Which is best, Ritz-Carlton vs. Waldorf Astoria? While the choice between these two hotel brands varies between individual hotels, Ritz-Carlton hotels generally have the edge, and we outline the reasons for this below.
The Ritz-Carlton and the Waldorf have a generic look and feel that fits their Marriott and Hilton brands. This is unlike the luxury Four Seasons brand, whose hotels often have unique decor and service. Each Four Seasons hotel is completely unlike any other Four Seasons hotel in the world and offers exceptional service in unrepeated settings.
That said, both Ritz-Carlton and Waldorf Astoria have exceptional properties, so let’s break the comparison down into the different hotel parts to compare the two brands.
Book your next Ritz-Carlton or Waldorf Astoria stay with our luxury travel concierge, and you will get all our free VIP benefits, including free breakfast, prioritized room upgrade, hotel credit, and more.
1. Style
Ritz-Carlton offers a more consistent classic American style. The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua is an excellent example of an outstanding and recently refurbished Ritz-Carlton hotel with an incredible setting, pools and club lounge. You can see this pictured above and below.
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua embraces Maui’s natural beauty and cultural heritage, incorporating Hawaiian design elements throughout the property. From the architecture to the decor, guests experience a sense of Hawaiian luxury and hospitality.
The interior spaces of the resort feature high-quality materials, rich textures, and elegant furnishings. Neutral color palettes are complemented by tropical hue accents and are livened by authentic Hawaiian artwork and carvings.
What is particularly lovely about the design of the Ritz-Carlton Maui is that it seamlessly integrates indoor and outdoor spaces, allowing guests to embrace Maui’s idyllic climate and natural beauty. Outdoor lounges, dining areas, and landscaped gardens provide tranquil settings.
There is also a Waldorf Astoria on Maui, and while its pool is exceptional, the communal areas are not recently refurbished and are not as appealing when compared to the opulence offered by the Ritz-Carlton. Add in the fact that the Waldorf has more of a high-rise feel, and there is no comparison between the styles of these two resorts. The Ritz-Carlton wins hands down.
Another location that hosts two Ritz-Carltons and a Waldorf Astoria is in New York. Here, both Ritz-Carltons are beautifully designed, and we have compared Ritz-Carlton Central Park Vs. Nomad separately. The Nomad Ritz-Carlton only recently opened and offers gorgeous modern decor, impressive double or triple-height bars, and restaurants with incredible dangly lights and incredible views. The Ritz-Carlton Central Park is equally impressive and right on Central Park’s edge. This hotel has a more traditional look and feel but is beautifully finished, with incredible views over Central Park.
The Waldorf-Astoria New York is equally impressive, with a huge ballroom and a unique Clock Lobby with an Art-Deco feel. When comparing this hotel to the Ritz-Carlton hotels in New York, the location (outlined below) and the style are the main differentiators.
If you prefer modern, it has to be the Ritz-Carlton Nomad; if you like traditional decor and being by the park, it must be the Ritz-Carlton Central Park; if you want an impressive venue with historic detailing, the Waldorf Astoria is a great choice. Because there is more choice within the Ritz-Carlton brand in New York and because we love the style of the Nomad and the location of the Central Park Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton win again in New York.
Another destination with a Ritz-Carlton and a Waldorf-Astoria is Orlando. The Waldorf Astoria has been beautifully and recently refurbished, and the Ritz-Carlton is also stunning. There is little to differentiate between these properties in terms of style, they are both beautiful. The Ritz-Carlton has advantageous facilities as it connects to the JW Marriott, which offers a lazy river and long wiggly water slides, so if you’re traveling with children, pick the Ritz-Carlton, but for style alone, both hotels are excellent.
In New Orleans there’s a Four Seasons, a Ritz-Carlton, and a Waldorf Astoria. The Ritz-Carlton and the Four Seasons have a much more inviting style. The Four Seasons is modern and chic, the Ritz-Carlton is tropical with a big open-air courtyard filled with lush green plants, and the place has a colonial feel. The Waldorf Astoria feels formal and dated by comparison, and the rooms are generic and drab.
Finally, there’s a Ritz-Carlton, Waldorf Astoria, and a Four Seasons in Dubai. There is little to choose between the Ritz-Carlton and Waldorf Astoria for style. The Four Seasons wins here.
2. Location
Whether the Ritz-Carlton of Waldorf Astoria has the better location depends on the individual hotel and will usually dictate which brand to choose.
There’s a Ritz-Carlton and a Waldorf Astoria on Maui and the Waldorf has our preferred location on Wailea Beach, which is one of the best beaches for sunsets on Maui. This beach is perfect for families with calm waters and acres of golden sand.
The Ritz-Carlton is located in Kapalua on a beach that is similarly stunning but itcan be windy and rough. This whole area is prone to getting more wind and less sunshine than Wailea. The beach at the Ritz-Carlton is further from the hotel rooms than the beach at the Grand Wailea by Waldorf Astoria.
At the Grand Wailea by Waldorf Astoria, the beach is right on your doorstep, a flat walk from your room blocks. It the Ritz-Carlton, the beach is down a hill from the main hotel which creates an incredible setting for views, but the uphill walk back to your room from the beach at the Ritz-Carlton is not ideal for todlersl
As an aside, we love the boardwalk that runs from the Fairmont to the Wailea Beach Resort by Marriott in Wailea, so if you like walking, Wailea is your best destination.
In New York, the Ritz-Carlton Central Park is one of the best located hotels in the city, particularly if you like to wander through Central Park.
In New Orleans, the Ritz-Carlton has a brilliant location. Located on Canal Street in the French Quarter, The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans puts you at the heart of the action.
3. Loyalty
The Ritz-Carlton is a Marriott subsidiary, so you can collect and spend Marriott Bonvoy points here. The Waldorf Astoria is part of Hilton Honors, so you can collect and spend Hilton Honors points here. Both loyalty programs are similar, and your preference probably depends on whether you stay at more Hilton or Marriott hotels each year.
It’s worth mentioning that these loyalty benefits are nowhere near as good as the benefits you get by booking your next Ritz-Carlton or Waldorf Astoria stay with our luxury travel concierge. If you book with our concierge, you will get free breakfast, prioritized room upgrades, hotel credit, and more, as well as all your usual Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors points during your stay.
If you prefer to pick a Four Seasons hotel, there’s no Four Seasons loyalty program although you can get free benefits from your very first Four Seasons stay by booking with our luxury concierge.
4. Grounds
Both Ritz-Carlton and Waldorf Astoria resorts offer glorious grounds. To choose between them would be too property-specific, and most of their resort hotels have comparative grounds, with their city hotels having no grounds whatsoever, so neither brand wins on this point.
5. Beach
Again, beaches are more property-specific than brand-specific. In Maui, the beach at the Grand Wailea by Waldorf Astoria is closer and less windy than the beach at the Ritz-Carlton, but the Ritz-Carlton beach is incredibly picturesque and less busy so this one is swings and roundabouts.
6. Rooms
Both Ritz-Carlton and Waldorf Astoria hotels have generously sized rooms. In Maui, the Ritz-Carlton rooms have balconies and offer recently refurbished dark wood floors and decor, whereas the rooms at the Waldorf Astoria are tired and need updating.
In Orlando, the rooms at the newly refurbished Waldorf Astoria are newer than the rooms at the Ritz-Carlton. Whether the Ritz-Carlton or Waldorf Astoria has better rooms depends on the specific hotel.
7. Food
Both brands offer excellent and not-so-excellent restaurants. You’ll need to review the specific property to determine whether a particular property has an award-winning restaurant. The Ritz-Carlton in Vienna, for example, has an excellent steak restaurant that spills out onto the pavement in the summer for alfresco dining and a rooftop terrace. These eateries attract guests to this hotel and are two of the most picturesque restaurants in Vienna.
8. Family Facilities
Both brands are family-friendly. The Waldorf Astoria wins hands down in Maui because of its amazing pool. This tropical adventure pool has waterfalls, slides of varying levels of excitement and length and is designed like an island paradise.
The pool at the Ritz-Carlton Maui is formal by comparison, which id great for adults looking for a peaceful holiday but is less appealing for kids who want the excitement of slides. Conversely, the Waldorf pool in Maui attracts families to the resort, so if you are looking for a romantic couples vacation, the brilliant pools at the Waldorf may be a reason not to stay there.
9. Club Lounge
Ritz-Carlton club lounges tend to be the best club lounges in the world. While Waldorf has very good club lounges, they do not provide anywhere near the luxury or food offerings that you will find at a Ritz-Carlton club lounge.
10. Conclusion
Both of these hotel brands offer magnificent hotels with large rooms and a luxury setting. The best hotel choice for you depends on the specific hotel choice. However, for the best Ritz-Carlton vs. Waldorf Astoria pool, the Grand Wailea by Waldorf Astoria wins hands down out of all the hotels in both brands.
For luxury setting, usually Ritz-Carlton hotels have the edge. The pinnacle and one of the best Ritz-Carlton hotels in the world is the Ritz-Carlton Maui.
You also can confidently pick Ritz-Carlton hotels if you want the best club lounge. Ritz-Carlton hotels have the best club lounges in the world too.
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Image courtesy of Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua.
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