I stayed at the Ritz Carlton Sarasota in October 2008 when I lived on the East Coast of Florida. I drove over and we met my parents for the weekend. I wasn’t that excited about going to the West Coast as I heard it was a lot slower and not as glamorous as the east, but I realized I was mistaken once I arrived.
The hotel was extremely beguiling from the porte-cochère. In the lobby of the hotel, which was very grand and chic, I was greeted with a glass of champagne and quickly ushered to our room on club level. The restaurant spaces, indoor and out, were all very luxurious, and the food was beyond the Ritz-Carlton standard. We had a city and marina view, which was very enchanting. The service was some of the best I’ve ever experienced. They took care of us in every way and made us fall in love with the property even more. Although the property is not directly on the beach they transferred us seamlessly to Lido beach, which was one of the best beaches in Florida. There, they extended the Ritz-Carlton service with food and drinks and beach chair service.
I’ll admit, I was wrong. Sarasota is beautiful, glamorous and there’s nothing slow about it. It has great beaches, dining, and shopping and this hotel is the best in the area, hands down.