The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay

This is my new home away from home. I’ve been hanging out here on the weekends and love walking my dog on the trails and relaxing on the beach.

Ritz-​Carlton has 1 to 6 rating properties. 5 and 6 are pretty hard to get in this side of country. Maybe SF and NY is a 5, but you don’t get the country environment. The Half Moon Bay is technically a category 4 but it has a few unusual amenities. It’s dog friendly. You can book a room in a separate building that allowed dogs. It’s slightly more expensive, with market rate of $ 1K a night, but I’m sure one can do better than market rate if one really wants to stay there. The first floor of the separate building also comes with a fire pit which is great for s’mores. The doggie gets doggie treats, like a Ritz Carlton tag, silver of course. A few other trickets and a bed and a bowl. The patio fire place is a good way to chill and drink wine after a long day of lounging around.
The tennis court is decent and not overbooked on weekends. The indoor swimming pool, sadly is very pedestrian and overcrowded. It reminded me a mid range hotel like the Embassy Suites, but it turns out the pool has its own membership affiliated with the gym so I imagine it’s rarely the hotel guests who use it.
The more bang for the buck thing is their soaking tub, which I thought was better than Park Hyatt Tokyo. The bathroom has separate shower and tub which is important if your expectation is that this is a luxury property.
From this separate dog friendly building, you can then take a long hike along the coast, part of the coastal trail. Not bad considering your room is going to get serviced at some point during the day anyhow, and you can’t really just lounge all day.
I like the absolute quietness this place provides. It give you the illusion that you are so far away from the Bay Area, yet within 45 minutes (with traffic) you are back into the swing of things.
I’m not sure a thousand a night market price justifies, but assume you either landed a big whale and he’s in desperate need to hone his golf skills, or you are simply too smart to pay anything market rate, and figured out how to live large without having to sell your first born, (albeit you may not be able to splurge on yet another Tumi luggage set) then do it for a few nights, with your fur baby, a bag of marshmallows and super good chocolate.

Terrible experiences, poor service, would NOT recommend.
Was treated because it was my birthday weekend, asked for tomato juice at the restaurant bar and was told there was none, however when we went outside my partner asked waiter and said there was plenty of tomato juice???
Gave our name to hostess for outdoor seating to have oysters. All members in my party were present she said it would be available very soon, took my cell number, BUT after an hour said she forgot us. Honestly, this is not the Ritz I remember. I’m done with this foggy cold place inside & out!

Amazing stay here at the Ritz! Beautiful ocean and golf course views from the room. BEAUTIFUL grounds! The staff was wonderful and there to make your stay the best possible!

I tried out their one-​time fee of $ 50 for their gym/​spa use and I HAD A BLAST!
I was able to have my own locker inside this luxury GQ-​style locker room with plush couch seating and a fireplace inside for quiet time. There are refreshments and magazines laid out while resting inside. There are options such as a cold bath tub, a private jacuzzi, a sauna as well as a steam room, and a large Roman pool with a fireplace! There are baskets of fresh apples and bananas for guests to enjoy.
The gym consists of several machines, a rack of a wide arrangement of weights, treadmills, bicycles, etc. Fresh towels are carefully folded and fresh water bottles on each side for hydration.
This whole experience is breath-​taking. You’ll easily get your money’s worth it as long as you do everything. Take your sweet time and wear the robe with the slippers, take a bite of the fruit, sit and relax a bit before you gym. Then use the steam room before pool. Finally dip into the shower where they provide shampoo, conditioner, and body wash! Gentleman, we also have razors, shaving cream, facial moisturizers, and Q-​tips in the sink area! This is LEGIT!
Special shout out to my guy Arturo who is one of the kindest people I know. He is hard working and keeps a great attitude. He’s super friendly and his service is superb. Companies/​Businesses need more people like him. Thank you Arturo for your generosity, kindness, and positive attitude.

We and 9 others came from several different states to attend a Celebration of Life and we never got to stay. They Cancelled our Confirmed room reservations and NEVER contacted us individually ahead of time. Each of us were given a code to use when making our reservations and I did just that. They claim they originally told the person hosting the celebration of life that he did not have enough people confirmed to warrant the discounted rate. To be specific: they told him he had no one with reservations. That’s so Wrong… not only did I have one but 8 others did as well and it was In Writing with a reservation number.
HOW THEY HANDLED THIS… IS THE ISSUE: They have rooms… and we could stay if we wanted to for almost double the rate and none of us are short on money but that’s not the issue. Most all rooms in town are sold out and they know it. Honestly: I don’t think this is the first time they have behaved this way at this property… and it probably won’t be the last. We are all bunked up on the floor etc at one persons home. It’s was so Unlike what the Ritz is known for. I have stayed in the Ritz Carlton properties around the US since the mid 80’s.
Shame on you Ritz.

Only place in Half Moon Bay for a descent cigar.
Small select of cigars ranging from LFD to Liga and a few others in between.

Wow this place is absolutely amazing. The view are breathtaking right I front of the ocean. Me and my wife decided to come here for Easter brunch. It was also her birthday so wanted to make it extra special. Be sure to book in advance because it gets full pretty quickly. Out whole experience was just amazing from the food to the service. They really do focus on every detail and really go out of their way to make your whole experience very memorable. The décor was very nice with Easter ice sculptures as you came in and had someone show you all the different food stations they had. They had all kinds of foods you can possibly think of so we sure helped ourselves. My favorite was the caviar with the mini pancakes. They were so delicious. Their dessert bar was like nothing I ever seen. The desserts looked like part of their decoration and they all tasted so so good. Out of all of them I must say my favorite Was the mango strawberry ceviche. Mmmmmmmm. The only think that I didn’t like that I knocked out a star for was that they didn’t mention that they were going to charge us $ 30 per person gratuity. That was very unexpected.
Our experience didn’t end there. We were able to make the 1. Pm Easter egg hunt for the kids. They even divided them into two separate ones so that it will be fair for all the kids. My daughter had such a great time on her first Easter egg hunt. There was even a live petting zoo which we enjoyed so much. We had such a great time and are planning to go back next year.

Sadly disappointed. Although the property is absolutely beautiful and the rooms are nice modern and updated (and small) this place is defiantly over priced. Lots of constructions going on which we were not told about. Staff in restaurant (breakfast/​lunch staff) were on there own schedule, not really willing to help or assist in any given time frame. At one point I had to retrieve my own high chair after asking many times and two different people.
On the flip side the front drive staff was extremely welcoming, friendly, and on their game– A+ to them. Although the property manager was very nice and tried to accommodate us at the end the damage had already been done. Unfortunately I will not be going back and will not be recommending the property

Oh my god stunning. This high end hotel is luxury on a silver platter. I was lucky enough to stay here for a birthday, and cannot wait to return in September for a friend’s wedding. The accommodations are beautiful, the bed comfortable, and the views cannot be beat. My absolute favorite part of this place is that with the luxury, they still allow dogs! I love seeing beautiful pups playing by the ocean on this property.
Food and drinks and room prices are luxury level, but the quality supports the price. I was very impressed by the service, from arrival, to how they handled my room issues, (the lock broke and locked me out!) to my surfboard laden car. Everything was a delight.

Pros: You cannot beat the views! We were in room 623 and our view was a solid 10! Check in and valet parking all went quickly and smoothly. Our room was beautifully furnished and very comfortable. They gave me a small gift (spa booties and a rubber ducky) after I told them I was pregnant at check in. So nice! The outdoor lawn and fire pits were so much fun! I loved the bagpipe player each evening. Housekeeping came twice a day and they did a wonderful job.
Cons: No other parking option other than $ 47/​day valet… get’s expensive! We had dinner one night at the Conservatory and it was so so so overrated and over priced. What a disappointment! I had a salad and it was literally a bowl of greens and 5 strawberry slices (I counted) priced at $ 16.

Spend a couple hours on their Ocean Terrace. A breath-​taking view that is so very NoCal, and it’ll make you forget all your worries… until the bill arrives. Just kidding. Yes, cocktails are a whopping $ 18 each, but as long as you don’t drink half a dozen, it won’t be that damaging. Besides, they validate valet parking, so that’ll knock off about $ 10.

This place can get crazy busy (!!!) on peak days/​weekends with folks on a day trip, tourists, visitors,… that’s the most important thing to remember!
I never stayed but had a drink there on occasion, sometimes food at the bar or restaurant. You pay for the location and the name, that should be understood.
I always felt that the Ritz Carlton is lacking warmth though. It is a big hotel after all. I stopped going a few months back when I was seated in the extended bar area by the hostess and then ignored for longer than acceptable. A few months prior something similar happened to me but I was served in the end. This time around I simply decided to take my business elsewhere, and it wasn’t even one of those crazy busy days.
The 3 stars are for the friendly patio bartenders and one bartender in particular at the restaurant bar who’s name I don’t recall. He has always been very attentive and wasn’t there on those particular days.

A friend and I stayed there the weekend of March 3 – 6 (Thursday-​Sunday) for a special event.
My first time there, and I had a great time, rain and all.
We had the basic room, 2 double beds, our view was to the front of the hotel looking at the golf course. I loved the bathroom, you could have a small party in them. Nice big bath tub, big shower, extra amenities (soaps, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, hair comb, mouth wash, hand lotion, shoe horn, nail file, shoe polisher, and the list goes on), comfy soft towels and really soft bath robes & slippers.
The staff was super friendly and very welcoming. They even ran back to my car for me to get my coat I’d forgotten. Had a nice glass of wine while we were checking in.
Only had lunch at the one restaurant, The Conservatory Lounge, the rest of the time our event supplied the food. We asked for a view of the ocean and they sat us right next to the window. The server was nice and kept our drinks full. I had the clam chowder and my friend had the chowder fries. Let me tell you, they weren’t cheap, but for the price of where we were and the great view, they were worth it.
Every morning the staff cleaned the room and left fresh towels and additional supplies. Every night except for Saturday (for some reason?) we had turn down service and they left chocolate on our pillows and they cleaned the room again.
The fire pits are wonderful and very relaxing. Again had a beautiful view.
I had a really good time and can’t wait to go back.

I have stayed here a handful xs and I seriously cannot think of anything negative to comment. And even if i did, it wouldn’t matter at all bcoz the game room kept my then, pubescent son amused while we waited for whatever kind of service in the lobby. My last visit was horrifying indeed we checked out bcoz of warnings of cliffs falling in Pacifica. But that was very ok bcoz i wanted to go to Las Vegas for the last couple days of my vacation anyway. But that had nothing whatsoever to do w/​the ritz carlton… That was nature chasing me away to Vegas.
I would very much love to stay here again soon weather permitting lol

Honestly the people are 5 star the hotel is five star lunch was a huge disappointment! Cold fries, fishy lobster roll, 400 dollars for 6 people ! Was expecting much better food ! One would think with a limited menu the food would be much more exceptional ! Too bad no more big celebrations here!

You can’t really go wrong with the Ritz in general but this place has the whole package — beautiful property, amazing views & grounds, attentive staffs, and fabulous onsite dining. Our room overlooked the golf course and coastal line. It was simply breathtaking. The room itself is spacious, clean, and inviting. The bathroom comes with deep tub & separate shower areas.

Beautiful location luxurious as one would expect. Not on their game for crazy busy Valentines Day Weekend. Public beach and walkway makes for crowds of day trippers lingering on the property causing crowded conditions for hotel guests paying $$$$ to stay. No answer to the problem but definitely dilutes the experience Not much to do if u don’t golf– great restaurants in town

I am extremely pleased with the rooms and service here. My husband brought me here for a Babymoon and the staff has gone far and beyond to make us comfortable. I’ve was promptly given extra pillows for my growing belly and was even given a toy for our baby on the way.
We ate at the restaurant in the hotel and my hubby was craving filet. It wasn’t on the menu but they made it happen and brought him a delicious filet for dinner.
The view is breath taking from our room. I love the over sized bath tub in our bathroom. Overall it has been a great stay and the staff is wonderful.

Half Moon Bay, CA
Off Highway 1 and 5 — 10 minutes from Main St.
— Staff/​service is great from moment of arrival, to checking in, and interaction with staff during stay.
They are happy to contact cab service. I’m not a regular guest so I do not qualify for house car service.
— Luckily upgraded to ground level room with a private fire pit (perfect for the Smores Kit) looking right at the 18^th hole with the ocean to the right.
Perfect to see a sunrise and sunset.
Hence a Strong 4^th Star.
— Odd as morning coffee was unattended and had to let staff know it was empty.
— No mini bar items were stocked. It is okay as I wasn’t planning to explore but quite a surprise given the caliber of property.
— Bed was Comfy.
— Valet: Radio station was on different station after valet. Also, didn’t notice my ODO different or anything else odd with my car.
Then again I’m not driving a super cool sports car. Hence no reason to be a Squid and go on a tirade eventually knocking down the overall rating… S — Happens.
Tip: Gift Shop has really cool Handmade glass Pumpkins. Worth a look as they may be a great gift.

Very nice place management is so friendly they made sure everyone was taken cared of. Service was quick. Love the fire pit facing the beach. And it’s only $ 100 to play a round of golf

Very nice place! What a view of the coast.
Came here with co-​workers for team building and it was great. Wine, food and coffee.

This is second time for me !! I like drink and look at good view very romantic and relax. i love it

I’m obsessed with this place. Obsessed. It’s my favorite. It’s gorgeous. Romantic. Amazing. The food is great. The fire pits are lovely. The rooms are lovely. The bathtubs comfortably fit two people. My only hang up, is that I came for a weekend recently and we were told that the hot chocolate bar had been discontinued! Bring it back! They were able to make them at the bar inside but it wasn’t the same. I love the s’mores kits though, and the bagpipes at sunset is a real gem. And did I mention the food is great?

This is my first experience at any Ritz Carlton, and this one takes the cake! Amazing room views, wonderful service (the workers take the effort to learn your names! And do all the thinking for you) right when we pulled up to the curb, we were greeted with amazing valet guys, super friendly (I would only imagine so since to stay here, you need to have $$$ — thank god we got points and free upgrades!!!) right to when we left. They brought our luggage and placed them into our car w/​out even asking them to do so! AMAZING!
Right when we arrived to the front desk, got served with some wine right on the spot, they do it right! Then went to check out our room AMAZING! With the bag pipe player right outside our window! So cool!!! When we booked our room, we got the free club room upgrade, and holy crap SO WORTH IT! There was NEVER a time that I was ever hungry, it all looks tiny but you will be full! All you can eat and drink as you want! The best way to do it when you stay at that Ritz! Amazing service in there too! Annette took the time to find us stuff to do the next day! She printed out maps, guides, highlighted routes for us. Above and beyond! We definitely want to come back, they make every effort to make us completely satisfied! Even on the last day, the club room manager gave me a to go bag of their treats! I love her!

I always make it a point to come out to this location when I get sent out to the bay for work. I have yet to stay a night here, but I come here for the restaurant, the lounges, and sitting next to a fire watching the sun set to the sound of bagpipes.
The drinks will run you about $ 17 a cocktail, but it’s the Ritz Carlton so if you expected otherwise, thats on you.
I got the burger with an egg the last time i came here and my friends who i brought with me got the pasta. It was all fantastic and I would happily order it again. I’ll be playing the ocean course in February and will have to update my review to include the golf course when that occurs.

This is one of our favorite Ritz Carlton’s! Very relaxing atmosphere. We always look forward to our visits here!
While making reservations recently, my husband commented about looking forward to the hot chocolate bar at sunset. She informed him that unfortunately they don’t have the hot chocolate bar anymore.
However, upon arrival we were given a card with a hand written note saying they brought back the hot chocolate bar and a $ 50 credit for it.
We enjoyed a little house this time. Which was perfect since we had the family with us. Just a min walk to the hotel, still with ocean views, fire pits and right by the indoor pool. Though our preference is staying in the hotel.

My wife and I have been to this property several times. The last time we came was 2 years ago and one of our favorite experiences was at sunset where they have a bagpipe playing and a gourmet hot chocolate bar. I’m telling you the hot chocolate was delicious! Anyways, when we made our reservation this time around, I learned that they were not doing the hot chocolate bar at sunset. No big deal right? Well the gal I spoke with at the time of my reservation said she also missed it. Before we arrived, I received a call from the same gal telling me that she had arranged for the hot chocolate cart to be on the patio during our visit. She also left us a note telling us that she had added a $ 50 credit to our room so that they could treat our family free. This is not a huge deal however, experiences like this separate this hotel from many others and is the reason I keep coming back.
One of our favorite hotel spots period, and we can aways count on great service. Upgrading to a fire pit outside your room is definitely worth it! The view is AMAZING!

We go there for coastal access. A beautiful shoreline to walk.
The hotel and ground is a wonderful place to enjoy a beverage and snack while watching the sunset.
The food is good. Though it is bit on the higher side. For a special occasion it is great place to hand out.

UGH. I was debating about posting this because everything is circumstantial, but a friend of mine just had a similar experience which only reinforces my belief that something DID happen and I’m not a delusional idiot.
TL;DR version — don’t use the valet here. Or, if you do, make sure you have «Valet Mode» or a chip you can set at a 2000RPM governor.
I’ve got a pretty powerful car. It’s loud, it’s fast, it’s fun, and it’s not common. It sparks a lot of conversation. I love it. If you want me to like you, just start talking to me about my car. My car is my fucking baby.
So a couple months ago, Husband and I had a lovely dinner at Navio. I love the food there so much. The service was fabulous. The view of the sunset over the Pacific was gorgeous. We took our time and eventually had to head home.
Car is delivered back to us. Cheerful car banter with the valets. They seem surprised when I get in the driver seat instead of my husband. I’m eating it up.
The first thing I noticed was that the traction control was turned off. Why on earth would the valet turn that off? It’s not a button that you just hit accidentally. I mean, I pile my ass into that car regularly burdened down by bags and coats and all manner of crap and I’ve never hit that button inadvertently. You really gotta do that on purpose.
Weird huh.
Then we noticed that the CD we were listening to on the way in (yeah, 6-​disc changer baby, wooooo) was more than 5 songs further down the lineup. 5 songs. Avg of 4 – 5 min/​song and either the valet didn’t like what we had on (dude it’s not your place to touch my radio controls except to turn the volume down, wtf), or the car had been running for 20−25+ minutes. It doesn’t take that long to turn the corner and drive the 0.09mi to the stupid parking garage.
Hmm, what’s that smell? Something smells funny. Burnt, kind of.
On the way home, just as we pull off Miramontes onto Route 1, my husband notices something on the road but doesn’t say anything quite yet.
Pull into the dooryard. Yep, that’s definitely a smell I know well. I’m a hillbilly after all. Sniff the rear tires and they smell pretty toasty. About this time, the husband mentions what he saw on Route 1 — evidence of a fresh burnout.
So you see, several odd factors are all coming together into this perfect storm of OKAY HOLY SHIT SOMETHING IS UP.
I’m absolutely furious. Nobody beats on my car. *I* don’t even beat on my car. Some zit-​faced highschool puke in knickerpants and a pom-​pom hat CERTAINLY is not welcome to beat on my car.
(I have to admit, part of me WAS a little proud when my husband said, «Well you know, not many cars in this town CAN do that…» But still. NOBODY DOES THAT IN MY CAR.)
I gave myself the night to think on it and calm down. Nothing I could say to the Ritz at that moment would have been polite, appropriate, or constructive.
We went back the next day to the spot on Route 1 where my husband had noticed the tire tracks. At great bodily peril (okay not really, but people must’ve been wondering wtf we were doing in the middle of the highway), we measured & photographed the tracks. The measurements & groove patterns matched my car. I’m about ready to have a coronary. Husband tells me let’s not jump to conclusions.
I wrote an email to Corporate. Received a response from the valet manager. So far so good. I was being Very Polite. Gave him all the details. Didn’t tell him that my car had also developed a funny hitch that it didn’t have before. Took some Ativan and did some breathing.
Manager contacted me back again. Claimed the surveillance tape was reviewed and nothing could possibly have happened. Maybe the car was left idling and that’s why the CD was so far advanced (you left a car IDLING for 20+ minutes?!). Can’t explain why the traction control was turned off. Said he would have been notified right away if the smell of rubber had been noticed on the main drive (uh wut? This didn’t happen on be main drive, moron. It was on Route 1 like I told you). Said «We do get nice cars all the time and my valets love to drive them but there was no foul play that evening.»
At this point, I’m still furious but my husband tells me that I can’t prove anything, maybe it was all coincidence, blah. Manager offered to let us come by and view the surveillance. With that, I felt like he was almost daring me to call his bluff and what if I DID go view the footage and found nothing? Then I’d look like a big fat conclusion-​jumping hysterical asshole and I’d have wasted everyone’s time. Husband told me to drop it. So… reluctantly, I did. I just resolved to take a photo of my odometer and gas gauge next time. But not at the Ritz — no next time THERE.
Friends of ours just had something similar happen to them a few days ago. THEY actually have odo pictures. They also got the blowoff treatment from the valet manager.
So…I can’t prove anything, all I’m saying is… this shit does NOT add up.

A fabulous place.
Gorgeous. Swanky. But low key.
First, it’s secluded & private. Well off the beaten path. Nothing showy or flashy. Oceanfront & ocean view. Golf course view. This isn’t LA & it certainly ain’t Vegas.
Second, it’s quiet. Twice, I’ve been after a wedding had just taken place, & they were taking pics, & it was STILL quiet.
Third, everything on the menu is quality.
Fourth, the staff is easygoing & not pretentious.
There’s not much that tops sitting out on the patio, enjoying a glass of wine (or bottle), noshing on their cheese & charcuterie plate, while you overlook the pacific ocean & the golf course.
Unless you add sitting by a fire pit when the sun is setting.
It’s stunning & peaceful.
A place every lady should come w her girlfriends to spa or lunch.
And a place every man should bring his lady.
Especially for sunset.
5 stars.

Today, I had the best brunch ever.
Scratch that… this might have been the best meal ever.
I don’t even know where to begin. The views are gorgeous. There is nothing like the northern California coastline. The table looked perfect; simple silverware with blue accents. The food was phenomenal. Some favorites include: french cheeses, duck salami, rosemary bread, lean tuna sushi, roasted garlic hummus, ricotta blueberry tarte, bacon, and nutella mousse.

Why 5 stars? Because this is one of my favorite places that I’ve ever been.
— — —
I did not stay at the Ritz, but I did park for free, and enjoy possibly the nicest sunset I’ve ever experienced in my life, from their «courtyard» area.
Take in some of the most beautiful views imaginable — overlooking the Pacific Ocean from the top of a cliff, while listening to the bagpipe player (who plays every night at sunset.) Grab a spiked hot chocolate while you’re at it, and find a comfortable chair as you watch the sun slowly set on America for the evening.
This may be a short review, but make no mistake about it, it’s a memory I’ll have for the rest of my life. If you are looking for things to do in Northern California, this is a REQUIREMENT!

Went here for a lazy Sunday having drinks by the gorgeous ocean view. It was nothing short of amazing. The moments where you think about how your life is amazing and how lucky you are to enjoy things like this. (At least for me)
Beer was actually quite reasonable, although a small selection.
The mixed drinks however were pretty overpriced. $ 18 for a Cosmo. But whatever, you pay for the experience.
Only knocking 1 star off because the waitress would be gone 20−30mins at a time. Like, nowhere in sight. You’d think for what you pay you’d get amazing service.
No big deal though, I’d for sure go back in a heart beat.

Nein, ich bewerte hier nicht das Ritz Carlton Hotel an sich!
Aber hier gibt es 25 kostenlose Parkplätze im Parkhaus für Touris, die einfach nur den Pazifik sehen wollen.
Am Eingang bekommt man den Code für das Parkhaus.
Sollte mal kein Parkplatz frei sein, kann man immer noch an der Strasse parken oder seine Karre beim Valet abgeben.
Vom Parkhaus aus ist es nur ein kurzer Weg bis zur Pazifikküste. Von hier aus geht ein Weg Richtung Süden bis zu einer Treppe, die zu einem schönen Sandstrand führt.
An der Steilküste laden einige gemütlich Stühle zum Verweilen ein.
Die Zimmer im Ritz-​Carlton sind nicht billig. 550 US-​Dollar muss man schon ausgeben. Wenn man dann aber ein Zimmer im Erdgeschoss hat, wird man mit einer Terrasse belohnt, die nicht nur Platz für zwei Stühle bietet sondern sogar eine Feuerstelle hat! Das habe ich bisher noch nicht gesehen!