mattress we brought with us. Overall would highly recommend.

Close to the National Harbor where I had my conference