Miss Margo

Anyone been to the RC Marina recently? Just wondering how the renovation is coming along.

gleff

Haven't been there since June

brendamc

Stayed there last weekend & I was favorably impressed. Staff are incredibly nice & helpful, pool is gorgeous, public rooms are RC, without being over the top. I personally am not impressed with the RC Laguna Niguel's 'de-fancification' into an East Coast Beach house, so was happy to see MdR kept that Ritz-Carlton feeling. The menu at Jer-Ne looked great, but we didn't have time. Any room service that uses burrata cheese in their caprese salad wins major points from me!!! ^ ^ ^ Room service CB included wonderfully fresh squeezed OJ, delicious coffee & ok pastries/muffins.

We were given a 1st floor room with patio & it was obvious by the hallway, but not the room, that it was smoking. I guess we hadn't specified anything on the resv, so can't get too upset. Asked for another room & saw they were the same, but with teeny little French balconies, so we went back to the 1st floor, with it's large patio overlooking their beautiful pool & marina.

Only downers - $29 per night parking fee, lightbulb missing in entryway lamp, no Bulgari toiletries, patio was kindof dirty, WSJ only paper on Sunday (I admit, the Times is huge & heavy, but...) & pool staff overworked & I overheard them tell a group at 3:30 that they were no longer serving food by the pool - not cool for a RC. But, for the rate, I was not complaining at all.

The new Ralphs Shopping Center (there's a better name for it, but can't recall) up the street is very nice - the best Ralph's I've ever seen in my life - will give Gelson's & Bristol Farms a run for their $$, nice little boutique shops, a French cafe,... spent some enjoyable hours hanging out here. Basically, I'd go back, but this was my first stay, so no idea what it was like pre-renovation.

Boraxo

Wow I feel old - I remember staying at this hotel when it first opened on the $129/nt intro rate!

IIRC there are some free parking options nearby in the neighborhood. Also, the parking meters don't operate on Sundays, so you can park for free there from 6pm Sat thru 8am Mon (if memory serves).

brendamc

NOW you tell me!

francophile

The NY Times? Not many hotels are willing to offer the Sunday NY Times for free; it's $5 a copy.

The WSJ was a copy from the day before as they don't publish a Sunday edition.

obscure2k

Food reviewer, S. Irene Virbila from LA Times gave Jer-Ne, the restaurant at the Ritz Carlton an excellent review today.
Bottom line:
"A little bit of whimsy and a lot of good cooking put this marina-side dining room on the map."

drbenz

Whenever I put NYT on my Four Seasons newspaper card on Sundays guess what I get....
NYT Sunday--5 Dollar Edition.

brendamc

We were in LA - the LA TIMES & it's $1.25 on Sundays I think. Don't want to get into comparing the merits of each, but I definitely would not be expecting the NYT in LA, although that would be a nice curprise!

Blumie

I'm at the RC MDR right now. I haven't seen much of the place, but I am in a renovated room, and it's a tremendous improvement over the old rooms. The furniture is updated, and the big clunker of a TV set in the big armoir has been replaced by a sleek flat panel TV on a marble-top dresser. At first I couldn't figure out why the dresser was placed about 18 inches away from the wall, instead of flush against it, but then I figured out that it's so the TV can swivel to be viewed from anywhere in the room.


They also now have wifi access throughout the hotel, in addition to wired in-room access (still at $9.95 a night). Once you pay for a day of access, you are assigned an access code so that you can log back in from anywhere in the hotel without having to pay again.

Based on my limited exposure so far, I am very pleased with the renovation.

brendamc

Hope you get to enjoy the pool during this beautiful weather we're finally having!

JimStraz

It sounds like a serious DUMP! Why stay at this hotel when there are so many better options in the area? Isn't Marina Del Rey a bore anyway?

Blumie

In my case, the answer is a combination of (1) convenience to LAX and a dinner I was attending in Santa Monica, and (2) a $190 rate. In those cases in which I am indifferent to the rate, I certainly do not stay at this property. But in those instances in which I am rate sensitive and want to be close to LAX, it's hard to beat this property, particularly with the renovations.

BTW, I see that you're a Marriott guy. Talk about your total dumps!

Boraxo

I would have to agree. RC provides the best value for the area in the luxury category. And the Marriott MDR is a real dump! (we won't even bother to talk about the LAX properties)

Admittedly one can find nicer luxury hotels on the beach in Santa Monica, but the price is outrageous (usually more than 2x the RC) and the staff is often surely. Not good value.

These days I am favorably disposed towards Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, but the RC is far more convenient to both LAX and the beach, and has better freeway access.

JimStraz

Ok I see why you or anyone would stay at the Marina Del Rey Ritz. I live in LA and I never go to Marina Del Rey - ever. It just sounds boring. I am sure this hotel is a good property. And yes, I am a Marriott guy. My company has me stay at Marriotts and then I use the points to stay at the Ritz or JW properties when I vacation. I would prefer Penn or FS though!

I am staying at the FS Vegas next month and can't wait! YIPEE!