The Ritz Carlton Oahu, Turtle Bay

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

6493 reviews

• 

  Not worth the cost

  Our experience may be skewed since we spent the four nights prior to our stay here at the Four Seasons Hualalai on the Big Island. That resort is a five star experience at a five star price. The Ritz Turtle Bay only has the five star price tag. The location is beautiful but the rooms, pool and service are ordinary to substandard. The beach service and valet is well below standard. We paid the same amount for a King Oceanfront Club room at the Ritz as we did for a Prime Oceanfront room at Hualalai. But the difference in the rooms was significant. Here are some of the differences you get at a true five star resort room: Double sink, lei holders, high end toiletries, mini bar, drinks cabinet with full bottles of liquor and wine offered, couch not a chair, Birthday acknowledgment cake, welcome note from GM with welcome food in room (local cookies), blue tooth speaker, folio review and checkout on TV, Ice bucket filled in room nightly, plentiful water bottles, walk in closet with dirty clothes hamper, vaulted ceiling with ceiling fan, Dyson hair dryer. These are just some of the differences in the actual rooms. Our first room (610) overlooked the pools and when we tried to have our morning coffee on the lanai it was not enjoyable due to the loud kids playing in the pool. I know the hotel can't control that but know that the sound travels all the way to the top floor. For whatever reason, Hualalai did not have many kids at all. We asked to change rooms and they nicely accommodated our request to another quieter wing to room 654 and it was beautiful and peaceful. We initially paid the extra appx $200 per night for access to The Club but after the first days subpar breakfast we asked to stop that access and refund the $200 which the allowed. The buffet at Alaia was better and a little less expensive. The day that we went to the beach area was not five star or luxurious in any way. We were told if we wanted a lounge with shade it would be $250. That was no charge at Hualalai. We were just handed a couple of towels and told to find an uncovered chair inside the RC ropes. No one ever came to check on us or ask for a food or drink order etc. And the RC beach area had trash everywhere that no service members bothered to pick up. At Hualalai we were escorted to any lounge chair we wanted with coverings set up for us, drink orders taken and we were checked on regularly. Also at various times while on beach and pool chairs they came by with skewers of frozen grapes, popsicles and with a sunglasses cleaning. That is actual five star service you don't mind paying for. The last complaint I have is the Ritz parking. It is $48 per day whether you valet or self-park. That's ridiculous. Self park at Hualalai is free. I did that because I needed to leave at 5:30 am to go marlin fishing and didn't want to mess with valet and it worked great. At the Ritz you basically have to valet and it's the same cost (plus tip) so you might as well. Unfortunately I requested my vehicle about 5 minutes before we were ready to leave the hotel for the airport and it took 25 minutes to get the vehicle which put us late for our intended time at the airport. When I asked the valet desk after waiting for 20 minutes I was told they are short staffed and would be for the next three weeks due to "bad management". That was the last thing I was told and my final impression when leaving the Ritz Carlton Turtle Bay. I will gladly pay a premium amount for a premium product and service but as it stands, the Ritz Carlton Turtle Bay does not provide that.

  Nov 10, 2026
• 

  An outstanding experience, and one we would gladly repeat!

  As a travel agent who has experienced Marriott properties around the world, I can confidently say that this was one of the best hotel experiences I have ever had with my family. My only regret is having decided to try another hotel from the same brand nearby for our subsequent stay. In hindsight, I should have remained at the Ritz-Carlton, which proved to be superior in every respect. The staff were truly outstanding. Without even having to ask, we were offered an upgrade that exceeded our expectations. The room was exceptionally spacious, beautifully appointed and equipped with excellent amenities. The balcony offered a spectacular ocean view, making our stay even more memorable. What particularly impressed us was the wide range of convenient facilities available within the property. There is a coffee shop offering healthy breakfast options, as well as a small market where guests can purchase food and alcoholic beverages at very reasonable prices. Among the many thoughtful amenities, my spouse particularly appreciated the complimentary self-service laundry room, with detergent provided. It may seem like a small detail, but for travellers spending several days away from home, this is an exceptionally practical and much-appreciated service. In many ways, the hotel feels like a little town within itself, offering an excellent range of facilities, services and conveniences that allow guests to feel comfortable and at home. Beyond the quality of the accommodation, it was the attention to detail, outstanding hospitality and overall guest experience that truly made the difference. As someone working in the travel industry, I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this property to my clients. It is a wonderful example of the exceptional hospitality, comfort and service standards I have come to expect from a Ritz-Carlton property.

  Nov 04, 2026
• 

  Not RC quality.

  Location is lovely but nothing about this is Ritz Carlton. Needs updating, service is not up to par. Perhaps leaning more towards Marriott.

  Oct 31, 2026
• 

  North Shore Luxury

  If you're a regular Ritz-type customer, then the prices shouldn't bother you. If you're not, be prepared - restaurants, hotel, resort fee, valet - $$$$. The hotel is beautiful - I think all rooms get some kind of amazing view; not sure if some rooms are updated and others aren't, but ours was pretty dated. The decor was nice but bathrooms were definitely "older". Housekeeping comes daily, which is nice. The gym has one of the best views of all! Hotel lobby bar is a great place to enjoy the open air views. The resort fee does include an umbrella and two chairs on the beach - first come, first serve. Pool gets crowded, so we spent time on the beach. You are isolated, so unless you want to drive, you are stuck with the property restaurants. We tried Beach House by Roy Yamaguchi - casual, food was okay - lots of sauces; Alaia - beautiful setting, food & service good; Ho'olana - grabbed a sandwich here (enough for 2 ppl) & took it to the beach for lunch - probably the best meal we had - was delish; Room Service - pizza & 1 glass of wine, about $70. We much preferred the dining in Haleiwa, but it is about 25 minutes. Kahuku is only 5 minutes away - lots of food trucks, but not open for dinner. Great location if you're looking to get away but the hotel itself can get crowded - pool & restaurants/bars, and we were off season. Hard to go wrong while in Hawaii.

  Oct 06, 2026
• 

  Beautiful property and bungalow

  We stayed 5 days in an Ocean Bungalow. The room was beautiful, spacious for a couple, and had a backyard area and a view of a beach and the surfing area in front of the hotel proper. The staff kept it clean and brought requested items (a blanket, bag of ice, breakfast) reasonably quickly. We enjoyed the Jamie O’Brian surf experience with Hugo, as he was an excellent teacher. We had breakfast included, and the buffet at Alaia is fabulous. My favorite meals on the property was breakfast. My favorite amenity is the trails to run and walk on each morning. The pools and hot tub are okay. A meter deep and mostly for wading. We spent time in the hot tub which was respectably hot. They have a few cute waterslides too, and a handful of creative mocktails for us non-drinkers. I would have rated this a 5 if the pools and food were more to my liking, for the price. We spent a lot of time each day off the property, enjoying the beauty of O’ahu.

  Oct 04, 2026