After a pair of amazing stays at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay and the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, I was curious to see if I could “three-peat” at the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage.
Would our excellent stay streak continue?
Review: Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage
Image: ritzcarlton.com
Location & Parking
Located on a scenic (but isolated) mountainside in the Palm Springs, California area, the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage holds a bird’s eye view of the Coachella Valley below.
Arriving at the resort, guests are greeted by several large hillside statues of Desert Big Horn Sheep before they pull into the valet-only parking area ($32 per night).
Desert Big Horn Sheep
Valet parking is $32 per night
Front Desk & Check-In
We arrived to find a front desk with no wait and we were immediately assisted.
We were not recognized for our status (Bonvoy Silver elite at the time), nor were we given an upgrade (although the hotel seemed to be only booked to a 50% capacity).
The attendant handed us our room keys and a welcome package and pointed us in the right direction toward our room.
Image: ritzcarlton.com
Front Desk
Welcome Package
Room Key
Lobby
Walk To Room & Hallway
The Hallway
Room Entrance
Bedroom Area
Arriving at our room, we were pleased to find and clean and upscale room very much in-line with the other California Ritz-Carltons we recently stayed at.
The room had subtle highlights that evoked the high desert, but overall it seemed a curious – though not unattractive – mix of dark wood, leather, and marble.
On the day of our stay, the temperature hit a scorching 118 degrees, but the A/C was strong and performed like a champ.
Complimentary milk and dark chocolates
Living Area
The living area was simple and functional, with ample USB and electric sockets for various electronics.
Room Amenities
The room had all the standard amenities, including a Nespresso machine and 4 complimentary bottles of Nestle-branded bottled water.
Bathroom
The attractive bathroom was well-lit and decorated with marble, dark wood, and glass.
There was a separate water closet and both a shower and an [extremely large] bathtub (that easily fits two people, or so I was told).
The coveted Purple Water by Asprey London was the toiletry of choice.
Balcony
The room opened up to a medium-to-small sized balcony with so-so views of the quad outside.
Truth be told, at 118 degrees, it was just too damn hot to hang out outside – even at night!
State Fare
Image: ritzcarlton.com
Image: ritzcarlton.com
View from the restaurant
Dining on the balcony
Dinner Menu
Dinner At State Fare
For dinner, we went with the Sustainable Chilean Sea Bass, and the Braised Beef Short Ribs – and we were blown away.
Our dinner at this Ritz-Carlton restaurant was easily among the best hotel-dinners we ever had.
The Indian cuisine inspired sea bass was incredible, and the creamy parmesan polenta was “to die for”.
Both dishes were so substantial that we [unfortunately] had no room for dessert.
Sustainable Chilean Seabass ($45)
Braised Beef Short-Ribs ($39)
Morning At State Fare
Entrance to State Fare
Image: ritzcarlton.com
Breakfast Menu
Breakfast At State Fare
After such an excellent dining experience the night before – and also because it was the only restaurant open – we headed back to State Fare for breakfast, and it did not disappoint.
The California Huevos Rancho dish was the “star” of the show, but the [minimalist] Two Eggs As You Wish dish was no slouch either.
California Huevos Rancho ($20)
Two Eggs As You Wish ($18)
Walking The Property Interior
Gallery
Map of Palm Springs
Walking The Property Exterior
The Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage was a gorgeous and elegant property, with expertly cropped vegetation and spectacular views of the surrounding hills and the valley below.
We opted to walk counter-clockwise from the East end of the grounds (the quad with the adult pool) to the West side of property along the cliffside trail to the family pool area, before continuing on to the Spa and Fitness Center.
Room fire pits
The Quad
Cliffside walking path
The hills have eyes (well, hummingbird eyes)
Poolside entrance to the resort
The iconic fountain
The Property At Night
Image: ritzcarlton.com
Image: ritzcarlton.com
The walking pathways are well-lit at night
Glowing orbs light up the fountain at night
A fire pit with views of Palm Springs
The Swimming Pool Areas
Image: ritzcarlton.com
The Main [Family] Pool
Jacuzzi
The Adult [Infinity] Pool
Spa
Image: ritzcarlton.com
Fitness Center
The Bottom-Line Review: Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage
Overall, we really loved our stay at the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage.
The room was upscale and clean, the property was stunning, and the overall vibe was as “chill” as you could possibly get in the desert. I can’t say enough good things about our dinner experience at State Fare, and breakfast was pretty good as well. It was truly a zen-like wellness experience swimming in the infinity pool in the 118 degree heat.
Yes, it was secluded. Yes, it was hot. Yes, there weren’t a whole lot of activities to do in Rancho Mirage (and you don’t want to hike in 105+ degree-weather in Palm Springs, trust me on that one). But let’s be real –Â those things are all par for the course in Palm Springs.
Guests come to Palm Springs/Rancho Mirage for one reason and one reason only: relaxation. And relaxation is what you get in spades at the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage.
Final Rating: 9 out of 10.
