The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne Miami

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

2752 reviews

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  All new, elegance and fun: A charming luxury resort

  I was curious, I have to admit. A hotel newly opened (after a major refurbishing, which had it closed for several months), and now welcoming guests again (since 8 or 10 December, I think). I arrived on 21 December, and my expectations were high: This is the Ritz Carlton (Key Biscayne), after all, and I am a huge fan of the vibe and style of the Ritz Carlton premises in general. Formerly, when in Miami, I’d stayed at the South Beach outlet of this precious brand, this time it was to be Key Biscayne. The Cliff Drysdale Tennis Center on the ground was a major argument in favor, too, in addition to my general interest in visiting different locations and accomodations, whenever I travel. Well, I was not disappointed: Everything at the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne is brand-new, superclean, elegant and stylish. Some areas were still under construction, when I was there, but minor activities only – the Spa only offered a minimum service for house guests during the holidays, for example – and some of the Ladies and Gentlemen working at the hotel still had to get used to their (old or new) position, but in general I felt at home from the very first moment on. Actually, I read somewhere that the General Manager had tried to keep as many of the pre-construction staff as possible, thus, there was always someone, who knew how to handle a request or a matter, who could be asked for help by the newbies on the team. I am also a great fan of the Ritz Carlton Club concept, a “hotel within a hotel”, where dedicated concierges follow a service philosophy that is no less than “Your every wish will be fulfilled”: Under the experienced and very dedicated manager of the Club – Myriam Knisley – a wonderful and very charming team goes every length, so that the Club guests feel at home from 7 in the morning until late at night. The food offered is plenty and delicious – my breakfast favorite is the RC home-made Granola and the major choice of fresh fruit, but I also love those bagels & cream – in the morning and these (holi-?)days also in the evening there are small cooking stations, where chefs offer delicious little dishes, too. Actually: If you wanted to, you could spend the whole day (and evening) lazying in the nice and cosy club (or on the terrace) at the 9th floor and eat and drink, or read newspapers, play games, watch TV or just hang and chat. Guests or the concierges are always around, if you want to do just this: chat a bit, exchange ideas and impressions, ask for recommendations. But, of course, it would be a shame to not explore the impressive hotel premises and venture beyond the 9th floor and the club: the adult and the family pool, both really big “ponds”, with lots of sunbeds and umbrellas and an exquisite service, a big lawn, where kids and families gather and play, the beach with also brand new loungers and food/drink service (there is also an extra section of the beach reserved for the Ritz Carlton Club guests), a big gym with lots of Technogym equipment (all new and well kept), several shops, bars indoors and outdoors, and – of course – the Tennis Club, which offers private coaching and clinics every day, for Tennis and Padel. A house car takes you anywhere in a 1-mile-range, which is comfy, if you just need to quickly dash to a supermarket or pharmacy, for example. For longer rides, the Ritz collaborates with a limo service, or you just uber whereever you want to go. My room on the 9th floor had a balcony and a lovely oceanfront view, it was big and everything worked well. Lots of space to drop your stuff, a big safe, big bathroom, big windows, lovely furniture, Nespresso maker and those deliciously perfumed body lotion, shampoo and soaps you always get at the Ritz (in the US, at least). The Club rooms and access come at an extra price, but it is worth it, if you want to make the best of your stay. As I said above: Whatever you need – the Club team helps you get it, always working discretely in the background, pampering well-pampered guests with food, drinks, smiles and kind words. Always at hand, when needed. Key Biscayne is – of course – very different from my so-far-favorite Miami neighborhood - South Beach, but for a few relaxing days “between the years”, as they say, it was an excellent choice. It is actually a wonderful resort, with a strong focus on families, without forgetting about the interests and needs of the “adults only” among their guests. I will sure be back!

  Dec 27, 2025
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  An outstanding experience celebrating our anniversary at this property!

  My wife and I celebrated our anniversary at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne last weekend and it was awesome from start to finish. This was our first time staying at this hotel. They just finished a massive renovation and the place looked incredible! The room and food were great but what really blew us away was the staff. Everyone we met was super friendly, knowledgeable and caring and we were super impressed! I want to recognize some of them here because they were really outstanding and we think deserve to be mentioned. Gus helped us with transportation around the island, super nice! Francine, who checked us in at the front desk surprised us with a handwritten anniversary card and balloons in our room when it became available! Robert from concierge was super helpful. Brandon and Christina our servers at Dune and Paralia were fantastic! Super friendly and attentive, they really made our dining experiences even better. In fact Christina even treated us to a special complimentary dessert when she found out we were celebrating our anniversary. Josh, our beach attendant was really terrific as well. He was continuously making sure we were doing well and had everything we needed. As if all these amazing people weren’t enough, one staff member really stood out and just blew us away. Her name is Karen and she is the hostess at Dune. She really went above and beyond, welcoming us warmly with a big smile and her super friendly personality. She filled us in about all the restaurants at the resort. After we decided to have lunch there at Dune, as we got settled into our seats, she brought us each a glass of champagne to toast and celebrate our anniversary. As we finished and were leaving, she asked if she could take a quick picture of the two of us on the beach. Incredibly, when we stopped by the next day to say goodbye before checking out. she surprised us with the framed photograph and the most thoughtful handwritten anniversary card!!! We love exploring new romantic getaways in Florida, but after this stay, it’s going to be tough not to come back. This place and its amazing staff truly made our anniversary getaway so special!

  Dec 23, 2025
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  Still working out the kinks

  The grand reopening of the refurbished Ritz was December 8th. We stayed from December 12-18 in an ocean front room with a balcony facing the lawn and ocean. No complaints about the room. Good bed and shower. We never stayed at this hotel before, so it was hard for us to tell what was old and what was part of the refurbishment. But the hotel is still a work in progress. Workers banging outside our balcony at 7:00 am one morning installing new patio stones. No spa yet. Room not cleaned one day because the staff got confused. Banging staff door at the adult pool that is supposed to be a quiet area. No free coffee in the morning and the coffee served at Pure Vida is not very good. Service was very good and all of the workers were helpful and friendly. All the restaurants were open and Luna was very good for breakfast and dinner. Lively bar in the lobby. Nice gym. Morning yoga sessions on the lawn. Pools were nice and uncrowded with what looked like new chairs or at least new cushions. We heard they were keeping occupancy low while they broke in the new staff. Generally a good stay, but at $1200 a night we expected a little more polish. Hopefully, it will get better for the season as the staff gains experience.

  Dec 22, 2025
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  More exclusive....more money

  Went for dinner with friends and saddened by the supposed upgrades. The great casal and friendly Mexican cantina has gone. The outdoor bars have been updated and prices have soared. No more beer, burger and family get Toby the tiki bar. Countertop replaced with granite, and has completely lost it's vibe. Burger fries and a cocktail will cost you about $100 bucks. Staff had no idea if there was a happy hour😒

  Dec 18, 2025
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  Grand Opening Failure

  We decided to drive from Palm Beach for lunch following the resort’s announced reopening on December 8. After calling the hotel at 10 a.m., we were told that all restaurants would be open at 1 p.m. When we arrived at 1:30 p.m., we were literally turned away at the valet by a young and noticeably rude valet attendant who said, “We are not open yet… Come back at 4 p.m.” We ended up having lunch elsewhere, which turned out to be very enjoyable. Still, we decided to try our luck again at 4 p.m. As for the renovation—very underwhelming. It looks like they attempted to modernize the property, but the result is average at best. The resort still shows clear signs of ongoing construction, with visible dirt and landscaping that is nowhere near finished. We went to the beach bar and ordered a bottle of rosé from the menu. It turned out the rosé listed wasn’t available. The waiter brought out two alternative bottles, neither of which were on the menu, and he couldn’t even tell us the price of either one. When the rosé finally arrived, it was warm, clearly not taken from a cooler or fridge. Honestly, the whole experience was a mess. There are plenty of staff members walking around, but the service itself is far below what you’d expect from a supposed five-star resort. It’s definitely not ready to be open—especially not after a renovation budget supposedly in the hundreds of millions.

  Dec 09, 2025