This is a long review. Scroll to the last paragraph for the tl/dr.
Let's start with what we know. The staff at any Ritz Carlton is always properly trained, and anxious to to help guests in anyway they can. They have a way of bonding with the guest, and providing exceptional service. The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City is no different. Usually this legendary service is enough to overcome any shortcomings the hotel may have. Unfortunately, for this recently opened hotel, the design elements, and policies beyond the control of the staff make this a one and done experience for us.
No better example of both design and policy flaws than with valet car retrieval. This is both a hotel, and residences. While other Ritz-Carlton's have this combination, this was our first experience where guests of the hotel were treated as a nuisance to the residents. For some reason, the owners of this hotel thought it would be a good idea to drop your car on the drive, but to retrieve, you must go to the basement in the resident's garage an
On top of that, only one hotel guest may go down at a time, because too many guests bother the residents. (Residents complain about the hotel guests in their space. Sorry you bought a place that is also a hotel) So if you have others in your party, they must wait on the drive. Sending a single woman to the garage by herself didn't seem safe, but that is how it's done. Residents are allowed as many as they like it would seem.
Cars are not retrieved on a first come, first served, Residents come first, then hotel guests when they can. We were ignored (walked past multiple times by residential garage and door staff without so much as an acknowledgment, let alone offer of service.). Car retrieval can take a long time.
Now onto design. The rooms were not thought out. Building support beams are a feature of the room, and reduce the size substantially. The furnishings were awkward, too large for the limited space and not practical.
While some level of technology is expected in today's world, technology should make your life easier, not just be there for the cool factor. Here again the owners and designers didn't have the guest in mind. They tried to go high tech with bedside control of lights and curtains. Lights were either all on or all off, no dimming. There was a day setting, and a night setting (basically the up lighting turns off). If you get up in the middle of the night, a motion sensor causes low lighting to illuminate fully. I assume so you have light to walk to the bathroom. Problem is it is so bright, it wakes your sleeping partner. No way to disable. Curtains and sheers are either open or closed. Their position engages lighting presets. Hope you like it, because that's what you get.
The best design of the whole room is in the bathroom. Unlike the room, which is underwhelming, the bathroom gives you an initial sense of awe. A soaking tub is the focal point. An oversized shower, separate commode, a large double sink, and marble throughout. It's only after you begin to use it do you find design flaws as well. Like the room, lighting is either on or off and even when on, the lighting is dim. Can barely see to shave. Can't imagine needing to apply make up. While the combined double well of the sink is large, the size limits the area around it to lay out toiletries.
Getting around the hotel is also problematic. The high tech elevators (no buttons in the elevator cabs) take you to your destination, but it's a journey. If you drop your car in the motor lobby, you must first take an escalator or elevator up one floor to the hotel lobby. From there you exit the elevator, press the button to the 38th floor "Sky Lobby", get back on the same elevator and go to your next stop. At the 38th floor you exit the elevator again, walk to another elevator bank swipe your key which will take your guest floor. It's not intuitive, and is very involved. If retrieving your car, do all that in reverse, then add a forth elevator to the basement.
Besides being the hotel's transfer station for the elevators, the 38th floor is also where the restaurant and bar are. We did try and found the food to be what you would expect at a Ritz-Carlton. Top quality, inspired, and delicious. The cuisine is Mediterranean. Service was on point. Again, with the few notable exceptions above, the staff really has it together. Not easy since undoubtedly, they are still working out some kinks that come with a new hotel.
tl/dr: Something about this hotel was off putting. It took us a while to figure out what it was, but we the realized it was in the design. You walk into a glass and steel high rise building, with no character or warmth. Get on an elevator (or 2, or 3, or 4) and you are taken to either the restaurant or your room floor. There are no public areas where you experience anything. No place to commune with friends or other guests. Any public space is really just a hallway between elevators. read more