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Which hotel brand is best, Ritz-Carlton Vs. Sheraton? Ritz-Carlton hotels tend to be very luxurious, whereas Sheraton hotels are more generic, with smaller rooms and less unique decor. Both hotel brands usually have a club lounge. Both typically have excellent facilities, extensive grounds, spas, and often pools, but Ritz-Carlton hotels are almost always superior and more expensive.
Certain cities and resorts house both a Ritz-Carlton and a Sheraton hotel. These locations include Maui, Denver, Orlando, New York, Abu Dhabi, Beijing, and Los Angeles. We compare these two brands below.
1. Loyalty
Ritz-Carlton and Sheraton are both luxury brands under the Marriott umbrella. Ritz-Carltons are more luxurious than Sheraton hotels. Ritz-Carlton hotels share the top spot with St. Regis, BVLGARI, EDITION, and The Luxury Collection.
These brands occupy a 5-star luxury category, with room quality and size, service, restaurants, and the hotel offering an ultra-luxurious setting. Sheraton hotels can be 4—or 5-star and sit slightly below in the luxury brand scale.
Ritz-Carlton and Sheraton are both part of the Marriott Bonvoy brand loyalty program, so you collect the same points by staying at both of these brands, although the perks are different.
As an example, high loyalty tier members, so Marriott Bonvoy Members with Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite, and Ambassador Elite status, enjoy complimentary club lounge access at Sheraton hotels but everyone has to pay for club lounge access at Ritz-Carlton hotels, whatever loyalty tier member you are.
It’s worth mentioning that loyalty benefits are usually nowhere near as good as the benefits you get by booking via luxury travel concierge. Our travel agency Stars and Luminous partnership with Ritz-Carlton and Sheraton hotels means you will also get brilliant free benefits, usually including breakfast for two, prioritized room upgrades (subject to availability), hotel credit, and more if you book with our concierge. Our deals are almost always better than booking directly on the hotel website for both brands.
If you book with our team, you will also get all your usual Marriott Bonvoy points during your stay. In Paris, New York, and London, you also get free club lounge access when you book an InterContinental hotel via our team.
We have outlined the best Ritz-Carlton hotels in case you want to delve further into the Ritz-Carlton brand.
2. Style
Ritz-Carlton hotels offer an American luxury finish more in tune with the brand than the local area. There are some magnificent features of certain Ritz-Carlton hotels, such as the roof terrace at the Ritz-Carlton Vienna and the rooms and club lounge at the excellent and newly refurbished Ritz-Carlton Maui, Hawaii.
In fact, the Ritz-Carlton Maui has to be one of the best Ritz-Carlton hotels in the world, and this beautifully refurbished hotel in Maui gives the Four Seasons in Wailea a run for its money. The setting is stunning, with a paradise view of rolling lime green lawns speckled with multicolored flowers and deep blue pools leading down to a picture-perfect beach.
The Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa on Kaanapali Beach, Lahaina Maui, does not stand on its own like a pinnacle in a garden of Eden and is instead sandwiched between other luxury resorts on Kaanapali Beach, but this Sheraton is right on top of the beach, and there is great snorkeling. As in most of these comparisons, the Sheraton is also considerably cheaper.
Particularly great Ritz-Carltons also include the new Ritz-Carlton Nomad in New York, which has exceptional views. We have compared the Ritz-Carlton Nomad Vs. Ritz-Carlton Central Park if you are debating where to stay in New York. We would probably pick the Ritz-Carlton Nomad as our first choice.
By contrast, the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel is not a particularly luxurious property in New York, although it has historic aspects that are interesting. It feels a bit soleless and corporate when compared to the Ritz-Carlton properties and is near but not next to Central Park. If you want an alternative to the Ritz-Carlton hotels in New York, the St. Regis NY is also worth considering, plus it has a very good breakfast.
Another destination with a Ritz-Carlton and a Sheraton is Abu Dhabi. The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi is one of the best hotels with one of the best club lounges in Abu Dhabi. It is a regal property with sparkling chandeliers, its own patch of private beach, and breathtaking views of the Grand Mosque, making this Ritz-Carlton a great luxury hotel choice in Abu Dhabi. It also has impressive common areas and a fantastic pool with lovely lawns leading down to a gorgeous beach, making it ideal for families.
The Sheraton Abu Dhabi is situated on the famous Corniche in the heart of the city and is very much a city rather than a resort hotel like the Ritz-Carlton. Its location means that the main shopping and commercial districts are within walking distance, and the international airport is easily accessible from the hotel. It has quite small rooms with sophisticated décor. There is a spa, two outdoor swimming pools surrounded by tropical trees, a children’s slide, and a pool bar. The two hotels are not comparable in terms of luxury, but the price difference between these hotels represents this.
In Denver, The Ritz-Carlton Denver is nestled in the bustling lower downtown neighborhood. The hotel is the city’s longest-running AAA Five Diamond property, boasting luxuriously enhanced guest rooms, suites, meeting space, lobby, and spa oasis. The hotel offers the city’s largest guestrooms, an unparalleled and exclusive Club Level, and ELWAY’S Downtown, an elevated dining experience.
The Sheraton Denver Downtown is a much less classy hotel. It is made up of two towers in two different blocks, connected by either a skywalk or the conference center in the basement. The club lounge is at the top of the “Tower” block.
If you book a club room or are an elite member who gets free lounge access, you will probably be assigned to the Tower building with the lounge because it’s an annoying distance between the two buildings if you have to change blocks to get to the club lounge. Other guests may be assigned to the Plaza block. The gym here is great, with plenty of equipment and machines and free weights. Platinum recognition is very good at this hotel. Platinum Bonvoy members usually get upgraded to suites at the top of the Tower building and get welcome plates with fancy snacks.
If you are there for a conference or the club lounge the Sheraton is a decent choice in Denver but if you are in Denver for a leisure stay, the Ritz-Carlton is a much more luxurious choice if you can stretch to it.
3. Location
As a general rule, Ritz-Carlton and Sheraton hotels are both centrally located in cities. In New York, the original Ritz-Carlton is on the edge of Central Park, so it has lovely views. The Sheraton is less well located in the concrete jungle, a short walk from Central Park, so the Ritz-Carlton hotel is better located.
This tends to be true of most Ritz-Carlton hotels; they tend to be better located than Sheraton hotels. There are exceptions. The Sheraton Park Lane In London is brilliantly located around the corner from the main Four Seasons hotel in London, so this Sheraton is brilliantly located and ultra-luxurious. It is arguably better located than any of the other Marriott hotels in London, and as there is no Ritz-Carlton in London (there is a Ritz hotel, but this is not part of the Marriott Bonvoy brand), the Sheraton is probably your best Marriott choice in London.
As a general rule, however, Ritz-Carlton hotels tend to be better located than Sheraton hotels.
4. Size
Ritz-Carlton hotels and Sheraton hotels vary hugely in size. Some larger Sheraton hotels are used for conferences. Crucially, for leisure guests, Ritz-Carlton hotels tend to have larger and more appealing grounds. The grounds at the Ritz-Carlton Maui are incredible, whereas the grounds of the Sheraton Maui are not particularly special.
Again, there are exceptions. The Ritz-Carlton has no grounds in Waikiki, so the size and grounds are property-specific.
5. Rooms
Rooms at Sheraton hotels tend to be smaller and less unique than those at Ritz-Carlton hotels. Some Sheraton rooms are particularly good, spacious, and unique, such as those in the Sheraton in London but many are small and generic without much character. We particularly love the rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Nomad in New York, where the baths sit by a huge window with fantastic views.
6. Pool & Gym
Whether there is a pool and gym is very property dependent, but as a general rule, Ritz-Carlton hotels tend to have better facilities than Sheraton hotels. The pool at the Ritz-Carlton Maui is gorgeous.
In Orlando, the JW Marriott has a lazy river, and the Ritz-Carlton has a more classic rectangular pool, although the hotels share facilities. This shared pool area is much nicer than any Sheraton pool in Orlando.
In New York, neither the Ritz-Carlton hotels nor the Sheraton have pools, so this aspect is very property-specific.
7. Ski
The best Ritz-Carlton ski hotels can be found in Bachelor Gulch and Lake Tahoe. Both are great hotels with loads of facilities.
The Sheraton brand has no decent ski hotels, although we have outlined the best Marriott ski hotels which include St. Regis, W, and Westin ski hotels.
8. Club Lounge
Ritz-Carlton club lounges are some of the best club lounges in any city. We have outlined the best Ritz-Carlton club lounges. These club lounges cannot be accessed with high loyalty status. At Ritz-Carlton hotels, you must book a club room to get access to their club lounges.
Most Sheraton hotels also have club lounges, and if you have top-tier Marriott Bonvoy status, you get access to JW Marriott club lounges for free, as outlined above, but they are not as good as the Ritz-Carlton club lounges.
Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador Elite Marriott Bonvoy members have access to Concierge/Executive/Club/Signature Club/M Club lounges at Marriott properties, including JW Marriott, Marriott, Renaissance, or Sheraton hotels. They can also bring one guest to the lounge as long as the guest is staying in the same room. You will get Platinum Elite status after staying 50 nights a year at a Marriott property. To get Titanium Elite, you need to stay 75 nights each year.
We loved the club lounge at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London and would book this hotel based on its brilliant club lounge. We think this is one of the best Marriott club lounges in the world. The Sheraton Park Lane club lounge is also excellent. In New York, we prefer the Ritz-Carlton Club lounges even though you have to pay for them.
9. Family Facilities
Ritz-Carlton hotels are more family-friendly, with larger rooms and better club lounges. These are brilliant for young and older children due to the snacks provided throughout the day and the extra space to escape.
If you want the best brand for family-friendly luxury hotels, it is usually best at Four Seasons or some Belmond properties like the Hotel Cipriani.
10. Price
Ritz-Carlton hotels are almost always more expensive than Sheraton hotels, but you tend to get what you pay for with large rooms and a higher level of luxury.
For a more reasonable Ritz-Carlton or JW Marriott stay, check out our review of some of the cheapest Ritz-Carlton hotels and the cheapest Marriott hotels.
11. Conclusion
While both Ritz-Carlton and Sheraton hotels are great hotel choices in a city or a resort, Ritz-Carlton hotels are almost always the best choice and tend to be more expensive.
Sheraton hotels are often convention hotels with hundreds of rooms. Some are amazing, like the Sheraton in London, but do your research before you pick a Sheraton over a Ritz-Carlton, as Ritz-Carlton hotels are almost always better.
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