Janie D.
Yelp
The Ritz Carlton is the only 5 star hotel in Okinawa, so I did not hesitate to book here despite past inconsistent Ritz experiences. The property is located on a golf course with a beautiful view of the ocean. The lobby and guest room areas are modern elegance with distinctly Japanese design features. I loved the calming ambiance, shallow accent pools, and palatial ceilings.
Unfortunately, I was annoyed by the time we checked in. We were the only guests there, and the process still somehow took 30 minutes. The concierge kept trying to sell me things, from spa packages to Marriott/Ritz credit cards. When we finally got into the room, I noticed our "King Bed" was just two full size beds pushed together. I double checked the reservation details on my phone, and I had indeed booked a King Bed room. I called guest services to ask if we could be moved, to which they replied "no, so sorry, all of our true King Bed rooms are sold out".
The next morning, we ordered room service, which took over 1 hour to be delivered. The "Two Egg Breakfast" comically came with just 1 egg. I ate the pastries and coffee which were nice, but certainly not worth ¥4500 ($45 USD). The manager was nice enough to comp the meal. One day, we returned to the hotel at 6pm after being out all day since 10am, to find the room a mess. We had clearly selected the "make up room" button, but housekeeping never came through. Staff were extremely apologetic, but we had to sit in the lobby for an hour while they cleaned the room.
The best facility and highlight of my stay was the spa, which I highly recommend on its own. I got a scalp treatment-a 1 hour and 30 minute service including an incredible massage, honey hair mask, and soak in a deep Japanese bath surrounded by trees and flowers. All of the products smelled incredible and left me feeling relaxed and renewed.
In conclusion, if I am paying 5 star prices, I expect 5 star service and amenities, and the Ritz Carlton Okinawa struggled to achieve both on multiple occasions. I regret not staying a few miles away at the Intercontinental Manza Beach Resort.