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This hotel is very fancy as It is the Ritz after all. However, it doesn't compare to some of the really high-end places that I have stayed. As a result, I can only give it 4 stars.
Pros:
-great service, ranging from maids to bell boys to receptionist
-comfortable bed
-impeccable turndown service
-2 small water bottles free of charge (take that, minibar!)
-great lounge in the lobby
-Bulgari bath products
Cons:
-no toilet seat covers in the lobby bathrooms (eww!!)
-isolated location; hard to get to other parts unless you have a car
-small room service menu
-expensive drinks at the bar
I would def come back here again if I need to be in this area. However, there are plenty of other chic boutiques and high-end hotels closer to DC (and/or a metro stop) that I'd chose over the Ritz at Tysons.
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Welcome to part one of Ben on The Road. Having been summoned to the Mothership to discuss weighty matters, I took advantage of corporate rates and stayed at the nearby Ritz. Surprising at it may seem for someone with such a rock-n-roll lifestyle (yes, I like to rock-n-roll all night, and part of every day), I have never stayed at a Ritz before. Expectations were high.
And were mostly not met. Aside from the blue lions on the hand towels (and the showerhead that is EXACTLY the same model I have at home), I would never have known it was the Ritz (who knew we both liked Kohler?). The room was unremarkable. The honor bar was sparsely stocked and expensive. I had to PAY for internet access???? And I ended up paying TWICE because they apparently don't keep track of who you are when you log in? This does not spell 5-star hotel to me.
Plus, thank God I still do wakeup calls, because something was apparently wrong with the alarm clock. They have the same Ipod dock model you see most places, and I consider myself fairly competent to work an alarm clock. But I was aroused from my slumber only by the wakeup call, which I use as a last-resort morning-saver (I like to hit snooze a few times before I wake up, and set the wakeup call for the time that I really have to get out of bed, not the time the alarm will initially go off). (And yes, I know some people say you shouldn't hit the snooze. You're not my mother, leave me alone.)
For the price ($340), I anticipate you can do better around these parts.
P.S.: It is ironic that Yelp's spell-checker doesn't recognize internet?
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Wife and I spent last night here. Got a good deal on a junior suite which was nice but the AC was in need of adjustment because it never cooled off though we had it set to 60 degrees. We were out of the room most of the evening and did not realize the problem till late that night.
Service was what we expect at a Ritz and we had a delicious molten chocolate cake in the bar. We had two drinks in the bar as well and thus the reason for 3 stars - the drink prices are ludicrous. Wife's gin and tonic was $12.50 and she could barely taste the gin. My scotch was fine but a mighty weak poor for $14.
Except for the great dessert we did not eat at the Ritz but did have an outstanding meal next door at The Palm.
Wife enjoyed a massage this morning at the spa and steam room. Free parking next to the hotel is a nice surprise.
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Ritz carlton restrooms, how do I love thee. Let me count the ways:
1) they are pretty
2) they are pretty and clean
3) they have real terry towels instead of paper
4) they smell gooooood
5) they have nice hand soap
6) they are decorated as well as the rest of the hotel
I've attended a couple of events at the Tyson's Ritz - Teardrops to Rainbows this past Fall and now the Beyond the Beltway State and Local Govt event on Monday. The staff is efficient, the pass around hors d'oeuvres are tasty, the wines are just ok, the coffee is fresh and not too weak/not too strong.
Hard to find a hotel that does events well, but they get it right. Sorry to say I live too close to have stayed overnight, but since I've had the pleasure on other occasions in other parts of the world....I know how nice the rooms can be.
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I attended a chairty function (Teardrops to Rainbows) there were 500 people for a beautiful dinner. I was amazed at the quality of the food and the staff. The appetizers and salads came out with perfect timing, and right when everyone was finished the entree's arrived all at the same time and all hot and delicious! I've been to several large functions and it seems like there is always a hard time getting the food out and alot of the time it comes out cold, but not here. I have to give an
A+++++ to the chef's and the staff. I was drinking wine (option of red and white) it was a good house selection. Mext time I go I will be sure to get mixed beverages, we all know how good those are!!
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My girlfriend reserved at suite for a girls night out party and I must say it was fab! I've stayed… Read more »
Love this hotel! Too bad I don't travel to McLean for work anymore.
Everything you expect about a Ritz-Carlton... comfort, convenience, luxury, and my favorite set of bath products by Bulgari. Oooh do I miss that hotel!
I also love the fact that the hotel is connected to a great shopping mall!!
Oh boy. What a silly place. The entrance is built so that the wind is tunneled right into it from the adjacent buildings. Its so cold that the poor bellman dare not do much more than wave at you as you struggle with yout bags. The upper floors have a chronic problem--no hot water in the morning. Sure its comfortable, but its not the only place in the area.
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The Ritz Carlton Tyson's Corner is quite nice. It's also connected to my company's Tysons office, which makes it very convenient when I have to travel down here.
The rooms are very comfy and housekeeping is excellent. They have turndown service and when you come back after a long day of work, there is relaxing music playing in the background. Room service is also quite tasty. I had breakfast once and enjoyed a belgian waffle. Had dinner one time and got a tasty filet mignon.
The Ritz definitely personalizes their hotel experience - you are always greeted by your name by whoever you are talking to - it's like they just know who's staying in every room. One of the nicest hotel stays I've had so far.
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This is the absolute WORST Ritz Carlton I've ever stayed in. Actually, I've stayed in Marriotts & Hiltons better than this place.
The service was mediocre at best. The food was pretty terrible. I ordered a Lobster salad. It was 2 ounces of greens with 2 spears of white asparagus, and a cut up steamed lobster. The lobster was mushy & didn't taste very fresh. The part that bothered me the most- it wasn't de-veined and had lots of "lobster poop" in the tail. The worse part is I asked 3 people for utensils. The first girl didn't know what utensils were, so I had to ask her for a fork. She disappeared and so I ended up asking 2 more people (one was a host) & they all disappeared and never came back. More than 10 minutes later....still no fork. So I got up went to the hostess at the entrance and she finally grabbed me some forks! I wouldn't except this kind of service at IHOP, let alone a Ritz.
A lot of the furniture in the room was worn. There were scratches & some of the items like the coffee maker was cracked. There was garbage in one of the bathrooms that wasn't ours. The worst part? I found a giant lint ball with hair on the side of my pillow after turn down service. YUCK!
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This review is actually a yelp on the Spa in the Ritz-Carlton at Tysons Galleria. I had a massage recently and the experience was great. I step into the glitz ritz from inside the galleria. That was a plus for me knowing the mall was right there and that I didn't have to pay parking. The first thing I noticed was the dark wood all over the hotel. Didn't fancy me much; I prefer things a little lighter... but it doesn't matter cause the review is on the spa. ;p Anyway, I got down to the spa and I check in (still adorned with dark-stained wood). Very polite receptionist. She showed me to the men's locker room. The locker room features a steam room and sauna, showers, and a lot of plush robes and slippers. Thank goodness the locker room had marble everywhere. :) If it had that wood, i would've pulled my hair out!
So I changed and made my way to the relaxation lounge like any spa to wait for my masseuse. The lounge was smaller than I expected for a five-star spa with marble locker rooms, but after all... it's technically only a waiting room. lol. My masseuse was Marc. (what a coincidence!) Very nice guy. The massage itself was great. The hot towels and compresses are what did me in. I melted.
After my service, he escorted me back to the locker room. I took advantage of the sauna and steam room for about 30 minutes before leaving. With your reservation, you actually have access to the facilities for the whole day. The thing that kinda urked me is that when I checked out, they asked me if I had used the pool and whirlpool because that was included in the facilites as well... I didn't. I was never informed. BUT -- it's ok. They're lucky my service was awesome. haha. I'll take FULL advantage of all the facilities next time. :)
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There are few places one can stay and feel as if they've been locked in a palace complete with royal service. Any Ritz Carlton provides that.
Perhaps one of the oddest Ritz Carlton's is Ritz Carlton-Tyson's Corner. Why? Odd design and location. For starters it abuts one of the most exclusive malls in the country; one of their entrances is a maze of corridors that lead to Tyson's Galleria. What's in Tyson's Galleria: BCBG Maxazria, Hugo Boss, Cartier, Tumi, Godiva, Thomas Pink and a couple of Lexus (or is it Lexi?) on the ground floor just to let you know that the air costs more to breath. But I digress.
Rooms topside look out over the burbs with a view of DC and the Washington monument in the distance. If stuck on the lower floors you'll want to keep the drapes closed and imagine that you have a view. The rooms are the typical elegance of any Ritz: the soft sheets, plush furniture, robes, with the bathroom outfitted with Bulgari products...as it should be.
The Spa at the Ritz is a treat all by itself. Massages are excellent. Pool and jacuzzi are usually empty which translates to being virtually private. An assortment of recent issues of any magazine one could want to wast their time with is available (except the Economist.. the only magazine written intelligently these days). The gym is on the small side and odd being one level below the hotel's lobby, but hey that's where they had to put it.
The staff are top notch. One gets complimentary cookies on your first night. The staff member that brought the cookies freaked me out by knocking on the door and then keying-on-in after not receiving a prompt reply. She almost caught me in my Spiderman boxers. Otherwise you'll find an international staff who shepherd you through your stay.
Maestro's is an excellent restaurant, but one can find a number of good eateries nearby.
The Ritz-Tyson's is the prefect place for a weekend getaway. You have access to DC (40 minutes by metro or be prepared to battle the most notorious gridlock in the country). Beyond a three-day getaway, you go stir crazy knowing that by being attached to a mall, you won't breath pure air until check-out.
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OK yes, I will acknowledge this was a couple years ago, but I just joined Yelp and I feel the need to share this story, and the Ritz should really try harder.
When I was a younger man, I went for high tea at the Ritz for a friend's birthday. We made reservations, were dressed well, and arrived on time. We were then seated in the corner by the bathrooms, brought a pot of luke warm tea, half a plate of sandwiches, and a check for 50 dollars. The obnoxious Australian waiter refused to serve us.
We spoke to the management after we left, leaving a nickle for the Australian, and while apologetic, they in no way made me want to come back. Quite the opposite. I was treated as if I could not possibly have had the problems we had.
I understand it's hard to find good employees in this area, but the Ritz really should step up.
Each Ritz has a different aura though they are all refined and luxurious. I spent a Christmas holiday here with my mum, which turned out to be dangerous since together we are a destructive shopping force and this Ritz-Carlton enters onto Tysons Galleria, the very high-end mall of the areas three malls. Granted we shopped a lot, granted we lounged about feeling fabulous, but one thing we did not take for granted was the fabulous Christmas Day Buffet that we enjoyed.
The buffet was $80 per person which sounds pricey but actually guarantees you a table for the entire day. The buffet was beyond anything i've ever witnessed in my entire life (for those familiar with my Turkey Day '05 review). Seafood both raw and prepared in every machination, vegetarian options, pastas, cheeses, breads, omelettes, waffles, whole halves of animals stations, all the champagne you can drink. Really beyond comparison. We paced ourselves over 5 trips that lasted 3 hours, but by the end we were really just phoning it in. i maybe had 1 cookie, but that was all i could take. The atmosphere was elegant and spacious, the servers were beyond comparison in dedication to service. If you can do the Christmas buffet, or any other they offer, i highly recommend it!
People thought this was:
Beautiful hotel that is standard Ritz Carlton over the top kiss your butt service, decor, accessories. They really do know how to make people feel special, and you can't help but get full of yourself when you're sleeping on sheets that smooth.
I would never pay to stay at a hotel this expensive (except on my honeymoon, but then I would expect there to be a beautiful sandy beach outside my window), but was fortunate enough to be placed here for 2 nights during a recruiting trip...
I didn't end up getting the job, but I did get a purse sized container of really fancy hand lotion.
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It's the Ritz. You know them by reputation. They're like Tiffany & Co. It is priced higher than it's worth, but the people there would like to spend four times as much just to keep out people who can't afford it and show that they can.
Sure. Why not.
Just look at the other reviews and you'll see what I mean.
No matter how much money I ever have, I'll never be one of these people. I take a certain pride in that. You can usually tell just by meeting someone if money will change them. Give them enough money, and it defines who they are. The amount of dollars it takes is the determining factor.
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All the other reviews are true. I wanted to weigh in to say that
a) the weekend rates are pathetically cheap for a Ritz--like $170/night.
b) the spa is great--as cheap or cheaper than your gym or Red Door, great last minute availability and you get to schelp around in a fuzzy ritz robe before and after your massage.
It's frankly not as nice as most Ritz Carltons around the world (in fact, it's the least posh I've seen) but at a fraction of the price, it's a swell and swanky place to crash. So if you're looking for an in-town get-away, or a place to stuff the in-laws for the night, it will impress more than the Sheraton, the Marriott or the Westin (which used to be a Double Tree, by the way)
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Tea- at the Ritz, Lobby Lounge.
Went on a Sat, they have two seatings, noon and 3pm. It was relaxing, beautiful, and oppulent. I had been here once, about 10 years ago and was very suprised at the prices. The Royal Tea is over $50. There is another tea which is $30 something the only difference btw the two is that the Royal comes with champagne to start and strawberries and whipped cream and grand marnier at the end.
All the food was very, very good. The tea sandwiches were exceptional but there were only 4 of them (tiny) on the plate. They then brought a three tiered plate of sweets, amazing scones, wonderful cakes, madelines, etc. Also, a great selection of teas.
Our server was also absent a good part of the time we were there. I would have liked my water glass filled. More tea sandwiches and a more attentive server would have made it a perfect afternoon.
Also, awesome piano player.
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My husband I both go here for massages. I've never stayed at the hotel since I live down the street from this place. But the spa is nice. The facilities are nice, however I have been to nicer. But my masseuse, Marc, was awesome. I had gotten the swedish massage and I was so relaxed, it was the absolute best. The hot towels were so relaxing and it was like Marc hit all the right spots. I will definitely go back.
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This place feels like home to me. Granted this may have something to do with the fact that i've been staying there for the past 5 months that I've been stationed in the Washington area, but at the end of the day it's really the staff and service that make it feel so comfortable. These ladies and gentlemen will always greet you with a smile, be available for any request you may have, and get to know you by name after only a few visits.
The rooms and decor are more classic than I would generally like but they make up for it in comfort and it never feels stuffy. A great bar and restaurant in the lobby, one of the best gyms I've seen in any hotel, and a black car service to any destination within 5 miles round out a great package.
They sure have some killer martini (Ritz-Carlton Techtini to be exact). Drink responsibly.
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Classy decor and service for staying the night or hosting a wedding banquet. The lighting in their ballrooms is somewhat dim for photographs, but perhaps it helps soften the mood especially with floating bulbs hung by thin wires. It's hard to beat an all you can eat buffet of hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, entrees, and desserts that includes prime rib. The DJ needs help with song requests or else she recycles songs or randomly picks stuff like the Cha Cha Slide. The DJ was cool enough to teach us steps to move to the beat of hip hop, but she struggled to attract dancers to the floor. Before the night is over, feel free to gather your poker pals in a room to play with their expensive deck of plastic cards and free match sticks as chips or letters for spelling out words.
Falls Church, VA
Category: Hotels
Herndon, VA
Category: Day Spas
Neighborhood: West End
Category: Hotels
Washington, DC
Category: Hotels
Neighborhood: Dupont Circle
Category: Hotels
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