Although the Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen has been open for over a decade and I was initially worried about dated facilities and decor, all my concerns completely vanished once I experienced it firsthand. To put it in trendy terms, "an old Ferrari is still a Ferrari."
During check-in, the front desk agent was refreshingly candid. While extra lounge benefits couldn't be discounted, upon learning it was a family member's birthday, she proactively offered to set up birthday-themed room decorations and presented a complimentary birthday cake. When she found out I collect hotel key cards, she even offered to make a custom engraved one with personalized text! That was a truly heartwarming touch!
Since our assigned room was still being cleaned, we headed straight up to the executive lounge for afternoon tea. The lounge setup at the Shenzhen Ritz is quite interesting: a full set of pastries and tea is displayed on the buffet counter, allowing guests to see the entire spread at a glance. Mandy at the lounge kindly informed us that champagne and white wine were also available during afternoon tea and asked if we'd like to try some. Coincidentally visiting during the National Day holiday, we were puzzled to find only two or three tables occupied in the lounge. We later learned from chatting with Mandy that we had managed to miss the peak check-in rush—talk about good fortune!
There are two particularly interesting design elements in the lounge and executive floor. First, unlike most lounges that feature only one meeting room, the Shenzhen Ritz has two—one large and one small. Second, there is a staircase connecting the lounge directly to the executive guest rooms, allowing guests to walk back and forth between their rooms and the lounge without taking the elevator.
Our room was ready just as we finished afternoon tea, so we walked straight down from the lounge via the connecting stairs. Although we opted for an original-style room that has never been renovated since the hotel opened, all the facilities were impeccably maintained. The room was thoroughly clean, with zero musty or damp odors. I immediately checked the shower room floor, and there were no mold spots or water stains. I tested the bathtub TV, and it was in good working order. Surprisingly, the air conditioning system was exceptionally powerful and cooling, to the point where we actually had to turn the temperature up to stay comfortable. There were four bottles of water placed separately on the minibar and TV console—plenty of supply, even if you need to boil water for tea. To my pleasant surprise, the room was stocked with TWG tea bags, reminiscent of the St. Regis. The lychee pastries provided as welcome snacks were exceptionally delicious, sweet without being cloying.
A minor drawback was finding the power outlets. Aside from one easily accessible outlet by the nightstand, I searched for quite a while to find other convenient plugs before finally noticing one on the side of the desk. Perhaps a small reminder placed on the desk would help guests locate them more quickly.
The outdoor pool at the Shenzhen Ritz is quite a popular spot for photos. When no one is swimming, you can capture some great shots against the backdrop of the CBD skyscrapers. It's also a fantastic photo spot in the evening if you catch the light show. However, an unavoidable issue with outdoor pools is that a stray leaf or two always ends up in the water, requiring constant upkeep. The fitness center occupies a massive space; it's fully equipped, brand new, and even includes a yoga room.
The evening happy hour/dinner at the lounge is the best among the five meal presentations. The regular cold cuts, appetizers, and hot dishes were all made with fresh, high-quality ingredients. The cold cuts were equally stellar, and the smoked cured beef left a deep impression. They also served authentic jamón ibérico, which was promptly replenished whenever it ran out (giving me slight flashbacks to the Ritz-Carlton Nanjing, though they didn't have a whole leg on display for carving). Worth mentioning is the rice—it actually had that fragrant aroma of freshly cooked rice, making me eat half a bowl even though I rarely touch carbs during lounge happy hours. The live-action cooking station offered Mexican tacos that day, with a choice of beef or chicken, or even a mix of both. Of course, it was a bit of a pity that despite having a live station, they only served tacos instead of live-cooked noodle soups, which felt like a bit of a missed opportunity.
As for the evening desserts, the traditional sweet soups (tong sui) were the most memorable; the chocolates and such weren't particularly appealing, though they did have macarons (albeit the exact same chocolate flavor as the ones served during happy hour).
For breakfast, we chose the second-floor all-day dining restaurant. The buffet stations are spread across four areas. While the variety isn't as overwhelmingly vast as some newer hotels (which can honestly be dizzying and leave you wondering what to eat), the selection is quite diverse, featuring a substantial proportion of Middle Eastern and South Asian dishes. Among the Chinese options, the freshly steamed rice noodle rolls (changfen) were well-made—silky and delicious. An interesting detail was the presence of several foreign waitstaff who even greeted us in English right off the bat, making me momentarily forget I was in Shenzhen. I'm not sure if this is a sign of an increasingly internationalized vibe as November approaches.
The lounge lunch is quite similar to dinner, except it lacks the live-action station and hot dishes are slightly scaled down; everything else is largely the same.
Overall, the stay at the Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen was wonderful, full of pleasant surprises in the little details. All my pre-trip worries about the hotel's age were completely dispelled by the actual experience. A special thank you to the front desk agent, Mandy at the lounge, and her colleagues. I look forward to coming back for a repeat visit!
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