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Ritz Resort

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  • Jolly Rodger Drive
     Freeport, Bahamas
    242 373-4677
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ronhar
First Reviewer
3 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
6
Reviews
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1-5 of 6

The Ritz Beach Resort

  • November 27, 2005
  • Rated 1 of 5 by kndl from Bayonne, New Jersey
I gave my sister and her husband a guest certificate so they and their 2 girls could go on a nice vacation. When they got to this resort, their accommodations were extremely lacking. They had a 2 floor suite. The upstairs bathroom was not cleaned when they were allowed to check in. There was some one's leftover toothpaste still in the sink when they arrived. Plus, there were no bath or beach towels. (They always had to beg the staff to get towels for them.) The stairs to the 2nd floor were made of metal and were very steep. They were a dangerous amenity to the room. The walls, counters and ceiling were stucco that harbored mold which was prevalent throughout the room. The air conditioning didn't work for 2 days in very humid conditions and the housekeeping staff only cleans the rooms/makes the beds twice a week. On top of that, the housekeeping staff was nasty and rude. Parts of the resort are still being renovated due to the 2004 hurricane season damage it sustained. The amusement/water park that was advertised is not in operation and most of the rooms are still being re-built. Constant construction noise. The only saving grace was the pool (it's terrific) and the food. Other than that, stay away from this place until they're done fixing it and until they get new housekeeping employees.

From journal Sister's Family Vacation

Ritz Beach Resort

  • December 31, 2004
  • Rated 4 of 5 by blond5015 from Livingston, New Jersey
Best Things Nearby:
Port Lucaya

Best Things About the Resort:
The staff was very friendly, and there was an open restaurant on the beach, as well as a bar/restaurant and straw market. There were many activities to sign up for that they have planned and a big swim-up bar. I always got a chair on the beach, which was quiet and relaxing, and they make it easy to get to Port Lucya, where there are shops, restaurants, and a casino.

Resort Experience:
I loved staying at the Ritz Beach Resort; the staff was so friendly, and because the resort is more private or secluded, I got to know a lot of people visiting and the staff as well. I always had a chair on the beach, and they provide beach towels to you daily. It wasn't so loud and congested as some resorts can get.

I ate breakfast at the outside restaurant every morning while I watched the ocean; that was my favorite part of the day. They also have a big pool with a swim-up bar and hammocks to sleep in. They have a lot of activities planned that you can sign up for, such as a wine and cheese cruise and festivities on the beach where you can taste local cuisine and listen to them play the local music. They also offer miniature golf, wave runners, snorkeling, parasailing, a bar/restaurant, and a small bazaar on their beach. I also swam with the dolphins, which was one of the best parts of my trip.

You can also go to Port Lucaya, which is only a very easy and short ferry ride that you take from the resort - and they offer weekly passes. In Port Lucaya, there are restaurants and bars, shops, a straw market, and a casino.

  • Unit Type: Other
  • Activities: Excellent
  • Amenities: Very Good
  • Unit Satisfaction: Good
  • Family Friendliness: Excellent
  • Service: Very Good

From journal Freeport Bahamas 2004 Vacation

Editor Pick

Ritz Beach Resort

  • April 24, 2004
  • Rated 3 of 5 by Nancynb from Mactaquac, New Brunswick
Best Things Nearby:
Port Lucaya and the water taxi were just a few minutes away. The local fish fry on Wednesday nights was worth walking a couple miles for both the great food and the ambience.

Best Things About the Resort:
The beach was wonderful: quiet, warm, and sooooo relaxing. The people were very friendly. We also appreciated the 'grocery run' offered by the resort at the beginning of each week.

Resort Experience:
The Ritz Beach Resort is a work in progress with old units, relatively new units, and units being constructed (at a very slow pace it appears.) The Ritz and the Coral Suites all seem to be one, which is confusing for an RCI exchange, but how does one know what to expect?

The grounds and pool are beautiful and well maintained. We were unfortunate to arrive late (airline problems) and by the time we checked in, the only unit left was in the older section. We are not hard to please and thought it might be ok, but it really was not. The penthouse design featured a ladder that comes into the center of the small main room (a head bumper). Our balcony overlooked the outdoor A/C unit making it uncomfortably noisy to sit out there. The phone didn't work. But it was only after the A/C unit died (and for three days we had as many as four guys in this little room trying to fix it) that we began to be resentful that this was our trade for a two-bedroom Gold Crown property we own. No room change was possible until the end of our first week when we were moved to a very nice unit in the newer section. We couldn't believe the difference. This unit was quite lovely, spacious, better equipped, and much cleaner.

We truly enjoyed the people we met, the great snorkelling at Paradise Cove (we rented a car and drove there -- well worth it!), and the spectacular private beaches we discovered from one end of the island to another. The people of GBI are lovely and most welcoming.

We would return to GBI and the Ritz, but only with some sort of guarantee that we could be in a room in the newer section.

  • Unit Type: Studio
  • Activities: Good
  • Amenities: Good
  • Unit Satisfaction: Fair
  • Family Friendliness: Very Good
  • Service: Good

From journal Feeling Free in Freeport

Ritz Beach Resort

  • October 26, 2003
  • Rated 4 of 5 by DHOSER from LYNN, Massachusetts
Best Things Nearby:
Lucaya Market Place, International Bazaar

Best Things About the Resort:
Accommodations, beach, and pool

Resort Experience:
Ritz Beach Resort is a beautiful timeshare. It is on a several mile stretch of beach that's great for swimming, walking, or just sightseeing. It has a beautiful pool area with swim up bar, tanning beds right in the pool, waterslide which winds thru pool, plus a lazy river. Lots of activities to get involved with on beach, ski-doo rentals, banana boat rides, and volleyball.

There's tiki huts on the beach for shade for the non-sun worshippers. All in all this is a great place to stay. Also you can get the shuttle right down the street to take you to the Lucaya area where there are lots of restaurants, shops, and a casino.

  • Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
  • Activities: Excellent
  • Amenities: Excellent
  • Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
  • Family Friendliness: Excellent
  • Service: Excellent

From journal New Years At The Ritz

RITZ 2 Coral Suites

  • March 19, 2003
  • Rated 2 of 5 by PATRICIANN from SALEM, Oregon
Best Things Nearby:
Taino Beach
Bonfire on beach
Conch man

Best Things About the Resort:
The pool is great. There is not any waitresses at the pool though. The room was really nice.

Resort Experience:
We went to the Ritz the day before we checked-in to see if we could get a room assignment--but they said no. The day of check-in was a disaster. We had to put our name on a list and was told to come back in a couple of hours. There were at least 50 other people and all their luggage waiting in a small area outside. We came back later and only had a short wait to get our room. (We first had to go meet with someone to set up a time for the timeshare sale--which we declined.)

The unit was very big and very nice. My guess was that it was about 700 square feet. It was one of the newer units. The deck was huge with a table and chairs and lounge chair. It overlooked the pool. It had a pull-down bed, but it was comfortable. There was a full-kitchen and a fantastic glass shower. Table and chairs for 6 and a couch. I would not get just a studio room here--unless you do not mind looking out onto the parking lot and having people look right into your room if the drapes are open.

There is ongoing construction here and the owner died while we were there. The place closed down for the funeral. I don't know if this will effect the building from getting completed. We choose not to attend any timeshare meetings and got bugged just once.

We did not use any of the resort amenites--they were not much to speak of. It was really slow and dead around there. We rented a car and went to the grocery store and other restaurants in the Port Lucaya area. There was a water taxi for $25 a week that a lot of people were using--just be sure to know that it is a walk to get to the taxi. No big deal if you are in shape.

  • Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
  • Activities: Poor
  • Amenities: Good
  • Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
  • Family Friendliness: Good
  • Service: Good

From journal FREEPORT/PARADISE ISLAND VACATION

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