The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain

Best hotel I’ve ever stayed at. I come here every year to visit family in the area and spend the entire time here. Both the adults and kids love it here. The room is spacious and has the best balcony and bathtub for soaking. The pools are amazing with great service! Always so helpful at the pool. We like to dine in Ignite and Core, we are never disappointed with the food. Such a great get away!

Great lunch at Ignite restaurant /​bar. Buffalo tacos were very good. The Rangers burger was also very good and is topped with cheese and bacon. Avacado fries were very tasty. Staff is top notch, attentive but not hovering over you. Great setting, great service, very relaxing,

This hotel is one of the best Ritz Carlton’s we have ever stayed at. The staff was amazing and continually exceeded our expectations. Beautiful scenery. Dinner at the golf club during sunset is beautiful! Great for adults only or families.

This is truly a stunning hotel! The staff was attentive and kind from start to finish. Core Kitchen and Wine Bar has spectacular food and drinks. The scallops and short ribs are not to be missed. We were celebrating my sisters upcoming wedding and the pastry chef gave us a complimentary dessert. We were so impressed. We returned to Core in the morning for breakfast where the staff allowed several of us to saber a bottle of champagne. So fun!
We spent the day at the pool enjoying cocktails and wine. The staff was so courteous and professional. The views of the mountain can’t be beat!
Overall, we had a fabulous visit at this gorgeous resort. We definitely plan to return.

Attentive staff. Beautiful scenery. Amazing amenities. Deli food and drinks. Loved the fire pits, the pools, the cabanas, the evening flute player. One of the best hotel experiences; customer service exceptional. Hoping another conference at this hotel.

we had a great stay here! the only complaint i have was there was no all organic menu or juice bar. it seems with more and more people eating like this these days it would behoove the ritz to incorporate it into their hotels. particularly in the spa– having a healthy, organic menu with fresh pressed juices would boost the experience there.
other than that we loved our stay here! everyone was helpful and friendly. we had a young girl server in the sushi bar (did not catch her name) that was super sweet and then we had violet serving us for breakfast and dinner and she was amazing!!!
definitely will be back!

We had a very relaxing Valentines weekend stay at Dove Mountain. We were first greeted by the very friendly front desk staff with a glass of champagne to start our Valentine’s Day. The property is extremely well maintained and our room was spacious and comfy. I spoke with Patty in reservations and she went above and beyond to make sure we had an amazing getaway! Thanks again, Patty! Tip: A must thing to do is to listen to the flute player at sunset while we relaxed in the hot tube or pool :)

This is our second stay here. We attend for a conference so get a nice rate. It’s truly a 5 star experience, both in the care and attentiveness of the staff, to the ambiance of the hotel, to just the amazing setting of Dove Mountain.
The rooms provide for every comfort. Our first stay, we had a small patio on the ground floor which I really liked. There were hummingbirds and other critters close by. Our second stay, we have an upper floor room with a view of the main outdoor area (it was a free upgrade, they told us.) In the evening, they have flute music, an outdoor patio with fire pits, etc, which will all be visible from our room.
The rooms are immaculate. The temperature is perfect. The bathrooms are spacious with a full size tub with jets and a separate shower.
Outdoors is a huge pool, walking trails and hiking trails.

We stayed 3 nights this past March. We found the resort to be spectacular. It is a bit of a drive out of the way but well worth it. We found everything to be 5 star and cannot wait to return.

What would you expect from a Ritz Carlton Resort nestled in the Dove Mountains just outside of Tucson? You get exactly that and more. Of course this 6 year old property is beautifully designed, in a quiet remote locale accompanied by the service and perks you expect form a Ritz Resort.
Nice meetings facilities, picturesque views from all dining venues and most rooms. The rooms are nicely appointed with most having a nice little balcony big enough to fit two chairs. Lovely way to start the morning or end the day. Fire pits roar all day to add to the outdoor areas. Spa, hiking trails, biking paths and golf should be on your agenda while staying at the resort.

Dove Mountain, known for their previous PGA match play, is tough and long from the tees. They feature 27 holes at $ 79 the first week of October. Part of my heart sank when I learned there was a 2 for 1 Groupon deal… that is a serious steal. We played Wild Burro and Sagauro, while the other 9 was closed for reseeding. Since we played during reseeding season, we got to play 9 on Bermuda grass and 9 on fresh rye grass. Both were in good condition and we have no complaints. The greens were slow and long on this particular day, but I assume it’s not always like that. You will find tough approach shots, protected greens, and stellar views. Overall, Dove Mountain is challenging and beautiful design with a strong desert feel in Tucson but We-​ko-​pa in Scottsdale still takes the cake.

For relaxation in the fall or spring I don’t think you can do much better than this resort. Great restaurants. Great pools. What you would expect in the staff when it comes to Ritz-​Carlton. Terrific rooms.
Don’t miss the bar and restaurant down at the golf club too. Short few minute shuttle trip down. Probably the best bartenders down at the golf club mixing some great stuff.
Don’t miss out on the trails either exploring on your own or with one of the rangers (ranger station down on path to pools).
The lower kids pool with slide makes it kid friendly. However, after a few days I think our smaller children would get bored… as this place caters to the adult, quiet, spa lifestyle (not a lot of action going on).
I recommend for couples unless only for a few days.

I really enjoyed our stay here. Friendly staff and the place is affordable (in comparison to the other Ritz-​Carltons). Our room was nice with the view of the mountains. Upon check in, the staff brought us complimentary chips and salsa to our room.
We also enjoyed their pools, especially the one with the spiral slide. I think they had the movie by the pool one night when we were there.
They have one of the best breakfast buffets hands down. Everything tasted quality.
The only unpleasant thing that happened was that I found a big moth when I got out of the shower. That made me scream like crazy. But hey, what do you expect, you’re up in the mountain area. I didn’t complain about that to the staff because that would have sounded silly and (sadly) funny.
My experience was overall a very positive one aside from the surprise moth invasion in the bathroom. :)

Wanting a break from the heat of Phoenix and to be pampered at the same time, we booked a weekend recently at The Ritz Carlton, Dove Mountain near much cooler, (yes, it’s actually true), Tucson. During the summer, there are some really great rates and packages here that offer 5 diamond service that The Ritz is known for. We were not disappointed.
The resort is small compared to some of the other upscale resort and spas in this area, having just over 250 rooms. It sits perfectly nestled in a quiet canyon and each room, (even the lowest rate ones), have balconies or patios and canyon views.
We were not able to book a suite, as we decided at the last minute to do this little getaway; so the Ritz agent at the resort, suggested we book two rooms and they would be sure that they adjoined, IF no upgrades were available upon check in. This was important to me, as I was bringing my daughter and I needed to allow her space and privacy, as well as keep my own!
Upon arriving, the Ritz staff greets you and literally takes over your every want or need. They immediately hand you chilled waters, which is always a nice touch after a drive. Our rooms were an enclave that opened from one door from the main floor hall into a small foyer to separate rooms; it felt like a suite without being a suite. My daughter felt so special! (She has just turned sixteen, so she loves this pampering stuff). Our bell captain put away our luggage, grabbed us our buckets of ice, gave us more waters, and suggested what restaurant to grab dinner and drinks at to see the sunset best on the canyon and desert.
Both rooms were beautifully appointed. The bathrooms have marble soaking tubs; separate sinks; a separate double headed shower and water closet. We loved the bed so much, we are actually looking into how to possibly purchase a Ritz mattress! ($ 2400 for a king. hand delivered, custom made to order!)
Turn down service includes small Ritz chocolates and water; they even went so far as to tie our long phone and iPad cords in a tidy little Ritz ribbon. They placed our sunglasses on a Ritz glasses cloth and all of our make up and toiletries on small towels in a neat placement. These are small reasons to spend a little more and be treated as though your patronage and loyalty truly matters.
We reserved a pool cabana for the next day with the concierge when making the room reservation. For a fee of $ 200 per day, (starting at 10a~6pm), you get a nice poolside cabana at either the Aventura Pool, (near the water slide) or more adult and more private spa pool. The cabana comes with a purified water station of infused lemon /​cucumber iced water; a small refrigerator with more bottles of water; sodas; a couple of cocktails; a chilled fresh fruit platter; television; loungers; towels and private service of food from Turquesa, the Latin grill by the pool. There was so much fruit, we never finished it! I highly recommend the Skinny Watermelon Mojitos, btw. My boyfriend had a house made Bloody Mary which was also off the charts.
On Friday nights here at the Ritz, there is a wine experience at Core. Reserve in advance. $ 20 p/​p. There are so many cool activities for adults and kids, alike, that you could spend a week here and not get bored. I was kind of envious of the kids s’mores package for $ 25, by the chimineas under the stars :)
We dined all over the resort and I’ll review those restaurants separately. BUT, Our favorite was Caytons on the green. We ate there twice because the burgers were THAT amazing, as were the shakes, as were the views from the patio. Share! The portions are ample and the shakes. No way was my child OR my boyfriend finishing these large, rich treats!
The spa has a great Zen feel and also specials; again, reserve in advance!
Customer service here was just impeccable everywhere; our Marriott Rewards make this a plus, plus in our must — return factor.
The Ritz Carlton is amazing as a brand; everywhere we have experienced the hotel, it has not once let us down; Dove Mountain was above board !

Truly a relaxing place. Nestled in the mountain and looking like a rustic lodge, they provide a quiet refugee. Service is gracious without condescension.
Location: Pretty isolated. Not easy to get to. You will be a captive audience without a car. Even with a car, getting to Tucson takes 30 min.
Public area: Very inviting. You walk into a spectacular mountain view with open seating areas which doubles as Ignite restaurant. It also overlooks the beautiful pool with long slide.
Activities: Haven’t tried the golf course yet. Free tennis is included with the resort fee. Tennis courts are lighted but understandably very dusty so the balls become very dirty quickly. If you hit them over the fence, good luck finding them. Even if you do find them it will be covered with spikes. After getting covered with them while retrieving them, I gave up looking for lost balls. Resort fee also includes bike rentals and free guided hikes.
Rooms: Even the basic rooms are pretty spacious. We got upgraded to a mountain view and it was gorgeous.
Restaurants: Weakest area. All of the three restaurants have uneven food with very slow service. Core has a great breakfast buffet that has so-​so warm food but amazing continental breakfast that is one of the best I’ve seen. Ignite has late night grazing menu but the food is once again uneven with pretty mediocre salad. Ambiance is great at night with fire pit going. Cayton served a great Thanksgiving buffet that was simple, rustic but amazingly tasty. While the food itself is uneven, I am grateful that they are very accommodating to food allergies and take them very seriously.
Spa: One of the most relaxing setting. Huge private pool area that is very inviting and relaxing. Separate men’s and women’s area include steam bath, sauna and a lounge area. One of the best deals is too get a service such as a hair cut and spa is included for the day ($ 50 total and the tip).
Pools: Not big but beautiful and tranquil. There is a separate slide that is quite long. Easy to get food and drink with a bar next to it.
Value: Better than some other places such as Naples, but if you like water and glamor, it’s not the right place. This place is for the relaxation. They have reduced the resort fee from $ 50 a day to $ 29 and now gives you and option for self parking. On some off season or month, you can get a pretty decent rate.
Overall, one of my favorite Ritz Carlton but with sub-​par food.

This past weekend, my husband and I were able to spend the weekend here and I’m pleased to report that it was a stellar experience.
Rooms were beautifully appointed and the service was outstanding. The hotel is a perfect size — there are a number of things to do (or not do as the case may be) but it’s not so big that you get lost.
We dined at Ignite, CORE and Cayton’s — all delicious.
Although it’s high season, the resort seemed fairly empty and that was lovely. No crowds, running into people. We felt delightfully alone.
The hotel sits in a canyon and there are hiking trails galore all around the property.
The only complaint (and I did mention this to the front desk as we checked out) is that the housekeeping staff got a bit overzealous. They tossed my husband’s deodorant, a small glass jar with paper in it and a larger jar of cold brew coffee we had brought.

I cannot say enough about this resort. The only negative is that they set the bar so high for other resorts. Good luck impressing me from now on :).
Upon check in we went to pool bar for a snack and drink. Server asked our names, took our order and helped us navigate the resort and things to do. He remembered our names and drink preference the rest of the trip. Ryan and Joel were both servers at the pool bar and were amazing!
The room was gorgeous. We had the executive king suite which has 1.5 baths, perfect for a family of 4. The room service was great. I told them I had four people and I ordered 2 continental breakfasts. They made sure there was service for all of us and we had food leftover.
The pool, slide, hot tub, infinity pool with sunbathing deck, I seriously could live here!
The hiking was awesome. The resort has several trail options depending on how far you want to go. We did upper javelina and could see for miles at the top. I felt safe and the trail was well marked.
We met the Ranger at the resort later that night and he told us about all of the critters that live in the area. He also let my girls hold snakes and tarantulas. Now this may not sound like a ton of fun, it was actually scary for me, but, after the whole conversation with him I walked away with so much knowledge and less fear. I feel like if I were to encounter a snake or tarantula on a hiking trail I would not panic, as I certainly would have prior to meeting Ranger.
The flutist at dusk is a must see. It is so beautiful.
I cannot wait to return to this resort and highly suggest staying here if given the opportunity.

Truly superior
Stayed a the R-​C Dove Mountain for a conference at the site. From entry to departure, they left me impressed. I left convinced that every person who works there is born a kind person who must share that good nature with the world.
Rooms are large and impeccable. Staff greets you in every main hall and asks if they can help with anything. Décor is beautifully done. Cleanliness is immaculate in every area. And the dining options were all worth a trip on their own.
Exceptional family experience, as well. The four-​story water slide is the perfect bland of exciting and safe enough for the cautious kids to be a blast for all. Bikes are available for exploring. Walking/​hiking paths are easy to use. Golf course is a thing of beauty. And the kids loved Cayton’s… and the super tasty milkshakes they could get and share there.
Tip 1: The self-​park to the right when entering literally requires an expeditionary force, flares, and breadcrumbs to get to the lobby and back for bags. One must traipse through the conference area, weather the journey across and up to the main building, zig-​zag to the main hall, and find the cozy Reception desk. Best bet is to pull up to the entrance, unload, park, and check in.
Tip 2: If you have younger kids, the RitzKids experience is top-​notch. The scavenger hunt earns them a Beanie Baby. The Tent Experience puts a small camping tent in your room with bedding inside, a lantern, a stuffy, and a copy of The Three Javelinas. My wife peaked in on our six year-​old at one point and she was sleeping with a big grin on her face– it was the perfect reward for her finishing her first large chapter book.
You. Must. Go.
And we WILL be back…

What took me so long to visit this incredible paradise that resides less than a two hour drive from my home in Phoenix? Well, probably the challenge of finding time to get away as well as the price point to do so, but after just a 24 hour visit, I’m hooked and can’t wait to return!
My husband and I had an action packed yet relaxing visit to this fabulous resort. It lives up to the high expectations I had going in and more. From the incredible customer service to the amenities in the rooms, the hiking trails on property to the fitness facility and complimentary classes, the restaurants on site, the javelinas outside our balcony, the gorgeous mountain views, etc… I could go on and on. So yes, it’s going to likely be a pricey getaway, (especially if you visit during high season), but it will not disappoint.
One trail hike, a couple of games of bocce ball, a fabulous hot shower, a wonderful view from our balcony during sunset, a visit from a pack of javelinas, a dirty martini at Ignite, a romantic and tasty dinner at CORE, some of the most incredible s’mores I’ve ever tasted at the chiminea onsite, a fabulous night’s sleep, a yoga class, breakfast at CORE, a walk on the gorgeous green golf course, a few hours relaxing by the pool and a poolside lunch, and another hot shower before getting on the road; I guess we did squeeze a lot into our visit! Hey, we had to get our money’s worth, and we did!
Get your phone charged or screen wiped off while you lay out by the pool… Now that is an amazing concept that I’ve never experienced before! Eat some complimentary frozen strawberries while you’re there also. Chat with the friendly staff all around while you’re there as well. Special shout outs to Brianna at CORE Kitchen, Ranger Koz who chatted with us as we made our s’mores, Monica who taught a kick ass yoga class, and Gabriela at the pool… thanks for making our getaway extra special!

I stayed here 3÷15÷−3÷17 for a company trip! Dude got stuck working St Patty’s weekend, so brought my number one homegirl, Missy F. as my guest!
Oh no, this was not one of my typical business runs.
Make that, «Hello, Presidents Club Award Winner, nominated by your peers and clients as going above and beyond your duties, here. .. Enjoy your 98% FREE, three days, two nights trip to the Ritz-​Carlton at Dove Mountain!»
Absolutely beautiful hotel with great rooms, in an even more beautiful and serene location.
The Ritz Carlton Suite is where we had our welcome reception, and let me tell you: That place is HUGE! About as big as my Dad’s house. Rolled the bar in with light bites and all.
Apparently Tiger Woods stayed in there the week previously, and all the men at my company were practically doing backflips. *eyeroll*
Enjoyed the endless hiking opportunities. Tore up the Tortolita Mountains with Missy and my coworker’s awesome daughter.
Not to mention the most thorough facial I’ve ever had at the spa and a great deep conditioning and blow-​out at the salon for the awards dinner.
Don’t miss the Turquesa pool for relaxation. But the slide was pretty fun!
The food is some of the best you’ll ever indulge in. Ignite, Core, Turquesa, all delicious.
Dude and I went back checked the place out as a potential wedding spot that’s how much I loved it.
All in all, the staff at Dove Mountain sure «put on the Ritz» for our company. Exceptional work!
I only received one quarterly award this year instead of two, and I’m hoping that will be enough to get me back on the Party Bus to Marana for the 2014 trip…even if it’s just as a Captain’s Pick.