The Ritz-Carlton, Marina Del Rey

Well, I'm back at the Ritz Carlton, and much is the same as the last time I visited. The people are still super friendly, and I mean they actually do go out of their way to make sure you've got what you need, the food's good, and the amenities by Bulgari (or is that Bvlgari) are very nice, indeed. The hallways are still bright yellow, with a giant pattern in the carpet.


I was luckier this time. My showerhead didn't flop around, and there weren't any fishy stains on the carpet. However, my "balcony" was barely wide enough to merit being called a balcony. (I'd suggest footcony).



In other news from the hotel, I noticed some strange verbiage on the emergency evacuation notice:



Think, for a moment, about the logic of this notice. 1) If you're blind, you can't read the sign, so writing that it "sounds like a whoop" and looks like a "strobe light" will be of no help whatsoever. 2) If you're deaf, you wouldn't know what a "whoop" sounds like, would you? Do you really need to point out the particulars of the emergency siren and lighting? I guess if I heard whoops and saw strobe lights, I'd skeedaddle, sign or not.

The Ritz-Carlton Marina Del Rey has those impossible-to-figure-out-how-to-work clock radios. Alarm 1, alarm 2, cd, am/fm radio, etc. Having stayed in many hotels, I thought I'd figured out just about every clock radio. But no, it failed to go off in the morning. As is my usual backup, I had asked for a wake-up call.

This is where the Ritz-Carlton deserves special kudos. I've gotten used to recorded voices for wake-up calls, and when I picked up the phone, there was a very brief silence, which I took to be the recording kicking in. So I didn't say anything. Then, wonder of wonders, there was a real, human voice on the other end. How nice to start the day talking to a person.

I did miss the valet guy with the top hat (see earlier post), I hope it was just his day off. And I'm miffed that the hotel charges $9.95 for internet (non-wireless) access.

I will admit that the Ritz Carlton Marina Del Rey has very nice chandeliers in the elevators.