The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert

Mufaddal Quaid Johar

What an amazing experience and stay. From the staff courtesy to the grandeur of the Sahari Villa loved every bit of it. My kid loved it so much I had to drag him back to home from the resort . Piya the check in staff and Amr the buggy operator really tried to make it more special for us , the breakfast was tasty and full options, kids club was full of activities we actually spent quite a lot of time there as there are places adults can sit and rest as well inside while the little ones are occupied, the horses and camel at the equestrian club were health and the experience didn't feel rushed at all rather I had to ask them let's end it as I got tired 😅 Didn't get a chance to explore their general pool as our in villa pool was so perfect. And a must mention to the room service staff and Ritz Carlton brand's signature hospitality from hygiene to making sure we had each and every small things we could require available to us was a heart winner. Looking forward to staying once more. ❤️

Mia Ma

We stayed at The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert, and while the staff were genuinely polite and friendly throughout our stay, the overall experience was very disappointing due to repeated system and service errors. We booked a villa with an enclosed private swimming pool, which is more expensive than the open one. However, upon arrival, we were assigned the wrong villa with an open pool. When we called reception to clarify, we were told that “open and enclosed pools are the same tier” — which was clearly not true. Only after we showed proof of our booking confirmation and screenshots of the different villa types and prices did the receptionist finally acknowledge the mistake and arrange to move us to the correct villa we had paid for. Even then, no compensation or apology was offered until we pointed out how much inconvenience and frustration this caused, especially on what was meant to be a relaxing family trip. The hotel eventually offered complimentary access to their Rainforest facility and two cocktails at the bar as a gesture. The falcon show was the highlight of our stay — truly impressive and worth watching. However, the internet connection throughout the resort was terrible. YouTube on the TV constantly paused or stopped loading, and even basic browsing on my phone was nearly impossible. If your goal is to completely disconnect, it might work for you — but if you still have work or online tasks, it’s not ideal. The worst part came on the last day. My parents had an early flight, while I planned to stay until 1 PM with a confirmed late checkout. Despite informing the hotel multiple times that I was still in the villa, the system checked us out automatically. When I arrived at the Rainforest experience that morning, they told me I needed to pay because the room was “already checked out.” I had to go to the reception and ask for a manager to fix the issue. They apologized and said it was a “system error,” confirming that I could stay until 1 PM. Yet, after returning to the villa for a short nap, someone suddenly tried to enter the room, thinking it was vacant. It was shocking and frustrating to have my privacy disturbed after already clarifying everything twice. Overall, this stay fell far below expectations for a Ritz-Carlton property. The staff were kind and tried their best, but the hotel’s internal systems and coordination are severely lacking. For a brand that prides itself on luxury and flawless service, these repeated errors made the experience unnecessarily stressful. I sincerely hope the management takes this feedback seriously and improves their operations, as the property and people truly deserve better support from their systems.

jordan M

Before I share my feedback, I want to emphasize that I would gladly give the hotel itself 10 stars out of 5. It is truly an exceptional property. However, the rating I’ve given reflects my experience with the hotel team and their service, not the property itself. This weekend was my second stay at the hotel. It’s truly one of my favorite destinations because of the privacy and the joy of being around the animals. The villa is wonderful — spacious, with a beautiful pool that’s completely private. Unfortunately, the service is consistently disappointing. Both of my stays were meant to celebrate special occasions, and both times they were ruined due to the team’s carelessness. The front desk blames housekeeping, housekeeping blames reservations — it’s a complete mess. When making my reservation, the Marriott Bonvoy points was deducted twice. When I called the reservations team for help, the agent was extremely rude, yelling at me and trying to silence me and kept talking and cutting me off.. I even raised a complaint, only to later be told that the call “wasn’t recorded.” I was promised by the reservation team to follow-up, but instead I was ignored. As a Platinum member, I am eligible for room upgrades. I was told I’d been upgraded, but the “new” room was identical to the one I had stayed in before — just with a different number . It would have been better if they had simply said no upgrade was available rather than misleading me. Sadly, this hotel’s team has a great way of ruining surprises and special moments. That said, I would like to sincerely thank the Oasis pool bartender, Medhat, for his kindness and professionalism. When he noticed my frustration, he offered me a cold water and a soft drink and checked if he could do anything to help. He was genuinely kind, and when I offered him a tip, he refused, saying he was simply doing his job. His gesture felt like a refreshing breeze on a hot summer day…. Thank you Medhat !

Marie Graver

After reading a few other reviews, I have to completely agree that the service is sub par for the Ritz, but the villa itself is insanely impressive. We booked the sunset room villa which in itself is a 7 star hotel experience. It’s massive and overlooks the beautiful scenery. Upon entering we were given a brief tour of the villa but had no instructions on WiFi, connecting to the tv, how to use the lights/blinds, no room service menu or guide, no facility tour or amenity explanations. Butler service was lack luster. Since it’s such a lovely villa we decided to get room service to fully enjoy the property. The dinner was very nice with large portions. The breakfast, however, was very disappointing. The room comes with butler service so we ordered food at 7:30am, but only sat down to eat around 9:10am. I’m 32 weeks pregnant so I was starving by then. I’d ordered eggs and they were completely undercooked/runny. The portions were tiny. They gave us 3 cutlery sets for 4 people. The only thing decent was the fruit. My 3 yr old didn’t even like his waffle. For what we paid, I just expected a bit more attention to detail. The other reviews didn’t appear to improve the quality of service thus far. So if you go with the right expectations, it’s still a very nice place to try.

Hamda Abdulrahman

We had a bad start with the hotel, but they truly did their best to make it up to us, and we appreciate that effort. We booked the Al Rimal Pool Villa, and the view was beautiful, watching the deers walk and eat around. The pool was spacious and larger than what you typically find in other resorts with pool villas, which I really loved. However, if you’re looking for complete privacy, I’d recommend going for the enclosed pool villa, as we could see people swimming in the villas across from us. Breakfast was lovely, with a good variety of food options to suit different tastes. Overall, for the price you pay, this resort offers great value especially since pool villas at this price range are hard to find.