The Ritz Carlton Coconut Grove Review: Coconut Grove, FL

The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove is a 115-room luxury hotel in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood, about 15 minutes from the University of Miami campus. We stayed here two nights for parents’ weekend after a disappointing experience at The Biltmore last year—we wanted better rooms and a more polished property while still staying close enough to campus to avoid long drives to University of Miami events.

The Coconut Grove location puts you in a quieter, more residential part of Miami compared to South Beach or downtown. You’re right in the heart of the neighborhood with shops and restaurants within walking distance, though you’ll still need a car or rideshare to get to campus and most other Miami destinations.

Location

The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove sits at 3300 SW 27th Avenue in the heart of Coconut Grove, about 15 minutes from the University of Miami campus. The hotel is part of a larger condo and hotel complex with two 22-story towers, so you’re in a mixed-use development rather than a standalone resort property.

The best part about staying here is that you can actually walk to dinner. CocoWalk is just a few blocks away, with shops and restaurants, and there are several really good standalone restaurants within a 5-10 minute walk from the hotel. We ate off-property both nights and never needed to go far. It’s nice to have walkable options rather than having to drive or take an Uber everywhere just to get a meal.

That said, you still need a car or rideshare for everything else. University of Miami is 15 minutes by car, the airport is about 20-25 minutes, and if you want to explore South Beach or downtown Miami, you’re looking at 25-30 minute drives. So the immediate Coconut Grove area is walkable and pleasant, but you’re not walking to campus for parents weekend events or doing much else without transportation.

Lobby

The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove is part of a larger condo and hotel complex with two 22-story towers, so the entrance feels more like arriving at a residential building than a traditional resort. You pull up to valet parking (there’s no self-parking option), and from there you head into the lobby.

The lobby is smaller than you’d expect for a Ritz-Carlton—this is only a 115-room property, so it has a more intimate, boutique feel. The hotel describes it as having soaring ceilings, Venetian stucco columns, and a grand fireplace, which sounds nice but is pretty standard Ritz-Carlton design.

Rooms and Suites

The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove has 115 rooms total, split between City View and Bay View categories, plus various suites. Rooms have contemporary white and gray decor with marble bathrooms that include separate soaking tubs and showers.

The rooms have contemporary white and gray decor with some mahogany furniture pieces mixed in. Rooms include flat-screen TVs, a desk, chair, and the usual minibar setup.

The bathrooms are the better part of the room. They’re done in all-white marble with high-polished silver fixtures and soap dishes. Most rooms have separate soaking tubs and showers, plus a separate toilet room, which is a nice touch.

The balconies are worth mentioning, since the hotel really promotes them as a major feature. Every room has one, and they’re marketed as “oversized,” but the reality varies wildly by room. Some balconies have nice Bay views and feel like actual usable outdoor space. Others have a solid wall that occupies half the balcony and blocks most of your view—it has a very 1970s condo-construction feel that doesn’t match what you’d expect at a luxury property. Our room was nice and comfortable but the balcony was horrible.

Before you book here, make sure to ask about the balcony with your room type. We were on a lower floor. I think if you book a Bay View room on a higher floor you will have the nice balcony.

Restaurants and Bars

The hotel has one main restaurant (Isabelle’s Grill Room and Garden), a cocktail bar (The Commodore), and a poolside café. For a 115-room property, that’s decent, though reviews suggest the food quality doesn’t match what you’d expect from a Ritz-Carlton.

The Commodore is the cocktail bar with live music and craft cocktails. We stopped in one evening—well-made drinks, nice atmosphere, solid hotel bar with a great atmophere.

Pool & Fitness

The pool is heated and open 24 hours, which is nice if you want an early morning or late night swim. It’s set up as a lap pool rather than a resort-style pool, so don’t expect a massive pool area with different sections and features. The pool sits in a landscaped courtyard area with cabanas available for rent if you want dedicated seating. The view from the pool isn’t great—you’re looking at low-rise condo buildings through palm trees.

The fitness center is 6,000 square feet and open 24 hours with state-of-the-art equipment. We didn’t use it during our stay, but reviews mention it’s well-equipped with cardio machines and weights. The spa is also in this same area if you want treatments during your stay.

Final Thoughts

The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove delivered a better experience than The Biltmore the previous year, but that’s a low bar given how dated The Biltmore’s rooms were. The rooms here are fine, the marble bathrooms are nice, and the Coconut Grove location with walkable restaurants is a real advantage. But for what you’re paying per night at a Ritz-Carlton, the inconsistent balconies and disappointing food quality are issues.

The biggest advantage is the location—you’re 15 minutes from University of Miami campus in an actual neighborhood with good restaurants, rather than stuck at a resort property or a generic hotel near campus. If you’re doing parents weekend and want walkable dining options plus a nicer property than typical campus hotels, this works. Just explicitly request a Bay View room on a higher floor when you book; you might end up with one of those balconies with the concrete wall blocking your view.

For a pure leisure trip to Miami, I’d probably look at other options. The property feels more like a nice business hotel in a residential neighborhood than a destination resort, and the food quality doesn’t justify eating on-property when Coconut Grove has better restaurants a short walk away.

Booking Options

The best way to book The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove is through Marriott STARS. You get daily breakfast for two, a $100 property credit, room upgrade priority, and guaranteed 4 pm late checkout—all at the same rate you’d pay booking directly on Marriott’s website. More importantly, you still earn Marriott Bonvoy points and elite credit, which you don’t get always get with programs like Amex FHR.

If you have Marriott Bonvoy points, The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove is a Category 5 property. That’s not a bad redemption if you have points to burn, though you’ll miss out on the STARS benefits. You can also combine points with cash if you don’t have enough points for a full award stay.

Corporate codes are an option if you have access to them through work, but they typically don’t include any benefits beyond a slightly discounted rate. For a leisure stay, such as parents’ weekend, STARS delivers better overall value when you factor in the breakfast and property credit.