Ritz Beach Club

Access to the beach club is one of the lovely perks of staying at either of the Ritz’ in Sarasota. The sand is soft, the water is warm, the staff are eager to help — what more can you want? I was here for a corporate event, so I can’t speak to prices, but I will say that our drinks were refreshing, and the hors d’oeuvres were inhaled almost as quickly as they were served. Great location and setting for the selfie queens and photographically inclined.

$ 16 hamburger that are those Sam’s club frozen patties. $ 14 chicken tenders that you get at little league baseball parks. Nothing is fresh made nor house made. Cisco truck, premade garbage. It’s the lowest quality of food with high prices. Drinks were undrinkable. My tiny drink was $ 14 and I dumped it out. I saw other people returning drinks. We came here to celebrate my mom’s birthday, spent over $ 200 and the food was comparable to Mc Donald’s. I wish I was kidding. I can’t believe the Ritz has their name on this. When we got back to our resort 3 of us were sick with food poisoning. Avoid this place.

3.5 stars
The facility is nice, clean and there’s room for everyone to get what they want– indoor, outdoor, pool, beach, etc. We went right to the beach. We were met at the bottom of the ramp by a young man who told us that they did not have any more beach umbrellas. We decided to go out there anyway. He set us up with two chairs and laid out the towels, leaving us with some bottled water.
I eventually ordered one of their specialty drinks that sounded fun and refreshing. It took a long time for it to arrive and really didn’t live up to any expectation. Other family members of mine were on the beach and ordered hot dogs… they waited over 40 minutes for them to arrive.
While I hung out and burnt, my boyfriend and brother decided to go snorkeling. They came back very disappointed. The googles were just regular swim goggles and not snorkel goggles. The snorkel couldn’t attach and so they had a really hard time enjoying it. When they asked about paddleboards they received mixed answers until our ‘waiter’ cleared the air. There’s an outside company you can pay while at the Club, but the Ritz has paddleboards at the hotel and that’s where you use them.
Overall we just weren’t wowed.

The difference is in the service. The Valet Tina during the week was amazing. Very engaging and welcoming. Interesting how she figured out during a brief interaction, she creates a positive impression! Clearly embraces service and enjoys what she does. Way to go! (Only down side was that I left with the same rental car with so many great choices.)Really makes a nice difference. Nathan on the beach service was exceptional. Friendly and very engaging. We usually went with the fish tacos which were great! Nice job! Tina suggested then and they became part of our daily diet!

We were staying at the Ritz Carlton of Sarasota, so it gave us access to this amazing beach club. The bus ride from the hotel was very fun, and we were able to order complimentary ice cold water. We got to view many parts of Sarasota, and it was almost like a little tour. When we arrived, I was astonished. It was gorgeous and very modern with a luxurious twist. Of coarse I had to take a picture standing on the surfboard display they had, which was so much fun! We sat in a secluded area with lots of space, and I loved it so much. I ordered a strawberry daiquiri that was amazing! They also offered a complimentary bucket of ice with bottled water, which was very generous. We also ordered an appetizer of tortilla chips w/​salsa and guacamole. It was delicious! For lunch, I ordered a hamburger. I didn’t expect it to be good, but it was AWESOME! The pool area was gorgeous, and I loved the stone turtles that were shooting water into the gorgeous pool. The beach area was fabulous, and I got to collect lots of seashells with my younger sibling. Service was also great, and always asked if we needed any drinks or towels. Next time I stay at the Ritz, I’ll be sure to come back to this beach club!

The pool is nice. We ate at the restaurant it took 30 minutes for appetizers and a million hours for our waters to be refilled. Way overpriced for the quality. One of us wanted to order” half chicken «the server informed us it would take 30 minutes –Due to this information we ordered other items on the menu, 45 minutes later we received our food which was over seasoned. When the checks came the server seemed so clueless and was auctioning off each of our food items. One of the members in our party had the chocolate cake that was stale and tasted like it had been inside the refrigerator for a week! Sarasota has many other dining options that have spectacular service and superb food quality. Higher prices DO NOT always mean better experience especially in this case!

The beach club wasn’t what we were hoping it would be. The pool closes at sunset and people are packing up long before the sun goes down. To me, this is the most peaceful time of day to enjoy a pool. The property is beautiful and the staff is first rate but the private beach was a disappointment. We vacationed here specifically because we had heard such great things about the beaches in the area. As it turns out, the beach we wanted was twenty minutes from the hotel. Others have mentioned Armand Circle so I’ll add my two cents to that as well. If you enjoy walking around in the heat to visit little touristy shops and dine at restaurants with very poor service (Columbia), then this is for you. This area, along w/​the beach club, did not appeal to us and consequently made the shuttle service offered by the Ritz useless.
It’s a lovely hotel and beautiful beach club but the location and quality of the private beach outweighed everything else for us. We’ll be staying elsewhere next time.

This is an amazing resort. The staff is extremely polite and attentive. You have access to a great pool and beach. This a place where you can truly relax. The Ritz Carlton Beach Resort gets my highest recommendation. It captures the best of the upscale resort lifestyle.

If you stay at the Ritz Carlton you have access the to The Beach Club on Lido Key. You can drive there or take a shuttle that leaves every hour on the hour for The Beach Club. The Beach Club is wonderful. There are plenty of attendants who help with anything you need. They set up chairs and umbrellas on the beach or by the pool at your request.
The beach is beautiful and not crowded. The pool is large with a zero entry. Very family friendly. There is a large hot tub as well. The poolside food was great.
We reserved a cabana and it was worth it. They had towels on our lounges and a bucket of water bottles chilling in ice. There was also a hammock hanging between two of the poles which I loved laying in, swaying in the breeze and listening to the waves crash on the beach. Our attendant came frequently and asked us if we needed anything and was quick to get anything we requested.
Access the The Beach Club is the best perk of staying at The Ritz Carlton… loved it!

I would like to acknowledge the outstanding staff at the Ritz Beach Club. Suffice to say, you cannot beat the beach location and specifically the colors of the sunset. The entire setting becomes a highly positive and memorable experience because the staff go over the top to serve. This past weekend, a large group of 14 ladies received outstanding red carpet treatment from Don Uffinger, III and others like Josh, Jesus etc… The staff customer service, dedication and attention to detail is why this is one of the places I will come and visit over and over again. Thank you

Was hanging out on the Lido public beach on Christmas Eve, when the Ritz hotel Manager Trent decided to kick my family off for not being guests of the hotel. It’s a public beach, it wasn’t crowded, it was totally unnecessary. Get that hotels have rules, but don’t think the thoughtless enforcement of them should trump service and friendliness. Very disappointing experience from such a reputable place.

Beautiful, beautiful.
The Ritz Beach Club is actually about 3 – 4 miles away from the Ritz hotel, but with easy access by car (or by the frequent Ritz shuttle), it’s a breeze to get to.
Comy chairs, beachfront, awesome pool, and typical Ritz service and you simply can’t go wrong. You can eat onsite or you can do to the darling St. Armands Circle area with lots of shopping and restaurants.

The Ritz Carlton Sarasota owns this gorgeous property on Lido Beach. The hotel will shuttle the guests over to the beach, or St. Armands (or anywhere you ask them to take you for that matter!). What’s not to love about the Ritz? Showers and locker rooms that are the best of the best. Towels, beach chairs, umbrellas, tiki bars, cabana boys, swimming pools, live music, and a restaurant, all in one location. The landscaping is gorgeous and the customer service is unparalleled to anywhere else. I had such an enjoyable time here, I can’t wait to return.

Wow! This place is a winner! But know you can only go if you are a guest of the Ritz Carlton Sarasota as this is a private pool and beach area. But the location is stellar. . on the Lido Key, with a beautiful beach and the ocean pounding out a rhythm that instantly soothes and comforts.
From the time you pull up to the front gate (know that there is also complimentary shuttle service from the hotel that runs on the hour to the Club and on the half hour back from the Club) you are warmly greeted and directed to the top of the hill where a friendly valet will take your car (complimentary).
At that point you can go to the restaurant which is to your left, the locker rooms which are to your right, or walk straight ahead to a beautiful vista of the ocean in the background with the large pool area closer in.
From the second you walk down the stairs– there are people there to make your visit as enjoyable as possible. You lounge chair is artfully arranged to capture just the perfect rays of the sun, your beverage of choice is brought to you so quickly you don’t even remember ordering it, and if you need anything, you need only raise your flag and someone will come running.
There is the large pool flanked by Jacuzzis on either end. And if you venture out to the ocean– just know that they have the same level of service out there, from someone to find you the perfect chair, to them actually finding things for the kids to do, like sand toys, etc.
The food that comes is a step above expected pool food with wraps, salads and burgers winning high marks as well as the chicken fingers for the kids. And if a Tiki bar is your thing– there is one here just outside the fenced in area (open to the public– see my separate review) that should have you swaying to the music while you sip on your piña colada!
But what really makes this place special are the people who work here. From the first day you show up, the Ritz service is there is full force. You are greeted by name, your preferences are mentally recorded so that each subsequent time you get exactly what you like without having to ask, and each person you see stops to make your visit just that much more enjoyable. A big thanks to Cindy, Amy, Brandon, Bailey, Chas, Jordan and Erik (and Don the front gate guy as well as Larry the valet) who took such great care of me on my recent visit. While a place at the beach is a wonderful amenity to have, it is the staff that really has you wanting to come back and these people ensured that I will do just that!
I hesitated before booking this trip here as I really prefer a hotel that is right on the beach versus having to shuttle or drive there every day. But after having experienced it first hand, it is so effortless to get here, and once here they provide anything I might need, that the hesitation was unwarranted.
The Ritz Beach Club is amazing. .. .. .the perfect place to wile away the time on a sunny afternoon…and just what I expect from a hotel of this caliber!