We left Austin on December 12th on a direct flight to Miami with Delta Air Lines, flying Comfort+. As always, Delta was great. I had made small holiday gift bags for the flight crew, and they were genuinely appreciative. Seeing how excited they were over a small gesture honestly makes me so happy—it’s one of my favorite travel traditions.
Once we landed in Miami, we grabbed our bags and headed to Sixt for our rental car. They upgraded us to a cute black Mercedes SUV. It did have a noticeable smoke smell, but we powered through and headed to our first hotel: JW Marriott Marquis Miami.
JW Marriott Marquis Miami — City Luxury Done Right
Let me tell you—this is a beautiful city hotel. Valet was quick, helpful, and welcoming. At the front desk, we were greeted immediately and check-in began smoothly. I had used Nightly Upgrade Awards (NUAs), and we were upgraded to a corner one-bedroom suite.
Our room wasn’t quite ready, but the staff checked us in, gave us lounge access, and invited us to grab snacks and drinks while we waited. About 20–30 minutes later, the front desk personally called to let me know our room was ready.
The suite was stunning. When you walk in, there’s a half bath to the left, followed by a wet bar that opens into a spacious living area. Around the corner is a dedicated desk space that actually works as an office. The king bedroom sits off the living room, and the views were incredible—overlooking the pool, city, waterway, and even the ocean.
The bathroom deserves its own mention: massive double-wide walk-in shower, a large jetted tub, double vanity, and even a TV built into the mirror for news and sports. It felt luxurious without trying too hard.
We received a daily hotel credit, which we happily used each evening at the Met Bar for cocktails—every one was excellent. We were also given complimentary tickets to the Frost Science Museum, which we didn’t have time to use, but it was a thoughtful perk.
Most importantly to me, the staff was warm, friendly, and incredibly engaging with our son. After two nights, we checked out (with late checkout) and headed to our second stay.
The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne — High Expectations, Disappointing Reality
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Next stop: The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne. I had checked in via the Marriott app with a 2:30 PM arrival time and again used NUAs, securing an upgrade to a one-bedroom suite.
The drive up and lobby were beautiful—you could immediately tell the space had been recently renovated. Check-in started warmly, and I was thanked for my Marriott status. Then the associate paused, retrieved a manager, and after re-verifying my reservation, explained that our room wasn’t ready yet.
To their credit, they handled the wait well—escorting us to seating near the Rum Bar and offering drinks and an appetizer while we waited. About 30–45 minutes later, our room was ready.
While we were checking in, an employee brought our son the cutest Ritz Kids bag with crayons, a coloring book, and Leo the Lion. He absolutely loved it. The lobby décor—white Christmas trees and garland—was stunning, and the Rum Bar felt dark, cozy, and thoughtfully designed.
Our suite layout was similar to the JW: half bath near the entry, honor bar, living area with a small dining table, and a balcony overlooking the resort and ocean. The view was truly beautiful.
The bathroom, however, was a letdown. The shower design was poorly thought out—very narrow (maybe 24–30 inches wide), a rain shower arm that was too short, and a button to switch shower modes that literally fell out when pressed. It felt unfinished and frustrating to use.
The Issues Begin
This property had just reopened after a 7-month closure and a reported $100 million renovation, one of the main reasons I chose it. I was especially excited about the spa and its partnership with Lululemon.
Unfortunately, when we finally located the spa, there was a small sign stating it was still under construction. This was incredibly disappointing—especially since I had received an email days earlier encouraging me to book spa services. No mention was made at check-in that the spa or Ritz Kids area were closed.
The room temperature quickly became another major issue. Despite lowering the thermostat, the air wasn’t cooling. Engineering came up, worked on the unit, and after 15–20 minutes, the fire alarm went off inside our room, filling the space with dust or smoke.
We evacuated to the elevators, then eventually the lobby. After about 30 minutes, we were told everything was resolved. That night, the AC overcorrected—dropping the room to 61 degrees—then later refusing to turn off, and finally shutting down entirely. It was a miserable night of adjusting temperatures.
Dining & Service Misses
The next morning, we grabbed breakfast for our son from Pura Vida just off the lobby. I refused to pay $45 per person for breakfast, and while the inability to charge it to the room was annoying, it wasn’t a dealbreaker.
The weather turned cold, rainy, and windy—so our planned pool and beach day was out. With the Ritz Kids area still closed, there wasn’t much to do besides move between the room and lobby while avoiding ongoing construction noise.
Dinner at Luma was another disappointment. Several menu items were unavailable, the lasagna was barely warm and overly salty, water was never refilled, and service slowed significantly. For a $125 meal, it felt like a prep kitchen experience—not Ritz-Carlton dining.
Checkout & Final Thoughts
Late checkout was denied due to another guest requesting early check-in, leaving us with a noon departure and no alternatives offered—despite our 7:30 PM flight.
We later discovered incorrect charges on our folio, including breakfast on a day we hadn’t checked in until after 4 PM. While charges were eventually removed, the process felt exhausting.
A fruit plate was sent to the room for the HVAC issue, but at a property charging $950–$2,300 per night, that gesture felt insufficient.
After months of closure and a massive renovation budget, I truly can’t see where the investment went.
While I’m not one to complain, this stay fell far short of what the Ritz-Carlton brand promises. In contrast, the JW Marriott Marquis exceeded expectations at every turn. Honestly, I wish we had stayed there the entire trip.
This was not the Ritz experience I had dreamed of for years—and I’m not sure I’d give the brand another chance.
